Getting multiple organizations with different missions on the same page isn’t an easy task. It takes a lot of coordination, planning and communication. But, Healthy Palmetto, the coalition responsible for implementing the healthy eating and active living portion of the SC State Health Improvement Plan, seems to be doing the right things. With financial support from Wholespire, they recently released their annual report indicating the progress being made by organizations on the ground across all six priority areas. You can see more detailed data and information by downloading the Health Palmetto Annual Report.
Improve Outdoor Environments for Early Care and Education
Grow Outdoors SC is transforming early childhood outdoor spaces into diverse, naturalized environments that spark play and learning.
South Carolina hospitals invested in Grow Outdoors SC for their child care facilities.
Prioritize Physical Activity in Schools
SCDHEC and its partners are improving student health by enhancing physical education and creating more opportunities for physical activity before, during, and after school.
Fifty-eight (58) schools in South Carolina received the 2023 America’s Healthiest Schools award for bolstering physical education and activity.
Promote Trail Connectivity
The South Carolina Trails Coalition is increasing trail connectivity in the state and promoting the use of trails through increased knowledge and outreach.
The SC Trails Coalition formed and developed a strategic plan.
Two-hundred-seventy-five (275) new trails have been added to SCTrails.net.
SCDHEC is expanding awareness of the benefits and services of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program to increase enrollment of eligible participants.
A new online app to make it easier for families to pre-apply for WIC was launched. The app streamlines enrollment and recertification processes for families.
Increase Senior Enrollment in SNAP
The SC Department on Aging and SC Thrive are increasing enrollment of eligible older adults in SNAP through community-based outreach.
Over 139,00 SC residents 51 years of age or older who are eligible for SNAP are receiving SNAP benefits.
The SNAP for Seniors Toolkit was created and those assisting seniors to apply for SNAP benefits were trained. Updates to the toolkit are currently in process and will be released soon.
Increase Access to Healthy Food
The SC Food Policy Council is strengthening local food systems in South Carolina, addressing food insecurity through the health care system by expanding screening and referral tools and resources and exploring strategies to address community design for physical activity and access to healthy food.
Seven (7) local food policy councils received support from USC SNAP-Ed in partnership with the SC Food Policy Council. Multiple organizations in South Carolina received USDA funding to establish produce prescription programs.
Multiple organizations in South Carolina received USDA funding to establish produce prescription programs.
Active People, Healthy Nation Walkability Action Institute was held in South Carolina in 2023. Five (5) local communities received training and developed action plans to address walkability/moveability through community planning and design.
“We are proud to be a leader of leaders in the healthy eating and active living sector of public health. When we were invited to take a leading role with this collaboration, it made perfect sense to us because the partnership complements our strategic intention to foster statewide collective success with diverse stakeholders,” said Meg Stanley, executive director of Wholespire.
Since 2007, Wholespire has nurtured and maintained relationships with organizations and leaders across the state, creating a credible reputation as experts in policy, systems and environmental change and thought leaders in public health innovation. A unique aspect of Wholespire is its ability to advocate to elected officials.
Elevate and connect the expertise of its unique partners,
Facilitate learning through information sharing and discussion, and
Involve and engage all partner organizations in healthy eating and active living efforts.
“When multiple organizations are focusing on the same community health improvement strategies, communication and coordination becomes imperative for ensuring our communities’ needs are being met,” said Stanley. “This type of collective leads to a greater impact.”
Improve Outdoor Environments in Early Childhood Settings: Support the efforts of Grow Outdoors SC to transform early childhood outdoor spaces into diverse, naturalized environments that spark play and learning.
Prioritize Physical Activity in Schools: Support SC FitnessGram partners to improve student health by enhancing physical education (PE) and creating more opportunities for physical activity before, during, and after school.
Promote Trail Connectivity: Support the development of a SC trails coalition to increase trail connectivity in South Carolina and promote the use of trails and walking paths through increased knowledge and outreach.
