We recently caught up with Lori Phillips, director of the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity Prevention (DNPAO) at the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control. Historically, SCDHEC founded the coalition that became Wholespire and DNPAO has been a long-standing partner. Their partnership and shared vision have contributed to the growth and recognition of policy, systems and environmental change strategies as a foundation of community health improvement across South Carolina.
Question: What is DNPAO and what does it do? Answer: The Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Prevention (DNPAO) aims to support equitable opportunities for healthy eating and active living statewide through the facilitation of collective state-level actions. It serves as the state arm of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity and a bridge between national nutrition and physical activity best practices and state and local actions.
DNPAO strategies include:
Improving early care and education and school environments to support healthy eating and active living
Improving student health through the implementation of a statewide, web-based FitnessGram system
Engaging partners to guide state-wide healthy eating, active living, and healthy weight efforts
Question: You’ve been the director for quite a while. Can you tell us how the DNPAO and its work have evolved over the years? Answer: I have served in the director role since 2013. The division’s evolution has predominantly been driven by funding changes over the years. In the past, the division received substantial federal funding which sustained a team of 10 staff with specific subject matter expertise. When this federal funding was cut in 2018, the division was down-sized to focus on nutrition, physical activity, and obesity prevention in the main settings where children spend time – in communities and early care and education and school systems. The division was funded by the state legislature in 2023 to sustain these efforts as well as to maintain the SC FitnessGram system and to serve as a backbone organization (along with Wholespire) for Healthy Palmetto.
Question: Your division and Wholespire are co-leaders of Healthy Palmetto. Will you explain what Healthy Palmetto is and how it’s work is impacting community health improvement? Answer: South Carolina has had a state obesity plan since 2005. In 2019, the previous plan was wrapping up and key state stakeholders were convened to determine a path forward. It was determined that creating environments and systems that support healthy eating and active living throughout South Carolina is important for the future health of the state. So, Healthy Palmetto was established in 2020 with a commitment to serve as the state lead coalition of organizations responsible for collectively addressing healthy eating, active living, and healthy weight within the Live Healthy SC State Health Improvement Plan.
Healthy Palmetto supports healthy eating and active living priorities that would benefit from collective elevation. This includes creating space for partner organizations to share resources and connect with other state-level leaders, developing and disseminating collective communication assets, tracking the progress of priority measures, and blending funding for greater impact.
Healthy Palmetto is serving as the lead for the 2025-2030 State Health Improvement Plan Health Behaviors Work Group and planning is currently underway to determine strategies for the next five years. Although Healthy Palmetto focuses on state-level population strategies to improve nutrition and physical activity, there is a role for everyone to play. Local stakeholders can implement the Healthy Palmetto priority strategies and can connect with state-level leaders in each of the priority areas for assistance. Healthy Palmetto provides infrastructure for organizations to work towards common goals collectively.
Question: SCDHEC is preparing for a new name and a new brand. How will this transition impact the division, the work and its partnerships? Answer: Yes, as of July 1, 2024, DNPAO will be housed within the SC Department of Public Health. While there will be name changes and perhaps some structural changes internally, this should not impact DNPAO’s work or its partnerships. The work that we do is long-term in nature and we are thankful that we can continue contributing to a healthier South Carolina.
Question: What do you think has made Wholespire a good partner? Answer: DNPAO was a catalyst to establish the original organization that is now Wholespire. While I was not director at that time, it is my understanding that the impetus for that was to create opportunities for a public-private partnership to spearhead and lead the state’s obesity prevention efforts. Although there have been major changes in both DNPAO and Wholespire over the years, I believe this original intent continues to serve the state positively.
Wholespire serves a role that state agencies cannot in that it can be more flexible and fluid. Wholespire is a leader in advocacy and communication for healthy eating and active living and community health overall. Wholespire also provides direct technical assistance for local stakeholders. The work that Wholespire does complements DNPAO’s work and together we can have greater impact.
Question: Would you like to share any other important details about DNPAO? Answer: DNPAO is a small team with over 65 years of combined experience and subject matter expertise in nutrition and physical activity best practices, specifically within early care and education, schools, and communities. Please reach out if you think we can help you. We are always open to connect people to the appropriate resources or partners to make South Carolina a healthier state.
Discovering nature and enjoying the outdoors creates lasting childhood memories while also promoting healthy habits. Join us for an engaging webinar on how South Carolina’s communities can provide fun outdoor experiences for kids and families through the Kids in Parks TRACK Trails initiative.
By offering an expanding network of family-friendly outdoor adventures called TRACK Trails, Kids in Parks works across communities to increase access to adventure. Each TRACK Trail features self-guided materials that turn a normal visit into a fun and exciting outdoor experience. Best of all, kids earn prizes for each adventure tracked at http://kidsinparks.com.
Kids in Parks recently received a grant through the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation to expand the network of TRACK Trails across South Carolina. By attending this webinar, you will learn how to partner with Kids in Parks to create a community-centered plan for the equitable expansion of the program that best meets the needs of the residents of your community.
The saying “Together we are better” is easier said than done. Discover how statewide organizations overcome challenges to lead partnerships with limited capacity and resources. Join them as they share insights on balancing short-term activities with a long-term vision of a state where quality of life is a priority, and everyone has an equitable opportunity to thrive. Gain valuable lessons, insights into obstacles, and highlights as they establish priorities, coordinate activities and measure impact across the state.
The Wholespire Partner Spotlight Series shines a light on the remarkable collaborations and impactful initiatives of our valued partners. In this series, we highlight the incredible work being done by organizations and individuals who share our vision and commitment to ensure an equitable South Carolina, where everyone has access to healthy choices.
We recently caught up with Erika Kirby, executive director of the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation. The Foundation has been a long-standing partner of Wholespire. Their partnership has enabled hundreds of communities to increase opportunities for healthy food choices and physical activity across the state.
What is the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation?
The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation (Foundation), an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, was established in early 2000 with a vision to bridge health and health care in South Carolina. Its mission and commitment remain steadfast to identifying and supporting solutions to address gaps in care and serving as a change agent to support innovation and value-added public-private partnerships.
The Foundation is South Carolina’s only statewide state-based philanthropic organization focused exclusively on improving health. Since its first grant was awarded in 2003, the Foundation has supported projects and efforts in all 46 counties.
The Foundation supports organizations and communities across South Carolina. Aside from grant support, how does the Foundation achieve its mission?
The Foundation is committed to creating value beyond traditional grantmaking. As a statewide health funder, the Foundation uses both its financial and non-financial assets to maximize its impact and create value for those we serve. Examples of how the Foundation’s service to South Carolina extends beyond traditional grantmaking and financial support:
We use our reputation to convene partners on key health issues.
We work with partners to minimize duplication and aim to increase coordination of organizations working to improve health, as well as to promote learning across communities and organizations.
Given our statewide footprint, we interact with a wide array of organizations and are aware of many health-related efforts occurring across South Carolina. With this information, we frequently make connections across stakeholders and across communities.
An example would be convening support for the South Carolina Social Determinants of Health Roadmap and engagement with the health-focused partners and members of the Alliance for Healthier South Carolina. While not directly health-focused, the Foundation is also a member and involved in SC’s state association of nonprofit organizations and the state grantmakers network to stay abreast of issues and opportunities for South Carolina.
One of your approaches is “Working Downstream and Upstream.” How does this approach impact health outcomes in SC?
The Foundation recognizes that South Carolina faces many complex health issues and has a unique position, given our statewide reach, to influence and lead the direction of initiatives to make an impact. Accordingly, the Foundation sees its role beyond a grantmaker to a change maker. Our values below convey our commitment to a diverse array of projects and approaches.
We support a continuum of approaches ranging from providing direct care for the economically vulnerable to advancing practice and policy, systems and environmental changes.
We prioritize efforts that will improve the health of future generations of South Carolinians.
We empower organizations to increase effectiveness towards improved health outcomes.
We support efforts that represent community and statewide priorities that are locally determined, culturally relevant and data-informed solutions.
We equip our partners to connect learning to action and use data for continuous improvement.
We are a catalytic partner, supporting organizations and programs as they gain sustainability by leveraging funds and we value innovative projects that can expand to multiple geographic areas in South Carolina.
The Foundation has the ability as a corporate philanthropic statewide health foundation to help discover, introduce, and advance new, different, or more effective ways to improve health and well-being and to improve the quality of health delivered to improve individual health outcomes.
As a statewide organization, we balance scaling solutions statewide to supporting strategies that can most effectively address local health needs. The Foundation seeks to listen to community needs, analyze, and evaluate data, and understand local community assets and challenges. We are also respected for our approach to develop relationships that foster honest dialogue. We listen, suggest, and in many instances, co-create mutually beneficial solutions.
This commitment to serving South Carolina is communicated to key stakeholders across the state and positions the Foundation as both a source of information, accelerating action, and working to find innovative solutions to best serve South Carolina.
What are the priorities of the Foundation for the next 3-5 years?
Most recently, we have intentionally woven together and overlayed our funding pillars of access to care, workforce, improving the quality of services, and investing in the health and well-being of South Carolina children and families with an additional emphasis in three health priorities of diabetes, oral health, and mental health.
The Foundation amplifies different areas of focus annually, mostly within these noted priorities. However, we are always keeping an eye out for innovative approaches not yet tried so we balance defined priorities to needs and opportunities as we hear from partners.
Over the years, the Foundation has supported Wholespire and its work. What do you think has made Wholespire a good partner?
The Foundation views its grantees as partners, leveraging their capacity to improve health across South Carolina. We invest in strong relationships with key organizations and design initiatives that build a network of trusted partners with which we can listen, learn, ask, and receive candid ‘on the ground’ check-ins – all towards advancing action and impact.
Would you like to share any other important details about the Foundation?
We recently held our inaugural regional grantee appreciation events. These events were created to recognize the contributions of each and the potential of all. Health is local and we wanted to give grantees the chance to strengthen relationships with each other. We see the possibility and power that the cross-pollination of ideas between grantees will lead to even more positive change in the communities they serve.
Take a look at the Foundation’s website for impact stories and highlights as well as the Foundation’s new team members.
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.]
