Wholespire is excited to announce the awarding of 15 HEAL Mini-Grants to community partners dedicated to driving meaningful policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change. These mini-grants, totaling more than $80,000, are designed to empower communities in advancing health equity, reducing health disparities, and fostering sustainable improvements in community well-being.
The grant recipients span rural and urban communities, and communities below the federal poverty line, each bringing unique strengths and innovative approaches to promote lasting change. Through these funds, communities will implement projects such as enhancing local food systems, improving the school environment, increasing access to physical activity and outdoor time, and many other areas related to community health improvement.
“We are proud to support these initiatives and the leaders driving them. Their work is essential in building healthier environments for all and in creating systems that support long-term health and wellness,” said Kelsey Sanders, MPH, MCHES, Community Relations Manager. “We look forward to the positive impact these projects will bring and to supporting our community partners every step of the way.”
2024-25 HEAL Mini-Grant Recipients
Lowcountry
Hunters Helping Hands https://hhhlc.org/ Located in Dorchester County, Hunters Helping Hands is a non-profit organization that provides free processed venison protein primarily to low-income families. They primarily focus on Hispanic families in North Charleston through a partnership with Community Impact Ministry. Wholespire support will cover the costs of a commercial-grade freezer to centralize and improve storage and distribution and processing fees for 600 pounds of venison. Read more about this innovative project.
Aspire2Inspire Initiative, Inc A non-profit organization of concerned citizens in Colleton County, Aspire2Inspire focuses on bringing quality life, pride and ownership back to Ruffin, South Carolina by renovating the old high school and baseball field. Since 2012, the community’s center of activity has fallen into ruins. With support from Wholespire, the organization will transform the baseball field into a multipurpose sports complex, providing the community with a central hub for recreational activities, community events and sports leagues. Mini-grant funding will be used to repair the playing surface of the field, give the dugout and concessions stand a face lift and purchase various sports equipment and security measures.
Midlands
Barnwell County Government Barnwell County Government, along with its recreation department and the City of Barnwell, are teaming up to provide individuals and families of all skill levels a kayak rental system at Lake Edgar Brown. This project is part of an ongoing effort of community leaders to address health disparities and increase community engagement. The SC Department of Natural Resources is providing assistance with ensuring the rental system aligns with environmental conservation standards. Mini-grant funds, in addition to contributions from the City of Barnwell, Southern Palmetto Foundation, and other sources, are covering the cost of kayaks, safety equipment and storage facilities.
City of West Columbia Building on community feedback regarding the previous installation of six bike racks, the City of West Columbia seeks to increase cycling as a healthy and sustainable mode of transportation and expand bicycle parking availability by installing additional bike racks at ten strategic locations identified by community members. The city partnered with the Active & Accessible Community Transit Coalition on resident surveys and walk audits to help choose the ten locations with the highest demand for new bike racks. Wholespire support will assist the city with their strong focus on creating a safe and accessible network for pedestrians and cyclists by purchasing bike racks.
Pathways Community Center Over the years, the 50-yard walkway between Pathways Community Center and Manna House Pantry in Rock Hill has become a safety hazard, especially for older adults and those with limited mobility. Uneven surfaces and poor lighting, for example, have led to personal injuries, difficulties accessing services and concerns of the community center clients, who are mostly low-income individuals and families. The community center aims to enhance safety and accessibility, by preventing injuries and promoting a safe environment for daily activities and exercise. Mini-grant funds will cover the cost of a contractor and materials required to make the walkway safe.
Upper Midlands Rural Health Network Since 2020, the Winnsboro Community Garden at Prisma Health Family Medicine-Winnsboro in Fairfield County has maintained a community garden for their patients and community members to increase access to fresh produce. While the garden has been a free and sustainable resource, community engagement with and awareness of the garden continues to be low for many people. To resolve this issue, organizers want to install quality signs and interactive message boards to collect feedback and increase awareness and use of SNAP, FoodShare, the local food bank and other valuable community resources. In addition to signs and bulletin boards, Wholespire support will assist with purchasing gardening tools, shade structure and seating.
Knights Hill Historic Preservation Board Inc. The Knights Hill historic neighborhood in Kershaw County continues to work on the natural walking trail at the neighborhood park. Since the trail opened last year, residents have identified safety concerns related to the commercial-grade, uneven mulch surface. Monthly maintenance has turned into a challenge with the bush, vines and wild grasses impeding the ability of seniors to use the trail. The Knights Hill Historic Preservation Board wants to create a permanent, smooth surface to improve safety and reduce the amount of time required for maintenance. With Wholespire support, the walking trail at Knights Hill Park will get a face lift and seniors will have a better experience.