Expand Awareness of WIC: Expand awareness of the benefits and services of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program to increase enrollment of eligible participants.
Increase Senior Enrollment in SNAP: Support the SC Department on Aging and SC Thrive to increase enrollment of eligible older adults in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through community-based outreach and marketing initiatives targeted towards older adults as well as training for SNAP counselors/community workers.
Increase Access to Healthy Food: Support the SC Food Policy Council to strengthen local food systems in South Carolina, address food insecurity through the health care system by expanding screening and referral tools and resources, and explore strategies to address community design for physical activity and access to healthy food.
Healthy Palmetto is comprised of statewide organizations including Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Alliance for a Healthier South Carolina, Clemson University School of Public Health, Diabetes Free SC/ BlueCross BlueShield of SC®, Grow Outdoors SC, SC Department of Education Office of Health and Nutrition, SC DHEC Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Prevention, SC FitnessGram, SC Food Policy Council, SC Hospital Association, SC Office of Rural Health, SC Recreation and Parks Association, SC Trails Coalition, SC Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program, SNAP for Seniors, University of South Carolina Children’s Physical Activity Research Group, University of South Carolina SNAP-Ed Implementing Agency and Wholespire.
Wholespire is pleased to announce the appointment of Mary Jones, PhD, MPH, as the new Chairperson of the Board of Directors. With an illustrious career and a proven track record in public health, specifically minority health research, she brings a wealth of experience and strategic vision to the leadership of Wholespire. In addition, Wholespire is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Ila McFadden, Moses Washington, Nick Vera, and Merrette Dowdell to its Board of Directors.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Jones as the new Chairperson of our Board of Directors,” said Deena Hilton, outgoing Chairperson at Wholespire, whose term expires on December 31. “Her extensive experience and visionary leadership will be instrumental in guiding Wholespire as we embark on the next phase of our strategic initiatives.”
Dr. Jones currently serves as the Director of Workforce Development and Adjunct Faculty at the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health in the Department of Health Promotion Education and Behavior. She has worked in the field of public health and healthcare for more than 15 years. She has worked specifically on minority health research over the last 13 years. Dr. Jones is a US Air Force Veteran and serves her community in multiple capacities. She has been active with Wholespire at the state and local chapter levels since 2012.
In addition to Dr. Jones stepping into the Chairperson position, Dr. TQ Davis will take over as Secretary of the Board of Directors. Davis will also serve on the Executive Committee, the governing body responsible for shaping the strategic direction, policies, and operations. Dr. Davis is managing partner at Health E Strategies, LLC, and adjunct professor at the School of Health Sciences Department for Purdue University Global. She also serves as an advisor on various community coalitions, boards, and advocacy committees, assisting with advancing state and local public health practice interventions to help achieve health equity.
New Board Members Begin January 1
“We are equally thrilled to welcome five impressive individuals to our Board of Directors,” said Hilton. “Their exceptional skills and diverse experiences will undoubtedly enhance our ability to drive innovation, navigate challenges, and achieve our long-term goals. We look forward to leveraging their insights as we continue to grow and excel in community health improvement.”
Moses Washington brings a unique perspective to the Board as an alumni of The HYPE Project. A native of Denmark, SC, Washington’s experiences growing up in the Corridor of Shame and implementing a HYPE project, among others, will help drive the growth of Wholespire. Washington is an attorney practicing law at Perkins Coie, LLP in Dallas, Texas. He is passionate about improving the quality of life in rural areas, especially in his hometown. He hosts an annual Back-to-School Bash in Denmark, providing students with free school supplies.
Nick Vera, MLIS, is a Doctoral Candidate in Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina College of Information and Communications. He is passionate about holistic health and believes strongly in the mantra that prevention is better than cure. His experiences as an intern at SC Thrive and Cocky’s Reading Express will strengthen partnerships in literacy, such as libraries and schools. Vera’s research aims to empower young adults with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions about their sexual health, promoting overall well-being and reducing the potential risks associated with missing, inadequate, or misleading information.
