GREENVILLE, S.C. – This year’s Healthy Greenville Grants will fund 11 non-profit agencies aimed at everything from promoting physical activity, to assistance with substance abuse recovery, to mental health care in our communities.
The annual Healthy Greenville Grants are the signature program of the Greenville Health Authority and the aim is to make Greenville County the healthiest county in the state by funding health-related care, health research, and health education that improves the health of Greenville County residents.
The 17-member board reviewed 39 letters of intent to initiate the consideration process in 2022, said Rev. Stacey Mills, the Greenville Health Authority’s board chair. That number was whittled down to 17 being chosen to submit full grant applications.
“As always, the Greenville Health Authority strives to find the best ways so support the mission of building healthier communities,” Mills said. “We had a tremendous group of applications this year. All of these organizations are vital to strengthening grassroots pathways to better health in Greenville.”
The goal of the Healthy Greenville Grant Initiative is to fund projects that impact health-related care, health research, and health education projects and programs to improve the health of Greenville County residents. To be eligible to receive a grant, an organization must be a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, a government agency, an academic institution, or a collaborative combination of these types of organizations.
The following organizations received grants:
Center for Developmental Services: $553,750 over three years to expand Case Management Services for underserved individuals in Greenville County with a diagnoses of intellectual disability or related disability, or with a head & spinal cord injury.
FAVOR Upstate: $1,374,291 over three years to expand the substance abuse disorder recovery and support program to individuals and families in Greenville County. FAVOR Upstate exists to ensure everyone in the Upstate who suffers from substance use disorder has a fighting chance at recovery.
Girls on the Run Upstate SC: $45,000 over three years to provide Girls on the Run program to Greenville County Title 1 schools. Girls on the Run is a physical activity-based positive youth development program designed to enhance girls' social, psychological and physical skills and behaviors.
Greenville County First Steps: $600,000 over three years for seed money to launch Family Connects in Greenville County. Family Connects is a Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting approved, evidenced based, nationally recognized home visiting model that pairs every new parent with a nurse who will offer a series of home visits.
NOTUS Sports: $750,000 over two years to increase physical activity, wellness and exercise opportunities in Greenville County. The Community Health and Wellness Center at Unity Park will provide individuals access to adaptive equipment, bikes, educational training on health and wellness, and access to licensed health professionals regardless of socioeconomic status, health conditions or disabilities.
Pendleton Place: $200,000 over three years to maximize community health by minimizing ACEs. This project seeks to establish the first Family Resource Center model of community-driven family health in Greenville County to prevent ACEs, address the social determinants of health, and improve health, social, and economic outcomes for the community.
Safe Harbor, Inc.: $500,000 over two years, to improve services for victims of domestic violence. This grant will support the construction of Safe Harbor’s new domestic violence center; this facility replaces Safe Harbor’s current shelter (a 100-year-old repurposed house) and places intentional focus on the mental, behavioral, and physical health needs of victims and their children in Greenville County.
Soteria Community Development Corporation: $7,220 for one year to help the Hoop House to combat social determinants of health associated with post-incarceration, including lack of access to mental health care, adequate nutrition, healthy living practices, and advocacy in the community. The Hoop House will promote healthy eating, individual achievement, and community engagement.
Unity Health on Main: $1,389,740 over three years, for a collaborative effort between Unity Health on Main, Upstate Circle of Friends, Just Say Something, and its partners to provide a holistic approach to family centered health and wellness expanding services to under resourced communities. This coordinated system of care with wrap around support services will focus on Hispanic and uninsured families providing medical and mental care, intensive case management, behavioral health, nutrition, wellness education, and supportive parenting classes in a culturally sensitive environment.
University of South Carolina Educational Foundation: $247,029 over three years for Root Cause, an ongoing health and public services initiative led by University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, Prisma Health-Upstate, and 35+ community partners to address the root causes of disease by increasing access to healthcare, promoting healthy lifestyles, and reducing health disparities across Greenville County.
YMCA of Greenville: $189,000 for a one-year grant for Judson Mill YMCA Infant and Child Care. The new, innovative childcare center for infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children at Judson Mill is located in one of the most vulnerable communities in our area and is located near the YMCA Judson Community Center, where elementary and middle school children receive summer and after school care.
About The Health Greenville Grants Initiative:
The Greenville Health Authority has awarded over $28 million in grants through Healthy Greenville Initiatives. The goal of the Healthy Greenville Grant Initiatives (Healthy Greenville and Healthy Greenville, Too) is to make Greenville County the healthiest county by funding health-related care, health research, and health education that improves the health of Greenville County residents.
About Greenville Health Authority:
With the passage of Act 432 by the S.C. State Legislature in 1947, what is now Prisma Health–Upstate evolved from a city-owned hospital (Greenville General Hospital) to one mandated to provide hospital services for “all the people of Greenville County.” With the formation of Prisma Health-Upstate (formerly Greenville Health System), the governmental entity that remained became the Greenville Health Authority.
The Greenville Health Authority Board of Trustees consists of 17 members responsible for overseeing the lease agreement between the Greenville Health Authority Board of Trustees and Prisma Health–Upstate Board of Directors; assessing community need; and administering the Healthy Greenville and Healthy Greenville Too grants initiatives improve the health of the Upstate community.
Learn more at www.greenvillehealthauthority.org.