23 May

A Homecoming of Sorts

Posted by anagreenvilleforward in Uncategorized.

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My name Ana Parra and I’m Greenville Forward’s new Community Relations Director.  After being away from Greenville for five years, I am beyond thrilled to return to the city that I call home and to work with the dynamic team at Greenville Forward.

The reasons for wanting to return are pretty obvious. We all know Greenville is thriving. We can see it on our walks, bike rides and drives through town. It’s as evident in Travelers Rest, as it is in downtown. And as someone who moved here with her family in 1994, it leaves me amazed every time I see the progress.  It’s not just seeing the buildings that are going up, but also experiencing the diversity in our population and leadership that leaves me cheering for Greenville.

Many of the items outlined in the Vision 2025 are no longer just hopes for this city, but actual tangible goals that have been reached. That’s awesome to be in the middle of, but that’s not the only reason for my homecoming.

When an opportunity to be a part of an organization that has been the catalyst for progress came along, I enthusiastically jumped on board. I came back because this is an opportunity to brag about my hometown and at the same time have serious conversations about how we can make it better for all its citizens. At Greenville Forward, we continue to refine and evolve the goals of Vision 2025. It’s not about growing but growing in a way that keeps Greenville learning, green, healthy, creative, connected, inclusive and innovative.

As Community Relations Director, I get to do the thing I love most, work side-by-side with community members to improve Greenville. Specifically I’ll be working on development, marketing and membership for Greenville Forward. I’m ready to get started and tell you more about Greenville Forward’s story and how we can work together.  This is a great time to talk about Greenville’s story and a great time to get to work on the next chapter.

7 May

May Momentum Recap – Keeping Greenville Cool

Posted by Reece Lyerly in Uncategorized.

In the past few months, it seems that Greenville has been recognized as one of the best places to live in the country – for families, young professionals, international businesses and more.  We’ve suddenly become “the cool kids on the block.”  At our recent Momentum discussion, we explored the “cool factor,” asking WHY is Greenville cool and HOW can we stay cool?  This is what the group had to say.

We started the discussion by defining “coolness” – a sometimes amorphous term that we are all striving for in some way or fashion.  The group listed words such as attractive, uniqueness, current, relevant, unexpected, accessible, progressive and openness.  Greenville may not be all of these things at all times, but if one thing is certain, everyone in the room thinks Greenville is a cool place to live, today.  But it wasn’t always this way.  Only a few years ago, Main St. was a place everyone avoided after 5PM and many young people found reasons to leave after graduation, vowing never to return.  Then something happened and things began to change.  Falls Park was formed, the Camperdown bridge was removed, a baseball stadium was built in the West End, restaurants and business returned to Main St. and more.  Slowly, the culture shifted and suddenly Greenville became a cool place to live, work and play.

So, HOW did this happen?  Did we plan to become cool or did it just happen?  The simple answer is YES, both.  One attendee described this success story as the 4 P’s of coolness: people, places, programs and planning.  A good example of the 4 P’s is Fall Park, which took years of careful planning and innovative programs to become the hallmark of our beloved City.  More than once, the group discussed Falls Park as a cool place in Greenville, where people are known to picnic on a sunny day or enjoy Shakespeare in the Park during the summer months.  In the words of Russell Stall, Greenville is a “30 year overnight success” story.  Now that we are cool, and recognized nationally, the group said that we need to stay cool by focusing on connectivity, education, and job creation to attract, recruit and retain the young professionals, families and businesses that keep us cool.  In addition, they said we need to consider smart growth and transit options between other municipalities in Greenville County to connect cool places in Fountain Inn, Traveler’s Rest and Simpsonville.  If you have ideas about how to keep Greenville cool, let us know at whatifgreenville.com!

Falls Park

23 Apr

April Momentum Recap – The Arts of Money

Posted by Reece Lyerly in Creativity, Uncategorized.


Icon_creativeAt our recent Momentum lunch series, a dynamic group of business leaders, interested community members and artists discussed the importance of arts in Greenville.  The good news is that the groups believes that Greenville is VERY supportive of its artists – but there is still more to be done.  During our hour-long discussion, we considered the importance of cultivating a creative community, the role of art in economic development and how we can better support a thriving arts community.  Here is a short recap.

First of all, what is art?  Succinctly, art is “stuff people create.”  But more importantly, why is it important for us to be a creative community that supports the arts?  According the group attending, art defines a sense of place and community.  It is a “shared experience” that brings people together whether in a coffee shop, art galley, monster truck rally or concert hall.  The great thing about art is that it is inherently communal, but also personal because it allow individual expression and interpretation.  Based on the discussion, creative communities, such as Greenville, are forward-thinking and welcoming because they cultivate community through the arts, no matter the medium.

In Greenville, it is very clear the role of arts in economic development.  The Peace Center, Flour Field, and Poinsett and Hyatt Regency hotels are hallmarks of downtown’s revitalization and each intimately connected to the arts.  On the other hand, arts provide an intangible benefit because they provide a means of communication through the shared experience and emotional connection.  Whether it’s through community gardens, First Fridays, street performers or flash mobs, creative communities are more vibrant and successful not just because of the economic development impact but because of the stronger social connections among residents.

