Sep 8, 2019 | News
The Leadership Summit for Healthy Communities’ Planning Committee is pleased to announce nationally-recognized leadership development expert Anton Gunn will provide the keynote address on October 29 at the Florence Center. Gunn is a former senior advisor to President Barack Obama and the world’s leading authority on Socially Conscious Leadership.
Leadership Summit attendees will learn what is required to become a legacy leader – a leader who drives others to be successful. According to Gunn, “If you want to be a leader that has impact, you must increase your skills in the areas that will have the greatest impact on others. It’s simple. The better your skills, the better your impact.”
Leaders are found on all levels of communities, businesses, and organizations. Gunn says that you don’t have to have a big title or the corner office to be a good leader. He says that all you need to do is decide to be great for other people. This is what impact leaders do.
From playing SEC football and being the first African American in history elected to the South Carolina legislature from his district early in his career, to now working as a C-level executive for an academic health system and serving on multiple boards, he has spent his life helping people build diverse, high-performing teams and world-class leadership culture.
Gunn is expected to provide Leadership Summit attendees with an inspirational message they can take back and use in their work to increase impact not only as a leader in their organization or coalition, but also with healthy eating and active living strategies.
Gunn has a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of South Carolina and was a Resident Fellow at Harvard University. He is the bestselling author of The Presidential Principles and has been featured in TIME magazine, Inc. magazine, the Wall St Journal, BBC News, NPR and on Good Morning America. As an international speaker and consultant, he has worked with organizations like Microsoft, Sodexo, KPMG, Verizon Wireless, Aetna, American College of Surgeons, FINRA, and the Boeing Company.
Be a part of something great at this year’s Leadership Summit. Register today!
Aug 22, 2019 | News
For the first time since beginning the Youth Summit seven years ago, the event sold out with 165 youth and adults from around the state in attendance, that’s an increase of 62 percent compared to last year. Over 16 groups representing 12 of South Carolina’s counties gathered for a fun day at Riverbanks Zoo & Gardens to learn about the importance of being One CommUNITY and to celebrate the successes of Eat Smart Move More’s Healthy Young People Empowerment (HYPE) Project youth teams.
The July 23rd event is not just about healthy eating and active living but includes social justice issues of the past and present to help youth connect their work with policy change of all topics. Dr. Jennifer Gunter and Preston Clinkscales of the SC Collaborative for Race and Reconciliation kicked of the Youth Summit with an activity that explained the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the real stories behind remarkable change.
Keynote Speaker Moses Washington, a 2019 Morehouse College graduate and former Bamberg County HYPE Team member, shared his story with attendees and left them with tips for being successful. Moses stressed the importance of getting involved with 
community groups, organizations, and causes to help build leadership skills. He also encouraged youth to set life goals and to work hard to achieve success.
During a special session, youth created posters in support of ESMMSC’s SNAP incentives campaign. “These kids did a fantastic job at designing posters that we will use as postcards to reach out to our legislators,” said Phil Ford, ESMMSC’s Policy and Advocacy Manager. “We will 
display the posters at the Leadership Summit in October and let our partners choose the winning designs.”
During the Youth Summit, we also recognized HYPE Teams who participated in video contest. The first-place winner was Live Oak AME Church (Richland County) and the second-place winner was St. Peters AME Church (Colleton County). After a morning of sessions, youth explored the zoo while completing a scavenger hunt. Not surprisingly, many youth indicated that the scavenger hunt was their favorite part of the day and for several attendees, it was their first time ever visiting Riverbanks Zoo.
The Youth Summit was made possible by our generous supporters:
![Stanley Named New ESMMSC Executive Director]()
Aug 21, 2019 | News
The Board of Directors of Eat Smart Move More South Carolina is pleased to announce that Meg Stanley has been named Executive Director. Meg will begin leading the organization in its efforts to increase access to healthy eating and active living resources in South Carolina at the end of August. She is a seasoned professional who has worked on public policy campaigns, organizational wellness, and board development. In the past, she worked on several political and issue campaigns as a fundraiser and communications advisor. She also has experience in the fitness and nutrition industry.
Board Chair Jen Wright said, “The Board of Directors is thrilled to welcome Meg as the organization’s next leader. She brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and a unique perspective that gives us confidence she will be a highly effective leader and a passionate advocate for our organization in our efforts to create environments supportive of healthy eating and active living.”
Before accepting the executive director position, Meg served as a school representative for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and a member of ESMMSC’s Advocacy Committee. She has extensive experience in the development and promotion of healthy lifestyles, leadership, education, and health equity.
Meg received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a Master of Mass Communications degree from the University of South Carolina. She holds certifications from the Corporate Health and Wellness Association, National Academy of Sports Medicine, and Aerobics and Fitness Association of America.
Meg lives in Columbia with her husband, Chip, two of their children, Isabel and Porter, and two dogs, Molly and Henry. She is a member of St. Martin’s in the Fields Episcopal Church in Columbia. Meg enjoys spending time outdoors, especially on the South Carolina Coast.
