Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson announced Monday that the old National Guard Armory on the Mississippi State Fairgrounds in Jackson will open to receive public donations for those affected by this week’s winter ice storm.
Gipson said the armory will be open Monday, Jan. 26, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For the remainder of the week, Tuesday through Friday, operating hours will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, which Gipson leads, said its team will collect bottled water; nonperishable food such as soup and canned goods; can openers; baby diapers and formula; propane cook stoves and propane bottles; and basic paper products. The department said collected items will be delivered to North Mississippi as soon as roads are safe and passable.
The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce provided additional details in a posted notice. The state fairgrounds, located in Jackson, regularly host emergency staging and community events. This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.
Jon Ross Myers founded Mississippi News Group in 2013. Before founding the organization, he worked at The Daily Mississippian, The Marion Salute and The Southern Sentinel. A Mississippi journalist and writer based in Ripley, he received second place in poetry in the 2025 William Faulkner Literary Competition for "The Garden."
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