Merrette Dowdell, M.Ed., is the External Affairs & Strategic Engagement Manager for MUSC Health Pee Dee Division, where she is responsible for establishing unique collaborations and partnerships. Much of this work is focused on the Social Determinants of Health. Her past experiences in marketing and development at Hope Health and managing the Food Innovation Department for the City of Florence will enhance the growth and development of Wholespire. Dowdell serves on the Boys and Girls Club of the Pee Dee Unit Board and First Presbyterian Board of Directors. She is a healthcare advocate for the United Way strategic plan and a fitness instructor.
Board Members Terms Ending December 31
“We, of course, must thank those leaving our Board of Directors for their volunteer time spent on board meetings, committee meetings, individual phone calls and countless hours of guidance,” said Meg Stanley, executive director at Wholespire. “Without their unwavering support over the last several years, Wholespire could not have prospered as much as we have.”
Deena Hilton has served two terms on the Board of Directors. In 2018, she joined as a member and in 2020-2021 she served as Secretary. She then accepted an invitation to serve as Chairperson in 2022-2023. Serving in this leadership capacity requires a large amount of time, a role and responsibility in which Hilton has excelled. She was instrumental in leading the organization during the COVID-19 Pandemic, providing impactful direction and guidance during an uncertain time. Although she is leaving her leadership position due to her term ending, Hilton will continue to serve on the Board as a non-voting member. She will assist Dr. Jones in her transition into Board Chairperson.
Dudley Brown has also served two terms, first as a member and second as Secretary. His background as a reporter and in healthcare public relations has been an asset for Wholespire. Brown provided countless feedback and direction on public relations and marketing. He was instrumental during the rebrand process, participating in planning meetings and providing expertise about the various components of the Wholespire name and logo.
Phyllis Smart served one term on the Board of Directors. She provided insight into the life of small, rural and low-income communities. Her experiences in addressing food insecurity, health disparities and health equity lent to the overall strategic direction. Smart also provided valuable feedback on the rebrand after it was implemented and received by communities. Her input helped shape many social media strategies.
Phil Cristaldi also served one term on the Board of Directors. As an attorney, he assisted with governance and compliance, using his legal eye and knowledge to flag issues and discuss problems. While Cristaldi’s capacity did not include giving legal advice, his role included suggesting to the board when to seek legal counsel. In his role, he also assisted with compliance with legal and regulatory, often taking phone calls and giving guidance to staff.
“Volunteering time to the Wholespire board means each one of them has a vested interest in healthy eating and active living for all and believes in our mission to provide communities with proven and sustainable approaches that lead to increased access to healthy choices for ALL people,” said Stanely. “We are grateful for their contributions to our organization and the communities we serve.”
Wholespire announced the recipients of its latest Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) Mini-grant to support local-level projects that increase access to healthy choices. Out of 73 applications, 11 community organizations were chosen to receive up to $6,000 each that will help South Carolinians lead healthier lives and prevent or manage chronic diseases.
All of the awarded applicants indicated on their application that community members were involved in the decision-making process and provided positive feedback about their projects. Studies show that when community members support policy, systems and environmental changes like creating a new walking trail, they will more than likely use that new public resource.
“Because of this particular question on the application, we can confidently say that people in South Carolina want something healthy to do and something healthy to eat,” said Meg Stanley, executive director at Wholespire. “It doesn’t make sense to us to invest money in a project that the people don’t want. This type of information also tells us how well applicants know their community.”
