Winter 2024 Newsletter
Program Updates
Sustaining Way kicks
off 2024 with
Nigel Robertson, WYFF
Sustaining Way marked the start of 2024 on WYFF’s “4 the Record” segment with Nigel Robertson. Executive Director Michael Brown and Sustainability Education Coordinator Meghan Salm spoke about ways the Greenville community can implement small changes throughout the year to make the world more sustainable.
Watch the WYFF special and learn about their recommendations here.
Community health survey No. 2 underway
Sustaining Way began the second survey
of Nicholtown residents on Feb. 1 as part
of the Nicholtown Community Health
Initiative.
Sustaining Way’s Community Health
VISTA Lauren Allen leads the efforts that
will capture anonymous information on
over 200 Nicholtown residents as a
a follow-up to a 2021 baseline survey.
The NCHI will focus on community health
indicators like energy burden, physical
and mental health, food security, and
access to public services like
transportation.
Spring garden volunteers,
groups needed
Join us for weekly garden hours! We hold garden work and learn every week at Annie’s House at the following times:
- Tuesday, 3-5 p.m.
- Wednesday, 4-5:30 p.m.
- Friday 9-11 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 10 a.m. to noon. We hope to see you in the garden soon!
(Note that these times are always weather-dependent and are new for spring.)
Partnerships
Energy-focused nonprofits collaborate on advocacy
Executive Director Michael Brown represented Sustaining Way and the S.C. Energy Justice Coalition at the Conservation Voters of South Carolina’s legislative day in early February.
The CVSC event focused on advocating for five policy positions when speaking to lawmakers about the state’s conservation and energy initiatives. They include:
- protecting Carolina bays and wetlands
- holding polluters accountable
- protecting ratepayers from risky utility investments
- preserving agricultural lands
- expanding the state’s recreational trail system
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy ranks South Carolina 49th in energy efficiency. Read more about CVSC’s legislative day in The Greenville News. Contact your local legislator to advocate for sustainable energy policies at the ConservationCoalitionSC.org.
Divine 9 philanthropic efforts recognized
Spartanburg City Council recognized Sustaining Way partners, local members of the Divine 9 fraternities and sororities, for their philanthropic efforts in the upstate.
Sustaining Way partners with the Divine 9 members and the NAACP Spartanburg chapter for bi-monthly food distribution in Spartanburg County. It also partnered with the Greenville National Pan Hellenic Council (Divine 9) to host a similar bi-monthly Saturday food distribution at the Nicholtown Community Center.
Gen Z ready for sustainability careers
Meghan Salm, sustainability education coordinator, and Oscar Bennett, engagement coordinator, met with Clemson University students in February to discuss Sustaining Way’s work opportunities for post-graduation. Bennett also met with Benedict College students in Columbia in February to share Sustaining Way opportunities.
2023 Highlights
Last year brought many highs as Sustaining Way continued building its capacity to serve Nicholtown, New Washington Heights, and now Spartanburg County residents.
Thank you to our partners and long-time supporters for empowering us to create sustainable initiatives in the upstate.
We can’t wait to see what 2024 holds!
Volunteer Opportunities
and Giveaways
Volunteer Spotlight
The volunteer of the month for January is Melody, who volunteered with Sustaining Way more than 12 times in 2023! Thank you, Melody, for continuing to make Sustaining Way a priority in 2024.
November’s volunteer of the month is Gannon, who participated in LiveWell Greenville’s garden work day at our Glen Road community garden in Nicholtown. Thanks for your service, Gannon!
December’s volunteer of the month is Gabriela. In 2023, Gabriela volunteered with Sustaining Way 15 times. Thank you for your commitment to our mission, Gabriela!
We deeply appreciate our volunteers at Sustaining Way and cannot thank them enough for coming to events. Are you looking to volunteer with us? Check out the new volunteer page on our website to explore how you can get involved. We offer many opportunities to get your hands dirty and make a difference in the community.
We hold additional virtual/remote volunteer opportunities if you are not in the area or gardening isn’t your thing. Our volunteer interest form contains all the categories of opportunities we offer.
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.
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