WHAT: 
The Center for Heirs' Property Preservation™ and the Mississippi Center for Justice, together with their partners from World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Kimberly-Clark, will host an event to launch a major initiative to help historically underserved families in Mississippi protect and keep their forestland.

The initiative will address heirs' property—a pervasive yet underdiscussed issue. Heirs' property is land passed down informally from generation to generation and is split between heirs, often because landowners died without a will or taking legal action to transfer title. As generations go by, a parcel of land can end up with dozens of owners. Without clear ownership, the land can easily be lost to developers and timber harvesters, tax sales, and forced partition sales.

This problem is particularly pronounced among Black families in the South. That's because decades ago, as Black people were finally able to acquire land, they often didn't have the resources to create wills. As such, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has called heirs' property "the leading cause of Black involuntary land loss."

During the event, leaders from the Center for Heirs' Property Preservation™ and the Mississippi Center for Justice will discuss the challenges of heirs' property and how the new initiative will help landowners in Mississippi. Leaders from WWF and Kimberly-Clark will also share why they are supporting the initiative and the importance of resolving heirs' property issues to protect the environment.

WHO:

• Speakers:
  • Jennie L. Stephens, CEO of the Center for Heirs' Property Preservation™ 
  • Vangela M. Wade, President and CEO of the Mississippi Center for Justice
• Moderated by:
  • Ann McGill, Anchor, Live 5 News - WCSC TV, Charleston, South Carolina
• With Remarks by:
  • Kerry Cesareo, Senior Vice President for Forests at World Wildlife Fund
  • Lisa Morden, Vice President of Safety, Sustainability & Occupational Health at Kimberly-Clark

WHEN:
Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021, from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. ET

WHERE:
Virtual event -- register here.

About the Center for Heirs' Property Preservation™  
The Center for Heirs' Property Preservation™ has been protecting heirs' property through legal education and direct legal services since 2005. In 2013, the Center began promoting the sustainable use of land through forestry education and services to provide increased economic benefit to low-wealth family landowners. The Center provides legal and forestry services in Allendale, Bamberg, Beaufort, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dillion, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Orangeburg, Sumter and Williamsburg counties.   

To date, the Center has provided 3,260 persons with free, one-hour "Advice and Counsel" (A&C) with 777 clients receiving direct legal services to clear title. A total of 1,225 simple wills have been drafted at free, community Wills Clinics; more than 451 families (who collectively own in excess of 26,000 acres) have benefited from various levels of education and expert resources to develop and implement sustainable forestry management plans and 286 titles have been cleared on family land with a total tax-assessed value of $16.7 million. Visit www.heirsproperty.org to learn more; follow @Heirsproperty on Twitter and https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-for-heirs-property-preservation/mycompany/ on LinkedIn.  

About the Mississippi Center for Justice  
Now in its 18th year, the Mississippi Center for Justice continues to be one of the most well-respected civil justice organizations in the South, known for the strategic nature of its advocacy and the high impact of its work. MCJ is a non-profit, public interest law firm committed to strengthening racial, social, and economic justice in Mississippi by dismantling the systems that strip opportunity away from historically disadvantaged Mississippians. MCJ does this through a potent combination of direct legal services, strategic policy advocacy, targeted community education, and media outreach.  

MCJ works to create a better future for Mississippi through dedicated legal campaigns centered around health and public benefits, fair housing, consumer protection, education, immigration, disaster recovery, and impact litigation. MCJ works across such a diverse array of issues because addressing the root causes of poverty and inequity are inherently intersectional. MCJ confronts a wide range of challenges facing low-income Mississippians and has an exceptional track record of making real and positive change. Learn more at www.mscenterforjustice.org.  

About World Wildlife Fund (WWF)  
WWF is one of the world's leading conservation organizations, working for 60 years in nearly 100 countries to help people and nature thrive. With the support of more than 5 million supporters worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment, and combat the climate crisis. Visit worldwildlife.org to learn more; follow @WWFNews on Twitter to keep up with the latest conservation news; and sign up for our newsletter and news alerts here.  

About Kimberly-Clark  
Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its trusted brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Fueled by ingenuity, creativity and an understanding of people's most essential needs, we create products that help individuals experience more of what's important to them. Our portfolio of brands, including Huggies, Kleenex, Scott, Kotex, Cottonelle, Poise, Depend, Andrex, Pull-Ups, GoodNites, Intimus, Neve, Plenitud, Sweety, Softex, Viva and WypAll, hold the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in 80 countries. We use sustainable practices that support a healthy planet, build stronger communities, and ensure our business thrives for decades to come. To keep up with the latest news and to learn more about the company's nearly 150-year history of innovation, visit kimberly-clark.com.  

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CONTACT:

• Patrick Taylor, Senior Communications and Donor Outreach Specialist, Mississippi Center for Justice, [email protected], 601-473-4309
• Jeff Winget, Director of Communications, Center for Heirs' Property Preservation,
  [email protected], 314-608-9351

/PRNewswire/ -- Oct. 5, 2021/