The following community organizations were awarded a 2023 HEAL Mini-grant:
Knights Hill Historic Preservation Board, Inc. (Kershaw County): The Seniors Walking Trail at Knights Hill Park in Camden
United Way of Kershaw County (Kershaw County): Vandal-resistant water bottle refill station at KC West Park in Lugoff
SC School for the Deaf and Blind (Spartanburg County): Natural Playground for all students, especially those with sensory differences
Greens and Things Farmers Market (Greenville County): Mobile market that accepts SNAP and serves the Shemwood community in Greenville, SC
St. James Health and Wellness (Georgetown County): Walk into Health Walking Track to serve patients and the Sampit community
Greenwood County First Steps (Greenwood County): Storywalk trail to promote outdoor family engagement, literacy and physical activity and activity kits to help children develop motor skills
Truth Ministries (Marion County): Create a community garden to fight food insecurity for low-income families and individuals in Gresham, Marion and surrounding communities
Blacksburg High School (Cherokee County): Expand the Growing Together student-led garden project in Blacksburg
JBC Cares (Richland County): Improve a community walking trail in Hopkins
Fairfield County Parks and Recreation (Fairfield County): Enhance Willie Lee Robinson Park by adding a swing set for children to play in Blair
United Way of Chesterfield County (Chesterfield County): Provide the towns of Ruby and Jefferson with a Born Learning Trail
The HEAL Mini-Grant initiative is made possible by a grant from the BlueCross® BlueShield® of South Carolina Foundation. BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
Several Wholespire Staff members have received their RBA certification
Wholespire is pleased to announce that four staff members received their certification in Results Based Accountability (RBA), a disciplined way of thinking and taking action to achieve a desirable outcome. Meg Stanley, Kelsey Sanders, Jaci Williams Foister and Genita Green participated in 20 hours of online course modules through Clear Impact, followed by a group project and presentation to achieve the certification.
“Becoming certified in and using RBA will strengthen the staff’s ability to live out our organization’s mission,” said Wholespire Executive Director Meg Stanley.
After learning about it from partners at the South Carolina Office of Rural Health, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, and the South Carolina Hospital Association, Stanley became interested in RBA.
“Oftentimes and especially in public health, we address complex issues that require multiple partners with different approaches to achieve a common outcome,” said Stanley. “I believe RBA will strengthen collaboration and consensus among partners and provide Wholespire with a new approach, a new way of thinking to reach our goals, aspirations, and strategies as outlined in our strategic plan.”
RBA is a system created by Mark Friedman that uses an approach of starting with the end in mind and working backward to the means. During the planning process, the desired outcome(s) is identified, and staff put their heads together to determine what work needs to be done to reach the desired outcome and to create the measures to assess the results.
“We’re used to creating action plans to help us reach our goals, but we don’t always consider data measurement. So, when a goal isn’t met, we automatically assume the strategy or program is a failure,” said Stanley. “With RBA, we take a deeper dive into our day-to-day work. We think about how much we did, how well we did it, and if anyone is better off. By measuring our work, we can then determine what adjustments need to be made moving forward.”
RBA is a crucial part of improving an organization’s impact on its community. It helps to slow down all the action and get in tune with those being served, if what you are providing is effective, and if the way it’s being delivered is effective. Whether in small, more personal communities or workplace organizations, it’s a more compelling outcome for overall goals and allows the group to work together more effectively.
Follow us on social media to keep up with how Wholespire incorporates RBA principles to make our community and workplace healthier and unified. And to learn more about RBA, visit Clear Impact.
Is there anything more satisfying than teaching youth how to use their voice to make a difference in someone’s life and seeing it happen? What about showing community leaders that youth are motivated to make healthy change happen and they can get things done? Honestly, we can’t think of anything more satisfying than giving youth the tools they need to become community leaders.For the past ten years, we’ve been inspiring youth to complete civic action projects that increase access to healthy choices through The Healthy Young People Empowerment (HYPE) Project! We started small by working with three HYPE teams and grew to impact hundreds of teens, multiple communities, and thousands of South Carolinians.
Along the way, we built relationships with non-traditional partners to reach more youth and communities. The HYPE Project moved from one-year initiatives to multi-year endeavors to make a greater impact on the lives of community members. The youth advocacy initiative has even reached youth in multiple states and U.S. territories.
