It’s that time of year to apply for a HEAL Mini-Grant! The 2023-24 application is open, and we’ve made a few changes. But first, here’s a reminder of what our mini-grants are all about – increasing access to healthy choices by implementing a policy, system or environmental (PSE) strategy.
PSE strategies are improvements that stand the test of time. They’re sustainable and available to anyone in the community. From adopting a healthy vending policy that impacts an entire school population or adding a new way of accessing fruit and vegetables in the food system to repairing a community basketball or tennis court or adding bilingual signs to any public recreation resource or farmers market, PSE strategies help community members make healthier choices and complement health programs.
New Online Application System The most significant change is that we’re using a new system, so there’s a new way of submitting your online application. Applicants can no longer register to start their application and return later to complete it or make edits. Applicants will only be able to create and complete their online application once. Our new system does not provide a save function.
So, what’s new?
Maximum Request With permission from our funder, The BlueCross® BlueShield®, the maximum amount that can be requested for the proposed project has increased from $5,000 to $6,000. The increase is due to the current economy and the increase in costs of project supplies.
On-Demand Technical Assistance Applicants will have easier access to technical assistance, a.k.a help, regarding the application, how to complete a budget, and PSE strategies. The video tutorials can be found on the mini-grant website. If you need additional help understanding the mini-grant process or have questions the videos do not address, you can email Kelsey Sanders at kelsey@wholespire.org.
Project Examples Webpage We created a webpage featuring articles about HEAL Mini-Grants, partners’ projects and other past mini-grants to show you the projects we fund. Use the information to form ideas for your proposed project or one you’re currently planning.
If you want to apply for a HEAL Mini-Grant, you must meet specific requirements:
Applicants may be a current 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization OR use a fiscal agent who is a current 501(c)(3) including, but not limited to, Wholespire chapters, community coalitions, schools, local governments, or faith-based organizations.
If your organization is not a 501(c)(3), you must provide the information for the fiscal agent you selected.
The budget for your request must not exceed $6,000. If it does, your application will not be considered.
The State Senate placed a proviso in their budget that would allow public school students access to free school meals. Proviso 1.68 would require schools to provide free meals to all students who are eligible under the Community Eligibility Program; this would have a drastic impact on that reported child hunger rate, while also benefiting students academically, behaviorally, and socially. This proviso also enforces schools may not penalize or identify students for any accrued lunch debt. This Proviso complements but is not the same as the active Senate Bill we have asked you to support. Both measures are important and a part of the process to make certain child hunger is curbed. This proviso was not included in the House budget, so we need your help to ensure it gets approved by your representatives!
We’ve created a script to make it easier for you! Email your representative today.
Email Body:
Support Senate Budget Proviso 1.68 to address student hunger
Email Subject:
I am one of your constituents and I am writing to you today to address child hunger in our state. According to Feeding America, over 153,000 children (that is 1 in 4 children) in South Carolina go hungry daily. I am asking for your help to curb child hunger in the state of South Carolina by supporting Senate Proviso 1.68. This proviso addresses student hunger, which has adverse effects on students’ ability to learn and develop.
Research shows that when students are properly fed, the benefits are bountiful. Under Proviso 1.68, schools would have to ensure students who are qualified and eligible for free school meals through the Community Eligibility Program receive 2 free school meals a day; this would have a drastic impact on that reported child hunger rate, while also benefiting students academically, behaviorally, and socially.
Proviso 1.68 will also ensure that schools stop the practice of lunch shaming kids whose meal accounts are in debt. From the Upstate to the Lowcountry, we have heard and read about school districts penalizing children over their account status by taking away field trips, the ability to walk at graduation, and more. Students do not have control over their meal account standing, and therefore, should not be held responsible – this piece of the proviso is vital and must be included in the final budget as well.
Today, I am asking you to approve the Senate Budget Proviso 1.68 that would give this meal access to students across South Carolina and ensure that it is part of the final budget.
As the General Assembly works to make lives better for all in our state, Proviso 1.68 offers a solution to a well-documented problem in South Carolina. Please do all you can to ensure Senate Proviso 1.68 gets approval in the House and that it is part of the approved budget. South Carolina children and their families need you to be their champion. Thank you.