NoMa STEAM NoMa STEAM is a non-profit organization in Columbia whose mission is to increase opportunities in STEAM for underserved children and families in the North Main Street area. Wholespire is supporting their community garden project to increase access to fresh produce for families who live in the low-income food desert and to give youth a STEAM learning experience related to composting, planting and harvesting techniques, and other gardening and distribution processes. NoMa STEAM partners with locals farms, Girls Scouts troops, youth and adult volunteers, and family members of participating youth to build and sustain the garden. Funds will be used to purchase building supplies for additional raised garden beds and gardening tools and supplies.
Pee Dee
The Manna House The Manna House of Florence changed their food pantry model to client choice earlier this year, giving clients fresh produce choices and a grocery store shopping experience. This new model has given their clients more dignity, self-esteem, and the opportunity to prepare food their families will enjoy. To sustain the client choice model, the organization identified a need for a commercial-grade refrigerator and additional shelving. Wholespire support will fund the needed items and help The Manna House continue making a positive impact on their community
The Village Group The Plantersville community is among the most economically and educationally disadvantaged areas in Georgetown County. The Village Group strives to build a sustainable community through a holistic approach focusing on youth and family support through college and career readiness programs, cultural education and economic development. With support from Wholespire, The Village Group will be able to install bike racks at the Plantersville Cultural Complex and expand existing trails to accommodate bicycles.
PAL: Play. Advocate. Live Well. Part of a sustainable and equitable food system in Spartanburg County, the PAL Food Hub provide a centralized process that allows buyers to purchase more locally grown food from various farmers. The food hub was established based on the Spartanburg County Food System Assessment identification of a need to increase demand for and access to local, nutritious food. Now, PAL wants to increase that access even further by piloting a Healthy Bucks-based incentive program model for SNAP recipients. Support from Wholespire will help purchase the EBT machine need to process SNAP purchases, fees associated with machine set-up and operations capacity, and signage promoting the incentive program.
Berea Middle School Community feedback is an important piece of the HEAL Mini-Grant application and Berea Middle School in Greenville County School District is a fantastic example. They surveyed students about school improvement to find out what the students wanted and needed. Students overwhelmingly replied that the outdoor/recess area was most important to them and what they think is important to other students. With a HEAL Mini-Grant, all students will have access to new ADA-accessible playground equipment, shade sails, games and many other fun outdoor activities.
Hickory Tavern Elementary & Middle School Getting kids active on the playground requires some amenities like shade and places to rest. At Hickory Tavern Elementary and Middle School in Laurens County School District 55, the School Improvement Committee, teachers, parents and staff all agreed that adding shade sails and benches to the playgrounds is a priority. By adding these amenities through a HEAL Mini-Grant, all students and teachers will be able to use the playground during peak sun exposure times, increase physical activity and spend more time outdoors.
Gray Court Owings Elementary & Middle School Simple and easy upgrades to school playgrounds can, sometimes, be the only things needed to make recess safer during times of peak sun exposure. At Gray Court Owings Elementary & Middle School in Laurens County School District 55, district and school stakeholders completed a needs assessment addressing the facility and instructional environment. Shade structures for students was an important addition to the playground. With support from Wholespire, the students at Gray Court Owings Elementary and Middle School will have a safer experience during hot weather days.
Fellowship Camp and Conference Center Guests and visitors of Fellowship Camp and Conference Center, located on Lake Greenwood in Laurens County, have indicated the need for amenities that encourage outdoor recreation time. Some of those amenities, like any park or playground, provide resting areas, shade and event opportunities for an outdoor classroom or gathering. With Wholespire support, the camp be able to install tables and shade sails, making changes to the built environment along the waterfront that encourage everyone visiting the site to engage in physical activity and spend time outdoors.
When most people think about the challenges and solutions associated with hunger and lack of nutritious food, their first thought is often community gardening or donating canned goods. Many of us don’t think about sources high in protein like meat? An organization of avid deer hunters in Dorchester County is helping to fill the need for meat through a network of deer processors and hunters.