The sustainability of coalitions and community work has always been a key point for us, and we’re proud The HYPE Project has been around for ten years! We made it last by keeping HYPE at the forefront of our work in our strategic plan and through funding opportunities.
The HYPE Project and the Community Transformation Grant
How do you start a youth advocacy strategy without much guidance? You hire a social worker and lean on your partners. In 2012, Wholespire hired a Youth Engagement Manager to create a youth advocacy initiative. (We’ll tell you more about her later on in the year of our celebration.)
Thanks to the CDC’s Community Transformation Grant (CTG) awarded to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) in 2011, The HYPE Project was realized. Youth advocacy was a new healthy eating and physical activity strategy in public health. Communities could use to implement various youth advocacy activities to reach their desired policy, systems, and environmental changes.
Time was spent researching other youth advocacy organizations, missions, and programs to find the right fit for South Carolina. This work was taken seriously. We didn’t want to launch a new initiative that would fail. With the help of experts at the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health and SCDHEC, The HYPE Project was born. (You’ll learn more about the experts later on, too.)
That same year, Wholespire chose three communities to pilot HYPE alongside other community projects related to the CTG. Fairfield County, Pickens County, and Richland County youth groups were the lucky ones to use The HYPE Project not only to create healthy change but to also build youth leaders. (Yes, you’ll hear more about the individuals who piloted HYPE and where they are now.)
Addressing Stereotypes and Health Disparities
During one of the first HYPE training sessions, youth learn about stereotypes and health disparities. Youth take part in team-building activities to show how stereotypes force people to place labels on others, even though the labels, or stereotypes, are mostly negative.
More time is spent on discussing health disparities since it’s a more complex topic to grasp and at the core of HYPE civic action projects. Youth learn that health disparities are:
Unfair.
Preventable differences.
Experienced by disadvantaged groups.
Groups can be defined by race or ethnicity, gender, education or income, disability, geographic location, or sexual orientation.
Directly related to historical and current unequal balances of social, political, economic, and environmental resources.
Little did we know that, 10 years later, our staff would be going through similar training about biases, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Changes to the Curriculum
Over the years, the HYPE curriculum has changed. Keeping an educational curriculum current with standards is important to the integrity of the program. So, in 2015, Wholespire contracted with a national expert to align it with the National Health Education Standards.
Evaluating every piece of our work and adjusting plans and content is an understanding at Wholespire, and this applied to The HYPE Project. To give HYPE teams more time to assess components of their chosen civic action project and implement it, Wholespire shortened the curriculum. Staff covered the deleted content during presentations and check-ins.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, more changes were made to allow funded HYPE teams to continue their civic action projects while keeping their safety and health in mind. Rather than bringing all funded HYPE teams together for their group training, Wholespire decided to turn the curriculum into a virtual experience. Staff recorded instructional videos from their living rooms, and graphics and energetic music were added to make the virtual experience interesting. And it worked well!
New Things are in Store
In preparation for The HYPE Project’s 10th anniversary, exciting changes will be announced soon. We can’t wait to reveal what’s new!
It’s no secret that we started an evaluation of The HYPE Project to create a more engaging, inclusive experience for youth. Phase 1 was completed in 2021 with the help of the University of South Carolina Youth Empowerment in Schools and Systems Lab. Here’s what they did:
Defined process, intermediate, and long-term outcomes, and
Assessed the curriculum to align with the National Health Education Standards.
More details about the completed evaluation and curriculum updates will be released later in 2022.
We’re proud to celebrate The HYPE Project’s 10th anniversary. It’s been a long road full of discovery and milestones, and we look forward to many more years of youth advocacy and civic action projects not only in South Carolina but also across the country.
Is there anything more satisfying than teaching youth how to use their voice to make a difference in someone’s life and seeing it happen? What about showing community leaders that youth are motivated to make healthy change happen and they can get things done? Honestly, we can’t think of anything more satisfying than giving youth the tools they need to become community leaders.