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.
You answered our call for help with securing funding in the SC House budget for the SC Department of Social Service’s (DSS) Healthy Bucks program. Now, we need your help with ensuring Healthy Bucks and an upgrade to the SNAP processing system are included in the SC Senate budget.
DSS has requested $5 million in the 2023-2024 budget to expand the Healthy Bucks program, which allows families to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets and roadside stands. DSS has also requested $8.7 million to update the system they use to run Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. DSS uses an outdated mainframe system to determine SNAP and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) eligibility in the state and to process payments to retailers when SNAP recipients buy groceries. Because of the age of the system, which processes about $1.8 billion worth of SNAP payments each year, DSS cannot make updates or improvements, which poses significant risks to the state.
The SC Senate Finance Committee is meeting next week to discuss the allocation for the DSS requests, and we would love for the members of that committee to hear from you before they vote on these requests.
Do you live in one of the SC Senate Districts listed below? If you do, please call your senator any time between now and Tuesday afternoon (April 4) and let them know that you hope they vote in favor of the DSS budget requests. If you have personal stories related to the Healthy Bucks or SNAP program, please feel free to share those.
We’ve created a script to make it easier for you! Talk to your legislator or leave a voicemail and follow up via email.
Step 1: Phone Call
Call your senator if they are listed below. Use the telephone script below to convey the message. Leave a voicemail, if prompted.
Telephone Script
Hello Sen. [Name], my name is [Your Name] and I am one of your constituents. I understand that the Senate Finance Committee will discuss the DSS-requested Healthy Bucks budget appropriations in the coming days and wanted to let you know that I hope you vote to support the $5 million request for the Healthy Bucks program and the $8.7 million request to start developing a new economic services system to process SNAP and TANF benefits. By expanding the Healthy Bucks program and upgrading the processing system, families across our state will have greater and timelier access to nutritious produce and local farmers will have improved economic development opportunities.
[If speaking directly to the Senator]:
Are you committed to supporting the DSS-requested Healthy Bucks and processing system appropriations in committee? *answer* Thank you for your time.
[If leaving a voicemail]:
Again, I hope you’ll consider voting to support the DSS-requested Healthy Bucks and SNAP processing system appropriations. Thank you. [Feel free to leave callback information if you’d like.]
Step 2: Follow-up Email
Did you leave a voicemail? Follow up with an email to ensure your message is received. Use the message we’ve created for you to send.
Follow-up Email Body
Hello Sen. [Name], my name is [Your Name] and I am one of your constituents. I left you a voicemail today, but am following up via email to ensure you get the message. I understand that the Senate Finance Committee will discuss the DSS-requested budget appropriations in the coming days and wanted to let you know that I hope you vote to support the $5 million request in the state budget for expanding the Healthy Bucks program and the $8.7 million request to upgrade the SNAP and TANF processing system. By expanding the Healthy Bucks program and upgrading the processing system, families across our state will have greater and timelier access to nutritious produce, which has long-term health and communal benefits and local farmers will have improved economic development opportunities. Again, I hope you’ll consider voting to support the DSS-requested appropriations. Thank you. [Feel free to leave callback information if you’d like.]
At Wholespire, we know the importance of evaluating projects and initiatives to determine an impact or to make improvements to future endeavors. After 10 years of implementation and collecting feedback from adult and youth participants, The HYPE Project® underwent a thorough evaluation and makeover. Working with evaluators at The University of South Carolina and designers at TRIO Solutions, Inc., Wholespire revamped the curriculum and brand to provide participants with a more inclusive and engaging experience.
“We recognized that HYPE needed content updates as best practices of healthy eating and active living, youth engagement and advocacy had evolved over the last ten years,” said Executive Director Meg Stanley. “We wanted the initiative to look relevant and align with the Wholespire brand. Plus, our strategic plan identifies the sustainability of HYPE as a priority.”
In 2021, Wholespire contracted with the Youth Empowerment in Schools and Systems (YESS) lab at the University of South Carolina School of Psychology, an applied research group focused on translating theories of child development to pragmatic prevention and intervention strategies.