Pete and Lori Singletary founded Hunters Helping Hands in 2022 after retiring. Knowing they wanted to give back to their community, they found inspiration from many of Pete’s hunting excursions in the Midwest where there are state-funded programs that allow hunters to donate their harvest. Their mission is to provide high-quality, nutritious food to families and individuals in need by focusing on sourcing and distributing venison, and Wholespire is supporting their work with a mini-grant.
Often referred to as deer meat, venison is a valuable source of protein and rich in nutrients, but it’s often scarce in the diets of food-insecure families. Getting your hands on venison can be challenging, unless you know hunters. Thanks to Hunters Helping Hands, food-insecure families in the Lowcountry have a way to get one of the most valued sources of protein in their diets.
The organization’s process involves a network of partners, mainly meat processors to prepare the venison and spread the word to hunters about donating their harvest, and food banks, food ministries, and other agencies and nonprofits to distribute the venison to families in need. It’s a process that started out slowly but has grown quickly over two years.
“The first year we picked up 32 deer. So far this year, we’ve picked up about 280 deer. We give out 500-600 pounds of venison per week,” said Pete. “Right now, we’re continuing to grow and get help from people like you, and we certainly appreciate it. This is God opening the doors, and we’re going with it.”
Those are significant numbers indicating a large demand for donated meat in the Lowcountry. According to their HEAL Mini-Grant application, each pound of venison provides approximately five meals, making a significant impact on the families they serve. They’re currently working with 17 food banks, and the list of meat processors is growing, which means the potential of getting even more venison donations during deer season is very real.
“Our goal for 2024 is to process 15,000 pounds of venison, which will generate up to 75,000 meals. It’s an ambitious target, but it underscores our commitment to scaling our operations and reaching more families in need,” said Pete.
Their commitment is solid. One hundred percent of all donations and grants received covers the meat processing fees. All administrative costs of doing business come out of their pockets, as well as their Board of Directors’ pockets. They rely on volunteers to help pick up and deliver donations, take on staff roles, and pitch in when help is needed. All of their children, grandchildren, and their own siblings are heavily involved in the organization.
“A true blessing is giving and not receiving. That’s the way we look at it,” said Pete. “This has been an eye-opening experience. We’re just growing and growing. More and more meat processors are hearing about us and they want to join our efforts, so I need to make sure we have the funding to pay the processing fees and buy equipment to store the venison.”
Pete explained their very simple operating system. During deer hunting season (Aug 15-Jan 1), licensed hunters are limited to harvesting ten deer. Pete says that one or two deer can fill up a freezer. So, what is a hunter to do if they want to continue to hunt? Many hunters offer venison to family, friends or neighbors. Through the Hunters Helping Hands network of meat processors, hunters can drop off the deer and choose to pay a small dressing fee. Pete and Lori are notified when the venison is ready for pick-up and volunteers distribute the meat to partnering food banks.
“If you talk to a hunter who donates their deer, they’ll tell you this: it’s a win-win situation for a deer hunter. They can continue to hunt and feel good about helping people in need,” said Pete.
When deer season ends, the organization continues to receive venison from local farmers who experience severe or persistent crop damage because of deer. As Pete explained, hunters and their representatives can hunt deer during the off season with a special permit from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. This rule helps sustain the venison donations throughout the year.
“Before we came along, those deer would be destroyed. We picked up 170 deer before the season came in this year that otherwise would have been left in the field and destroyed,” said Pete. “And that’s what a processor in Orangeburg is wanting to do next year. Instead of destroying them, he wants to give them to us.”
Besides fruits and vegetables, protein plays an important role in the diets of everyone. While venison has been an option for generations of families, it is now a “new” healthy protein option for many Lowcountry families in need, thanks to the huge hearts of hunters.
Oakwood-Windsor Elementary School students have access water while enjoying recess.
Sometimes, even the best plans run into unexpected challenges, especially during the procurement process. When your mini-grant project doesn’t go as planned, it can be discouraging, but it’s important to remember that setbacks are a normal part of the process. Leaders at Oakwood-Windsor Elementary School in Aiken County found out firsthand how a project of installing an outdoor water fountain/water bottle refill station and soccer goals can have challenges.
Oakwood-Windsor, located just outside of Windsor, South Carolina, is a Title I school with a high poverty rate. Thirty percent of its student population represents the Hispanic community, and many families work multiple jobs to make ends meet. Even though Title I schools receive federal funding for programs and instruction, there are no funds available for improvements to the environment, such as purchasing and installing an outdoor water fountain/water bottle refill station or play equipment.