Greenville is often recognized as one of the top small arts towns in the country with many popular festivals such as Artisphere, Euphoria and Fall for Greenville.  One attendee described Greenville’s image as “creatively corporate,” reflecting the balance between industry and arts in town.  But what can we do to further arts in Greenville?  Suggestions include:

- A community theater
- Better marketing for the Far West Wend
- Better arts education in public schools
- An avant garde art scene
- Help artists find multiple jobs

If you have an idea, let us know at whatifgreenville.com  No matter your art form, we are excited you call Greenville home.  We hope you will continue the conversation on cultivating a creative and artistic community in Greenville.  And don’t forget to join us at our monthly Momentum lunch discussion series.


Momentumwhite

11 Jan

Momentum Series – Diversity of Faith Recap

Posted by Brock in Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , .

ImageThe faith community in Greenville is a very important thread in the fabric of the Greenville community.  Everyone has an opinion on faith in the community and many have respect for the diversity of faith in Greenville.  But, there are challenges that we still face in creating a community that is surrounded with mutual respect.  

The first Momentum Series of 2013 focused on the diversity of faith in our community.  

“In 2007, Greenville Forward and other partners presented a report, Race Matters, that explored inclusion, tolerance, and diversity in Greenville County.  While the results were not surprising to some, one of the key conclusions was that the biggest tensions in Greenville County deal with religious diversity and acceptance.  

As we grow as a community, so do the variety of faiths, religious practices and cultural backgrounds.  How do we work to respect all backgrounds at the table?  How can we hold steadfast in our own personal belief systems, and respect the rights of others to hold to theirs?”

The attendance at the event was very full, with over 35 attendees.  Many expressed an interest in hearing the conversation.  Some were there as interested citizens.  Some were there to represent their organizations.  And, some were there to truly discuss how to move forward.  One attendee even mentioned that this session was “an answer to our prayers.” 

Russell started out the conversation very broadly by asking what “inclusion” means to the audience. 

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  • Everyone.  
  • Equal opportunity. 
  • Welcoming.  
  • Happy to meet you no matter who you are.  
  • Accepting.
  • It’s a puzzle.  How do you include everyone, even the ones who don’t want to be here? 

One participant mentioned that there are still people missing from the table, i.e. Hindu, Bahai, etc.  It struck her that those faiths are not at the table.  Why weren’t they at the table?  Was it a choice or a scheduling thing?  

Is Greenville inclusive? Some said no.  Because there are still people that are not working together.  at is the reason they are not here?  Do they feel welcome?  Do they even want to be here?

Russell talked about a study that Greenville Forward did in 2009 in partnership with Beyond Differences.  The number 1 tension that came from the study was religious acceptance.  To view the study, click here.

Participants asked if that was an outcome of the way the world is right now.  Is Greenville alone in this topic or is it a trend worldwide?  

“Why do you believe that this religious tension is as great as it is?”

  • Cultural misunderstanding.
  • Pride.  It is human nature to want to be right.  

“Can we have inclusion of the mind and not of the heart?  In my heart is where my conviction is.  In my mind is why I have my conviction.”

How have we changed as a faith community since the ’70′s or ’80′s?

  • More citizens are willing to sit at a table of respect.  To break bread.  To not discuss differences, but to discuss similarities.  

What can we do to build better understanding between faith communities?

  • Love.
  • Build stronger respect.  
  • Talk to one another.  
  • Recognize differences and move on. 
  • Figure out those projects that encourage us to work together, side by side.  
  • Breaking bread with one another. 

The conversation won’t stop here.  We encourage others to have these candid conversations and challenge themselves to keep it moving forward.  These are important topics and the more we discuss them, the closer we can get to creating a community that is healthy all the way around. 

 

 

13 Dec

December Momentum – When A Plan Comes Together

Posted by Brock in Momentum, Uncategorized.

Staring out introducing everyone around the table.  There are lots of different backgrounds here.  Everyone is interested in hearing about where we stand with the County’s comprehensive plan.

What is the intention of comprehensive planning?  To set goals.  To address issues for the future.  An input of information as well as an output of information.  It serves as a guideline for addressing future issues.   It’s an opportunity for citizen participation.

The most important part of planning is citizen participation.  The planners don’t simply plan in a silo.  It takes the input from everyone.

There was success in bring people out, especially those on the extreme ends.  But, there were challenges in bringing those that were in the middle of the road.  The average, ordinary folks that are happy with everything.  It was surprising to see how much common ground those in the community have.  It was very interesting to get down to the tactical stage.

County growth was a very big item.  Positive and negative.  The future land use map was a very big item as well. Centers, Corridors and Communities.  Compact growth model.  The centers and corridors would be the place where we can accomplish the compact growth.