YESS evaluators analyzed all existing HYPE resources, tools, and data to pinpoint strengths, weaknesses, and improvements needed to fully engage youth and their adult advisors. They developed a new logic model following a series of five strategically facilitated discussions with Wholespire staff.
The new HYPE logic model provides a visual representation of Wholespire decision-making and goals as well as the process by which youth experience The HYPE Project and the respective outcomes. New points of interest within the logic model are:
Philosophy – Seven main values guide Wholespire decision-making, planning, and training for The HYPE Project:
Positive youth development (PYD) is an intentional approach to engage youth within their communities, schools, organizations, and more to provide opportunities for youth to enhance their interests, strengths, and abilities. Wholespire uses the PYD Developmental Assets Framework within HYPE to foster positive development through external assets and internal assets.
Youth empowerment is a strengths-based process to engage youth in building skills, knowledge, and resources to control and influence decisions, reach greater well-being, and promote positive community change. Youth specifically build skills related to advocacy, youth organizing and civic, sociopolitical development, and self and collective efficacy.
Policy, systems and environmental (PSE) change is a way of changing and improving the community for its members. PSE changes also reflect population- or community-focused efforts. Using PSE change, youth are engaged in critical thinking processes in HYPE training to build awareness and skills to promote PSE change related to healthy eating and active living in their communities.
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI): To center DEI, Wholespire seeks to focus on racial equity throughout the entire organization. Wholespire seeks to address health disparities in South Carolina communities and increase access to healthy eating and active living options. HYPE trainings are developed to be age and culturally relevant so that youth can be effective champions for change within and beyond the program.
Leadership involves efforts to be champions for change and experts of best practices to promote wellness in communities. Using leadership, youth are engaged in a youth-led project to create PSE change related to healthy eating and active living. Youth are also prepared to be allies regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion within their communities.
Collaboration is the process of people and/or organizations working together transparently to determine similarities in intentions and efforts. To prioritize collaboration, youth collaborate with peers, adult advisors, and community members in efforts to make PSE changes related to healthy eating and active living. Youth share HYPE projects and results with community members and stakeholders.
Sustainability involves doing work in a way that ensures the viability of an organization and support to the community. Thinking about sustainability in The HYPE Project, youth projects focus on sustainable change related to healthy eating and active living within their communities. Additionally, HYPE alumni have career and social support from the organization.
Outcomes – Process, intermediate and long-term outcomes are the resulting changes or impacts of the program that youth are expected to experience as a result of completing all phases of HYPE. Outcomes are influenced by philosophy and values and can be influenced by available resources and services provided by Wholespire through The HYPE Project.
Process Outcomes: These are the immediate intended impacts of completing a certain part of a program. For The HYPE Project, the process outcomes are an acceptable level of engagement and a positive climate during training sessions for the first two phases of the curriculum, and the completion of the sessions.
Intermediate Outcomes: These are the intended impacts immediately following the full completion of a program. After completing the last three phases of the curriculum, outcomes are an increase in skills and motivation for healthy eating and active living in regard to community action and PSE change; an emerging critical consciousness; increased skills for identifying and considering health disparities; increased planning, goal-setting, and critical thinking skills; and increased physical and mental health.
Long-term Outcomes: These are the intended impacts months to years after fully completing a program. Six months after completing HYPE, youth will have increased: critical consciousness, community engagement, leadership and advocacy, social capital, ability to access valid information, resources, and services to promote health, physical and mental health and career and social support for HYPE alumni. Outcomes are measured by surveying youth during and after their HYPE experience. This new methodology is necessary to ensure the integrity and viability of The HYPE Project.
New Curriculum
In addition to improving the logic model, YESS evaluators looked at the content and activities in the curriculum. Considering feedback from youth and adult advisors collected in 2018-2020, YESS evaluators suggested:
Integrating Youth-Led Participatory Action Research (YPAR) Projects for future training structure to engage youth in projects that specifically address and promote issues that are important to youth in their communities. Through YPAR, youth specifically have opportunities to engage in more hands-on and service-learning activities to enhance youth skills regarding National Health Education Standards (NHES) related to goal-setting and self-management
Integrate concepts and activities from Youth Empowerment Solutions (YES) MVPA, a modular curriculum for promoting positive youth development related to behavioral and socio-emotional health skills. YES MVPA curriculum focuses on self-care as it relates to activism in order to support youth health and well-being as they work for social and systems-level change.
Identifying the NHES as they apply to each section within the curriculum.
Incorporating new activities, games and breaks.
Incorporating relevant topics or recent issues into discussions.
All of the suggestions made by YESS evaluators and through past HYPE youth and adult advisor surveys were carefully considered and included in the revised HYPE curriculum.
New Branding and Tools
Wholespire worked with designers at TRIO Solutions, Inc., in Mt. Pleasant, SC, to redesign the HYPE brand and curriculum and to develop a supply kit for adult advisors to use when teaching the curriculum. A more modern and relevant logo and curriculum design was produced that aligns with the Wholespire brand.
“Our goal was to give adult advisors and teens a better visual and hands-on experience when learning about PSE change, community health, bias, stereotypes, and how the information impacts individual behaviors and access to healthy choices,” says Stanley.
Wholespire recently launched the new curriculum and tools at an adult advisors training. During the training, representatives from eight new HYPE teams in South Carolina gathered to gain a better understanding of the requirements and expectations of The HYPE Project. They received an overview of the Think and Learn Phases and tried many of the new activities.
So what’s next for The HYPE Project? Wholespire is currently talking to organizations outside of South Carolina that are interested in implementing HYPE. Our ultimate goal is for HYPE to be nationally recognized and used widely across the United States.
Things are underway at the statehouse for the new legislative session and one of the first things we are working on is the Department of Social Service’s (DSS) Healthy Bucks program budget request. The Healthy Bucks program allows Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to obtain additional fresh produce at participating farmers markets. DSS is requesting $5 million in funding for the Healthy Bucks program in the budget this year. The SC House Ways and Means Healthcare Subcommittee is meeting this week to discuss the allocation for the DSS Healthy Bucks request, and we would love for the members of that subcommittee to hear from you before they vote on this request.
Do you live in SC House Districts 74 (Rep. Rutherford), 82 (Rep. Clyburn), 91 (Rep. Hosey), 108 (Rep. Hewitt), or 118 (Rep. Herbkersman, chair)? If you do, please call your representative any time between now and Wednesday afternoon (Jan 25) and let them know that you hope they vote in favor of the DSS Healthy Bucks budget request. If you have personal stories related to the Healthy Bucks program, please feel free to share those.
We’ve created a script to make it easier for you! Talk to your legislator or leave a voicemail and follow-up via email.
Step 1: Phone Call
Call your representative if they are listed below. Use the telephone script below to convey the message. Leave a voicemail, if prompted.
Telephone Script
Hello Rep. [Name], my name is [Your Name] and I am one of your constituents. I understand that the Healthcare Subcommittee of the Ways and Means Committee will discuss the DSS-requested Healthy Bucks budget appropriation in the coming days and wanted to let you know that I hope you vote to support the $5 million request in the state budget. By expanding the Healthy Bucks program, families across our state will have greater access to nutritious produce, which has long-term health and communal benefits, as well as economic development opportunities for local farmers.
[If speaking directly to the Representative]:
Are you committed to supporting the DSS-requested Healthy Bucks appropriation in subcommittee? *answer* Thank you for your time.
[If leaving a voicemail]:
Again, I hope you’ll consider voting to support the DSS-requested Healthy Bucks appropriation. Thank you. [Feel free to leave callback information if you’d like.]
Step 2: Follow-up Email
Did you leave a voicemail? Follow up with an email to ensure your message is received. Use the message we’ve created for you to send.
Follow-up Email Body
Hello Rep. [Name], my name is [Your Name] and I am one of your constituents. I left you a voicemail today, but am following up via email to ensure you get the message. I understand that the Healthcare Subcommittee of the Ways and Means Committee will discuss the DSS-requested Healthy Bucks budget appropriation in the coming days and wanted to let you know that I hope you vote to support the $5 million request in the state budget. By expanding the Healthy Bucks program, families across our state will have greater access to nutritious produce, which has long-term health and communal benefits, as well as economic development opportunities for local farmers. Again, I hope you’ll consider voting to support the DSS-requested Healthy Bucks appropriation. Thank you. [Feel free to leave callback information if you’d like.]