Due to its rural location, the playground is a busy place in the evenings and on weekends. Unfortunately, it did not have a lot to offer. During school hours, the principal observed her students using cones and other objects to mark imaginary soccer goal lines, and there was a lot of traffic entering and exiting the school building for a drink of water. She wanted to make recess more fun and water more accessible. She also had the community in mind. Her goal was to increase the use of the playground and encourage healthy living among all of the school’s stakeholders.
“When I first got here, there were things that I wanted to be able to provide for my kids, but I just didn’t have the funds to do so. I don’t have an active PTO, and even when we did have one, it wasn’t a big money-making enterprise, if you will, like in other schools. So, I needed to look for different opportunities that were out there,” said Principal Davina Truitt.
In 2021, Principal Truitt learned about the Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) Mini-Grant funding opportunity and wasted no time submitting her application. She said, “I was very shocked and thankful in a wonderful way to learn that we received the grant. But then it went downhill because it took us so long to make it come to fruition.”
Hurdle 1: Grant proposal was partially funded
When Truitt received her award letter, she learned that she would not be receiving the entire budget request of nearly $5,000. Facing limited funds, Principal Truitt did what she knew best. She talked about it. The self-proclaimed Chatty Cathy was honest during casual conversations with community partners who were interested in updates about what was happening at Oakwood-Windsor. Because she cares deeply about her students, she engages with community partners by talking about them, the projects or initiatives that are happening, and the needs and wishes of her school.
“I just shared with a member of the Rotary Club of Aiken Sunrise the excitement that we received this grant, but we don’t have quite the funds. But it’s okay because we’re going to figure it out,” said Truitt, “and they said, ‘You know what? I’m noting this. Let me go back to my board, and we’re going to be in touch.’ And next thing I know, they did a fundraiser because they wanted us to be able to afford everything we needed for this project.”
The Rotary Club of Aiken Sunrise was able to raise more funds than anyone had expected. They matched the amount received from the HEAL Mini-Grant, plus more. According to Truitt, “We were able to get soccer balls and an even nicer set of soccer goals than the ones I initially picked out.”
As to why the grant was partially funded, Wholespire Executive Director Meg Stanley said, “We were trying to fund as many qualifying and good applications as we could. Using the knowledge we had of cost estimates and resources, we decided to partially fund this project. If we could go back and change that, we would. We do not take that approach today because we now know that each school or entity has their own procedures and processes for selecting vendors or equipment. Partial funding can decrease the impact of community projects. However, our funder does have the authority to not fund a specific line item in a proposed budget.”
Hurdle 2: The procurement process has its challenges
The goal of a procurement process is to ensure you get the best value for your budget while ensuring that the quality, timing, and other factors meet an organization’s requirements. When you’re not familiar with your organization’s process, seek advice and guidance from colleagues in the procurement department or, in Oakwood-Windsor’s case, colleagues in the district office.
The Aiken County School District requires at least three quotes from external contractors. You would think that finding a qualified plumber is simple, but that’s not always true. The first quote was easily obtained through the district office’s preferred plumber, but the installation quote was extremely high. Many businesses Truitt reached out to didn’t respond to her request for a quote or the contractor could not fit an onsite visit into their schedule. Truitt turned to community partners for recommendations, but to no avail; she could not get responses.
The key to this hurdle is keeping everyone in the loop. Truitt continued to keep Wholespire and the school district office updated on her progress and the challenges she was facing, which kept Oakwood- Windsor in good standing with Wholespire in spite of the unexpected delays. She eventually found a plumber who provided a quote that fit her budget, but she still needed one more quote. Fortunately, her school district contact understood the challenge, the time invested in getting the second quote, and the fact that she was well beyond the nine-month timeframe of the mini-grant. In the end, the school district contact agreed that she could complete the procurement process with only two quotes.
Hurdle 3: The contractor was difficult to reach
Truitt found her plumber, but there was a small glitch that turned into a big, time-consuming hurdle. After ordering the water fountain/water bottle refill station recommended by the plumber, there was a communication failure. Getting in touch with the contracted plumber was difficult. It took months to reach him.
“It honestly became a bit of a nightmare,” said Truitt. “We tried contacting him by phone but couldn’t leave a voicemail. We would send emails back and forth. We finally got in touch with him, and he partially installed the water bottle refill station.”
Electricity became a factor that the plumber could not address. So, she reached back out to the school district office for guidance, and they sent their electricians to finish the job. Now, it was time to address the soccer goals.
“We worked again with a member of our school district office staff. He’s very knowledgeable about all things playgrounds, and he guided us on purchasing good-quality soccer goals,” said Truitt. “He even helped us put them together and installed the goals.”
It was a long, drawn-out process, but Truitt remained committed to the project, the excitement of her students, and the benefit of the community.
The successes outweigh the challenges
Looking back, the Oakwood-Windsor Elementary School HEAL Mini-Grant project was successful in many ways. First and foremost, the students don’t have barriers to accessing water while outside, giving them more time for outdoor physical activity. They no longer have to imagine soccer goal lines and can kick the balls as hard as they want.
Students have more fun at recess, thanks to the new soccer balls and goals.
“Our students have already commented on how much more they enjoy going on the playground now that they can play soccer. And, now that our hydration station has been installed and is functional, our students (and visitors to the playground) won’t miss physical activity time by having to go inside or leave the playground altogether to get some water. We have already seen more students being physically active on the playground in the short amount of time they’ve had with the project components.”
Other successes of the project include the school district office being flexible with the procurement process, community partners leveraging funds through a fundraiser, being able to purchase better quality soccer goals and soccer balls, and school district employees completing the water fountain/water bottle filling station and volunteering their time and knowledge on soccer goals and installation.
Asked if she has any advice to other grant recipients, Principal Truitt said, “My words of advice would be to just keep the focus on the purpose of the project and not get discouraged if there are challenges or roadblocks. For us, it was the commitment to providing our Wise Owls with a healthy space to do something they enjoy, playing soccer! Keep reaching out to others who can help your project come to fruition and be persistent.”
Perhaps one last success was the flexibility and understanding of Wholespire. Even though the HEAL mini-grant requires a nine-month implementation time frame, challenges and roadblocks do arise that prevent the project from being completed on time.
“Oakwood-Windsor is not the first mini-grant recipient to face uncontrollable roadblocks that delay project completion. We greatly appreciate Ms. Truitt’s continuous communication with us during the project implementation process. Her communication allowed us to be more understanding and provide explanations to our funder,” said Stanley.
Whether it’s because of challenges you didn’t see coming or changes in the situation, the Oakwood-Windsor hurdles offered valuable lessons. The key is to stay flexible, keep lines of communication open with the funder, and use what you’ve learned to improve future efforts.
Rural municipalities are relying on increased community engagement to enhance amenities and opportunities for families to explore local businesses, as well as provide inclusive play opportunities for children of all abilities. Focusing on these types of improvements means looking at the built environment, which influences healthy eating and physical activity.
The built environment includes the man-made spaces where we live. When community leaders value the surroundings and what they offer to attract residents and visitors, there is an opportunity to create more liveable, thriving spaces for recreation and transportation purposes. In Ridge Spring, SC, community leaders are investing in changes to the environment to increase walking, bicycling, outdoor playing and the local economy.
With assistance from the Upper Savannah Council on Governments, the Town of Ridge Spring applied for a Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) Mini-Grant to purchase and install bike racks and inclusive playground equipment. The small, rural Saluda County town wanted to encourage residents to become more active. They proposed installing bicycle racks at the farmers market and interactive sensory equipment at the community playground.
New and updated riders
According to their application, several public hearings related to streetscape (view of a street) projects and potential improvements related to walkability (a measure of how friendly an area is to walking) were held and residents responded. They were interested in being able to walk and bike to places more safely. There was also a desire to update the community playground. Like many rural community parks, the equipment was outdated, unsafe and unappealing.
With HEAL Mini-Grant funds, Ridge Spring installed a bike rack at the farmers market, providing opportunities for cyclists to secure their bicycles and feel comfortable while they browse and shop. At the playground, new sensory-related equipment was installed, which helps make the space more inclusive of children’s needs. Observations indicate increased usage of the playground and children are playing longer.
Through the mini-grant, the town found a new partnership with Kids in Parks, a non-profit organization focused on getting families and children to spend more time outside. The new partnership could lead to additional funding opportunities to assist with future projects. Leaders also have their eye on improving another community playground and placing more bike racks in other areas of the town.
Nestled between Oconee State Park and Lake Keowee in Oconee County, students at Tamassee-Salem Elementary School are reaping the benefits of active pathways, also known as sensory pathways, and blacktop games, and so are community members. In 2022, former Physical Education Teacher Leah Ryan made it her mission to give the students, teachers and community an outlet for brain breaks and fun physical activity. She applied for a Wholespire Healthy Eating and Active Living Mini-Grant and got it!