Nancy Fitzer with Upstate Forever talked about the Upstate Forever growth presentation they worked on with The Strom Thurmond Institute at Clemson.  This was done right before the County started comprehensive planning.  That was one of the reasons why growth was such an important piece.  You can see that presentation at http://www.upstateforever.org

What kind of balance did the County have with the community vs. the planners?  There was a steering committee which consisted of community members and planners.  That group served almost as a filter.  And, they helped work with some of the extreme groups that didn’t want change, increased land use, etc.

 

4 Oct

Live Blog During Momentum Series

Posted by Brock in Uncategorized.

12:08 pm.

The Momentum Series just began.  The topic for today is on our Health and Wellness.  Russell is opening up the session asking everyone to introduce themselves.  It’s a fairly diverse audience with representatives from the hospital arena, to the South Carolina Institute of Medicine, to LiveWell, to GOFO and so on.  This should be a very interesting conversation.

The focus of this session is on the recent Health Assessment that Greenville Forward released last week.  You can do some research at www.greenvilleindicators.com.

This is an informed group, “who are already at the party.”  - Russell Stall.

Russell asked what the group thinks are the biggest issues facing our community in terms of health and wellness…

  • Obesity
  • Smoking
  • Insurance
  • Cost
  • Oral Health
  • Mental Health
  • Addictions
  • Elderly/Lack of Caregivers
  • Access and Transportation

Russell is asking the group to look at a couple of these on the list and try to come up with some solutions.  Usually, this is something that happens at the end of the Momentum session, but this time, we will spend the majority of our time on solutions.

Obesity is a huge, growing problem in our community, but it’s something we can attack and control.

Smoking is going down, due to stigmas and the smoking ban.  That’s a celebration.

Insurance & Access this is something that is improving in our community.  The opportunity to access has improved, but has been counter-acted by rising costs.  15 years ago, 10% of Greenville County was uninsured.  Today it’s 17%.  1 our of 5 19-65 year olds are uninsured.  Of those that are uninsured, 75% have been uninsured for a year or more.  There is a large portion of this group are making a choice not to be insured.  Many young people between 18-30 are choosing to be uninsured.  ”They think their bulletproof.”  75% of those who don’t have insurance have the opportunity to get insurance through their company or spouses, but choose not to.

220,000 Greenvillians are “medically underserved.”

Oral Health did not come up as high on the survey as others, but it is still a huge concern.

Mental and Behavioral Health continues to be a very large issue in our community.  Services are not as accessible.  During the recession, when State budgets rolled back, almost every State cut mental health services.  South Carolina was first on that list.

Access & Transportation is improving.  Access to transportation is getting better, but our overall transportation system is still “a bit broken.”

Russell talked a bit about the methodology.  It was a 17 minute long telephone survey (800 surveys.)  The results were then weighted back to the general population profile.  Over the last 15 years, we have gathered over 100,000 minutes of interview time.  There were focus groups associated, as well as many one-on-ones.  This is probably the “most comprehensive health study in the state.”

Russell asked if anything was alarming to anyone…(NOTE:  quotes are condensed due to real time writing.)

“As a provider, it makes me feel a bit better that we’re not the only ones struggling with these issues.”

“Rutherford County, NC is doing a good job tackling obesity.  They are not seeing the increase that others are, and that’s partly because of the programs they have in place.”

“If you look at the smoking issue, it has taking a LONG time to address the issues.  Many different areas were addressed.  So, when looking at obesity, we must realize it’s not an immediate fix, but we have to address it from multiple sides.”

“How much real education on health eating do we have in Greenville?  I feel like the majority of the uneducated people in Greenville don’t make the connection between nutrition and obesity.”

“There’s an opportunity for medicaide in a state to code obesity.  Physicians are saying that they really need to be able to code obesity and overweight individuals.”

“10 years ago, 54% of personal bankruptcies were the result of a health issue.”

“I take my 5-year old to the grocery store, and they put all the candy and stuff right at her eye level.  It’s a hard battle to fight.”

“We have gotten so fat and lazy and having fast food available.  We have to go back to understanding that food is our nutrition.”

“Culturally, if you haven’t had your biscuits and gravy, you haven’t had breakfast.”

“One possibly solution is to get the medical community involved in this process. “

Russell asks, “who’s responsibility is it to take care of the obesity problem…?”

All said, “the individual.”

LiveWell, South Carolina Institute of Medicine, Greenville Forward and DHEC are presenting 4 sessions where they will screen the recent HBO documentary, “The Weight of the Nation.”  The dates and times are below.  To sign up for a session, go to: http://weightofthenationgville.eventbrite.com

Date: January 10, 2013

Time: 11:30 to 1:00pm

Location: Greenville Library System at Hughes (Main Library)

“Choices” Video: Poses a question that almost anyone who’s struggled with excess weight has asked, if only in jest: For all the remarkable high-tech tools available to medicine, for all the billions of dollars in drug research, there’s still no highly effective medication to prevent or reverse obesity – why?

 

 

Date: January 24, 2013

Time: 11:30 to 1:00pm

Location: Greenville Library System at Hughes (Main Library)

“Children in Crisis” