Summer 2024
NEWS
Sustaining Way named Nonprofit of the Year
Executive Director Michael Brown’s efforts to expand Sustaining Way’s food security program with Saturday food distributions in southside Spartanburg made such an impact that the Juneteenth BEC committee named Sustaining Way its 2024 Nonprofit of the Year.
Sustaining Way and Brown were recognized at a June gala at the Chapman Cultural Center. The Juneteenth BEC team recognized community leaders throughout the week-long events celebrating the Spartanburg community and its culture.
The food distribution on each month’s 2nd and 4th Saturday responded to the local Piggly Wiggly on Church Street closing last week. Providing fresh produce to residents fills the gap in what is now a food desert.
Brown said in his acceptance video that Sustaining Way seeks to achieve meaningful engagement through our direct programs and to be part of a community that we hope will be emulated by other organizations.
Program Updates
Future Ready: Steward Fellows shine as summer program wraps up
This summer, 14 youth embarked on a 6-week adventure that took them throughout the Upstate to learn more about sustainability, energy conservation, and workforce development.
This summer’s field trips included Conestee Preserve, Ramblin Rosa Farm, and KP Solar. Closer to Annie’s House, Sustaining Way’s demonstration site, the participants learned about composting, beekeeping, and native invasive species and even took simple adventures like fishing in the Reedy River.
Sustainable Education VISTA Oscar Moreno, who led the Steward Fellows program, said that many of the participants explained that they had a very narrow view of sustainability to begin with.
“This program has helped them evolve these views by expanding them and allowing them to see environmental sustainability in a deeper and more meaningful sense,” Moreno said.
The summer’s activities commenced with a graduation at the end of July recognizing the participants for their time with Sustaining Way.
Nicholtown Community Health Survey results are in
This spring, Community Health VISTA Lauren Allen embarked on leading the second round of the Nicholtown Community Health Initiative survey. The first survey was taken in 2021. This year’s baseline survey will guide community partners in making sure that programming reflects the needs of Nicholtown residents. Survey partners included Root Cause, NAMI, Multisolving Institute, Share Community Action, Furman University, Clemson SNAP-ED, the Phoenix Center, the American Heart Association Health for Good, and the Nicholtown Neighborhood Association.
Similarities to the 2021 baseline survey include the demographics, with about 75% being women and over 70% being Black / African American. Top concerns continue to be energy burden costs and mental health, with 60% or more suffering from depression, anxiety, or stress-related disorders. The number of respondents experiencing hypertension increased; however, more residents are actively making changes to be healthier, with an increase from 73% in 2021 to 88% in 2024.
Highlights of the results from 168 community surveys include:
- 71% pay over $100 monthly in utilities, with 50% saying their bill is a moderate, extreme, or significant burden.
- 88% say they are actively making changes to be healthier.
- 53% say they have experienced food insecurity in the last 12 months.
- 27% say they delayed getting healthcare in the last 12 months. Of those surveyed, 33% responded that their overall health was Fair or Poor.
- 52% feel that their physical or mental health sometimes or always interferes with daily activities.
- 67% say they suffer from depression, anxiety, or stress-related disorders, including OCD, Panic Attacks, and PTSD.
Summer garden hours shift through September
Join us for weekly garden hours! We hold garden work and learn every week at Annie’s House at the following times:
- Tuesday, 5-6:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, 4-5:30 p.m.
- Friday 8-10 a.m.
- Third Saturday of the month: 8-10 a.m.
These are excellent opportunities for our amazing staff to answer all your gardening, composting, and sustainability questions. During our garden workday hours, anyone can donate cardboard and food scraps for compost at Annie’s House!
We also hold monthly service days on the third Saturday from 8-10 a.m. We hope to see you in the garden soon!
Green Thumbs Up: Summer interns bloom on-site
This summer, five interns joined Sustaining Way to assist us with amplifying our program efforts at the Annie’s House garden, with Steward Fellows engagement and community engagement through marketing and development.
Abbi Burgess (top left) contributes as the Sustainable Agriculture Intern at Sustaining Way. She is concurrently completing her senior year at Clemson University, focusing on Environmental Science and Natural Resources and specializing in Conservation Biology. Beyond her academic pursuits, Abbi enjoys music, family time, and exploring natural wonders such as Issaqueena Falls and Stump House Tunnel in Walhalla. Her passion for environmental conservation and sustainable agriculture enriches her role at Sustaining Way, embodying her dedication to fostering ecological stewardship.
Ashley Ramos (top center) serves as the Marketing Intern at Sustaining Way. She is pursuing her studies in Spanish and business administration, focusing on marketing at Furman University. Alongside her academic pursuits, Ashley is dedicated to launching her own business, showcasing her entrepreneurial spirit. She enjoys baking and exploring downtown Greenville in her leisure moments, reflecting her vibrant engagement with professional and personal endeavors.
Luke Anderson (top right) contributes as the Summer Agriculture Intern at Sustaining Way. He is currently pursuing his B.A. in environmental studies at Furman University. Eager to gain insight into nonprofit operations, Luke is enthusiastic about his role at Annie’s House this summer. His dedication to learning and community service exemplifies his commitment to sustainable agriculture and nonprofit work.
Yaquelin Alvarado is the Sustainable Education Intern. She is a student at Furman University and loves hands-on activities. Yaquelin enjoys walking the Swamp Rabbit Trail and exploring Downtown Greenville in her spare time.
Anna Sauerbrey served as a Sustainable Agriculture Intern. Her multi-talented self assisted in teaching the team about word working for developing raised beds for Sustaining Way’s Backyard Garden program.
Sustaining Way welcomes three new VISTAs!
Sustaining Way welcomed three AmeriCorps VISTAs this summer. The addition of Yarelis Cardona (left), Camille Hoover (center), and Kennedy Davis (right) will significantly aid in building Sustaining Way’s capacity to serve our program participants.
Yarelis is the Energy VISTA, where she passionately engages with the community to promote sustainability and environmentalism. She holds a B.A. in musical arts from Converse University in Spartanburg. Yarelis is excited to be part of Sustaining Way due to its impactful community programs and is dedicated to directly connecting and assisting community members. She aspires to be remembered as a passionate and driven advocate for her community.
Camille is the Demonstration Site & Agriculture VISTA. She maintains the garden site at Annie’s House and works with the agriculture team to care for everything we grow. She is excited to work with Sustaining Way to address environmental justice. “I am passionate about caring for the earth, which also means caring for those disproportionately affected by climate change and environmental degradation! This looks like many different things – education, advocacy, and collaboration with the community we serve.” She enjoys powerlifting, reading, and trying restaurants around Greenville during her free time.
Kennedy Davis is the Development VISTA for Sustaining Way, focusing on grant writing. They graduated from Clemson University with a B.S. in graphic communications. Kennedy is passionate about spending time outside and getting involved with their local government and community. Their favorite upstate activity is camping at Devil’s Forge State Park.
Become a Sustainer Today!
Become a Sustainer of Sustaining Way! By giving any monthly amount, whether $5 or $500, you will provide essential support for our life-changing programs and consistent income so we can focus our efforts on our mission. These monthly donations make a huge difference to us and can benefit you, such as an on-site produce card for our garden, reusable and sustainable goodies, or even a free energy home visit!
We always appreciate any donations, and similar to monthly sustainer donations, any donation amount helps to back our programs and initiatives. ultimately, our mission is to use education, collaboration, and advocacy to create sustainable, caring, and equitable communities for current and future generations.
If you ever want quick access to important links, you can visit this page to find all of them. Our website is always home to everything and is very easy to navigate.
Follow us on:
Please write a review and/or follow us on social media. Please
like, comment, and share our posts and upcoming events.