Sensory pathways have become a popular tool for school administrators and teachers to help students stimulate their cognitive activity with movement. They are a series of visual cues on the ground that guide students along a particular path. From jumping, leaping, and walking a line, students follow the guided paths for a fun break between classes, during indoor recess and other ways teachers choose to incorporate them into their lesson plan.
In his letter of support, Tamassee-Salem Elementary School Principal Bobby Norizan said, “What I love about this initiative is that it is sustainable, and simply put, it is something that will help make physical activity more enjoyable. We have several families use our walking track outside of school hours, but I feel like we will be providing more opportunities other than simply walking the track if we are able to add the active pathway activities.”
Principal Norizan said, “The Four Square games not only provide an opportunity for physical activity but also opportunities for students to socially interact within the rules during active play, which is vital regarding the developmental growth of their students.”
Tamassee-Salem Elementary School received funding for the purchase of reusable stencil kits and paint. They leveraged 12 hours of volunteer time to place and paint the pathways. Pathways were placed on the walking path, a paved sidewalk that circles the school. Four Square games were placed in the recess area.
Mrs. Ryan said in her application, “A couple of teachers use the path as a brain break for their students. This active pathway will encourage more teachers to take their students outside more, and students will get to benefit from the open play. I teach students how to play Four Square in my physical education class. It is an easily accessible and simple game to play. Having the courts will give students access to a physically active game they can play at recess.”
Community members in Tamassee and Salem who use the walking path for physical activity benefit from the active pathways too. The School District of Oconee County adopted an Open Community Use Policy, which allows community members to use outdoor recreational facilities on school grounds for physical activity and play. Now, children aren’t the only ones who can jump, leap and walk a line as they navigate the path. Adults can too!
Physical activity is not just a vital component of a healthy lifestyle; it also plays a crucial role in academic success and overall well-being, especially in the school environment. More and more school administrators and teachers are emphasizing the integration of physical activity into the daily lives of students. Administrators and teachers at rural Tamassee-Salem Elementary School are part of the growing innovation in creating healthier school environments.
Greenwood County is home to one of our nation’s most influential civil rights leaders — Benjamin Mays, one of Martin Luther King Jr.’s mentors. If you look deep into the historical records of this rural county, you will find other interesting facts that have shaped the lives of community members today.
Let’s take Promised Land Association, Inc. It’s a historic neighborhood just outside of the City of Greenwood that represents the promise of a better life. Promised Land is an African American community created by former slaves in the aftermath of the Civil War in 1870. For over 150 years, the people who call Promised Land home have endured unspeakable challenges and hardships, yet they remained strong with a steadfast eye on keeping their community safe and the people healthy and thriving.
Wholespire learned about Promised Land during the 2022 Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) Mini-Grant call for applications, and even more so during a recent site visit. “It’s such a remarkable and inspiring story to hear. This community is determined to give their neighbors the resources they need to lead healthier lives,” said Kelsey Sanders, MPH, CHES, community relations manager at Wholespire. “We feel honored to play a small role in the history of this neighborhood.”
Before taking her walk, Promised Land community member and organizer Jeanette Austin met Wholespire staff at the project site and provided an overview of the walking trail project and future plans.
For the Promised Land Association, things have fallen into place for them over the years. In 2016, Greenwood County voters approved $66,326 for the construction of a pedestrian trail in the Promised Land community as part of the Capital Project Sales Tax initiative. The pedestrian trail was constructed on a large tract of land owned by the Association where the Promised Land ballfield and the old school are located in Bradley, SC.
“Previously having to walk on the roads with the traffic, I wouldn’t hear the cars until they were right up on me. So, my husband got concerned about my safety and wasn’t comfortable with me walking by myself,” said Jeanette Austin, Promise Land community member and organizer. “The walking track is so beneficial for the people living here and especially for the seniors. A walking trail helps those of us with our health. You can come on out and walk.”
She says the Association saw a need for a few basic amenities to keep the area attractive to new people. They turned to the Upper Savannah Council of Governments for assistance with writing their HEAL mini-grant application. The application was accepted and the community received funding for a picnic table, two swings, and a trash can.
“There’s a small core group that keeps the Association going and we don’t have the interest yet within the community but we’re working on doing some things,” says Austin. “We’re pleased with our progress and we’re looking forward to great things here in Promised Land!”