Aug 2, 2019 | News
We all know that conferences can be overwhelming – from planning your day to figuring out who’s who, what’s what, and how to spend your time. The Leadership Summit for Healthy Communities Planning Committee just made it easier for attendees to plan ahead without worrying about the nitty-gritty. Here are five new features of the Leadership Summit that will make life a little easier for you and your team:
- Pre-Registration and Confirmation Email. Every year, staff are asked about pre-registering for breakout sessions, and we always say, “Sorry.” To help you plan your day better, we’re offering pre-registration of breakout sessions. You choose which breakout session you want to attend, and we’ll make sure there’s enough seating for everyone. Plus, you’ll get a confirmation email of your selections, and if you lose the email, we can resend it to you!
- Advocacy Track. Calling all advocates and want-to-be advocates! We’ve created an advocacy track just for you. Our speakers will give you the information you need to create and boost your local advocacy efforts and a better understanding of national and state campaigns. When registering, choose “Advocacy Track” for all three advocacy sessions. Please note that when you choose the track, you cannot pre-register for any other breakout sessions. Visit our website to learn more about the advocacy track.
- Community Leader Awards & Luncheon. In the past, we’ve included a reception at the end of the day to recognize our Community Leader Award recipients. This year, we want everyone to see who was nominated by their peers, so we’re honoring them during lunch. Don’t worry. It won’t take up too much of your networking time. The Community Leader Awards & Luncheon is sponsored by HopeHealth, Inc., and lunch is provided by the City of Florence.
- Physical Activity Breaks. Goodbye, lull. Hello, fun! We replaced the afternoon break with the physical activity break. Not only will you enjoy refreshments, but you’ll also enjoy a selection of physical activities. Yeah, we’ll have yoga and outdoor walking but there could be a little dancing going on inside. We’ll announce the physical activity options closer to the event.
- Tour of Florence. We’re giving you a guided tour of the City of Florence and it includes many healthy community environment enhancements over the past several years. Hop on a bus and see what they’ve been up to! Some of the places you’ll see are an inclusive playground, trail connections, and the new farmers’ market and kitchen.
These are just a few of the new and exciting features of the Leadership Summit. Stay tuned for upcoming newsletters and more announcements. Meantime, register today to reserve your spot!
Jun 6, 2019 | Advocacy/Policy News, News
Eat Smart Move More SC (ESMMSC) engages community and state partners in efforts to support healthy eating and active living policies at the local, state, and federal level. In a state that suffers from one of the highest rates of obesity in the country, ESMMSC and our partners are advocating for the state and local policy changes necessary to support individuals in the adoption of lifelong healthy habits.
The new advocacy platform includes initiatives that positively effects PSE change, which ultimately help prevent and reduce the high incidence of obesity in our state. The platform addresses the following settings: Early Care, K-12 Schools, and Community. The document outlines healthy eating and active living policy initiatives from out-of-school time, FitnessGram, and accountability to healthy food sales and service, Complete Streets, and SNAP and Healthy Bucks.
Download the 2019-2020 Advocacy Platform here. If you have any question or want to get involved, contact Phil Ford at phil@eatsmartmovemoresc.org.
Jun 6, 2019 | News, The HYPE Project
Moses Washington, a native of Denmark, South Carolina, is a 2019 graduate of Morehouse College and a 2015 graduate of Denmark-Olar High School. At Morehouse College, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Washington is set to be the keynote speaker at the Youth Summit on July 23 in Columbia at the Zoo.
Yes, Washington is part of the Morehouse College graduating class whose student loans were paid in full by the 2019 Commencement Speaker and Billionaire Robert S. Smith. Did Washington graduate tuition debt free? Yes. Was he a benefactor of Smith’s generosity? Probably not. Read about Washington’s reaction to the gift.
Washington received the Gate Millennium Scholarship, a competitive full-ride scholarship from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He was one of 11 recipients in the state of South Carolina and one of 1,000 nationwide to receive the scholarship. In 2018, he was selected as a Sidley Austin, LLP Pre-Law Scholar.
Are you impressed yet? Wait. It gets better.
Washington was an active student at Morehouse College, having served on the Executive Board of the Student Government Association and as a member of the Morehouse College Board of Trustees, where he was on the Student Affairs, Educational Policy, and Development committees. Additionally, Washington served as the President of the Gates Millennium Scholars Program at Morehouse College and as the President of the Morehouse-Spelman Pre-Law Society.
While Washington was busy juggling academic and social life in Atlanta, he still had a calling to help his hometown of Denmark and the surrounding areas in Bamberg County.
Washington has an immense passion for public service, which recently stimulated him to start the Washington Foundation in 2017. The Washington Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with the goal of changing the “Corridor of Shame” narrative placed on rural schools amongst the I-95 interstate line of South Carolina. His non-profit has achieved much success within the past years. It has held a Back-to-School Bash in 2017 and 2018, where over 400 school supply bags were given out to students of the Bamberg County area.
Washington plans to attend law school and continue the work of his foundation, in hopes of continuing to be the change in the community. As the keynote speaker at the Youth Summit, teens and adults will learn more about what drives Washington to advocate for healthy change and to inspire those around him to reach for the stars.
Attend the Youth Summit on July 23 in Columbia at the Zoo and meet one of South Carolina’s young leaders. Take advantage of this great opportunity and register today. Registration is only $10 per person, and seating is limited.