The Promised Land Association wants to turn the old school into a community center.
What kinds of great things are they looking forward to? They want to eventually transform the paved trail into a rubberized surface. Also, there’s an old school adjacent to the walking track and ballfield. They want to preserve the history of the building by turning it into a community center. It’s an ambitious goal but given the history and resilience of Promised Land and its people, it will be a celebrated accomplishment when they cross the finish line.
Volunteers in Society Hill unload supplies for the community garden.
Driving 30-45 minutes to buy groceries is a burden that residents in Society Hill face every day because there isn’t a grocery store in the community. Residents only have access to unhealthy food at local convenience stores and the local Family Dollar. CareSouth and community volunteers are changing that by creating a community garden where residents can plant and grow fruits and vegetables for free.
CareSouth was one of 13 organizations that recently received a healthy eating and active living (HEAL) mini-grant from Wholespire to address food insecurity. The community garden is located on the historical site of St. David’s Academy, a property that CareSouth acquired for renovation and office use. They generously agreed to reserve part of the property for the community garden.
“The raised bed gardens have already been built for community members to plant and maintain their fall gardens,” said Christy Beasley, community health educator at CareSouth. “Retired farmer and community garden volunteer Dick Baird is leading the project by starting seeds on flatbeds, helping families plant their gardens, and providing expertise on maintenance.”
Volunteers in Society Hill start constructing gardens beds for their community garden.
Beasley says four families have planted fall gardens, and they expect more families to take advantage of this free resource in the Spring. She says Society Hill is buzzing about the gardening opportunity and four people donated money to the project.
“I have met personally with members of the community at the local school. Teachers, parents, staff and community members are extremely interested in a community garden to learn about gardening, nutrition and working with others in the community,” says Beasley.
In addition to encouraging community members to plant and maintain their garden plots, project plans will include education about planting seeds, pests and weeds, seed saving, and harvesting and cooking the fruits of their labor. Ultimately, Beasley hopes this gardening experience will give community members the confidence to grow gardens in their backyards.
Clinton High School students build the fueling station structure.
Residents in Clinton and its surrounding areas have limited opportunities to be active and obtain nutritious food, however, local leaders are in the process of changing that. Wholespire recently awarded the City of Clinton a healthy eating and active living (HEAL) mini-grant to build a fueling station housed at the YMCA of Clinton.
According to their mini-grant application, the City of Clinton is partnering with the YMCA of Clinton to create an onsite fueling station that will supply nutritious foods to the community free of charge. They recruited students from Clinton High School to build and assemble the shelving unit located at the YMCA. High-quality and nutritious food will be gathered, gleaned, and purchased from local food partners including local farms, grocers, and donors.
“The most common complaint shared by guests of the YMCA is the high expense of food, especially healthy food. They try to balance a healthy lifestyle by working out, but more often than not, they will go home and eat something that is not very healthy,” said City of Clinton Community Relations Specialist Lacresha Dowdy.
Residents have access to only two grocery stores, but they are both on one side of town, which puts many of people at a disadvantage in accessing affordable or good-quality fresh food. Data from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control indicates that Laurens County has a 26.2% higher food insecurity rate among children and 24.1% among adults when compared to the state average. Health outcomes are also poor with high rates of diabetes (13.8%), obesity (38.5%) and elevated child BMI demonstrated in school surveillance data.
Clinton High School students are ready to get started on the fueling station structure.
Dowdy added, “The data tells us that the problems of hunger and food insecurity and the epidemic of diabetes, obesity and obesity-related chronic disease have become daunting concerns. The statistics speak for themselves in that 100% of middle and high school students are eligible for free or reduced lunch; and 13% of adults record having limited access to healthy foods, higher than 9% rank for SC.”
Providing free food to the community isn’t the only purpose of the fueling station project. In addition to providing produce and other food items from their farm, LushAcres Farm will allow gleaning field trips for Laurens County School District students. This experience will allow youth to be more conscience of healthy food environments and increase their understanding of the larger food system.
Another component of the project includes educating the community on nutrition, proper food preparation, kitchen safety and cooking skills provided by Clemson Youth Learning Institute SNAP-Ed. Classes will be held for youth, teens, and adults.
The City of Clinton is one of 13 communities that received funding for projects that support populations in need of community resources like the fueling station, playground equipment, school gardens, and hydration stations.
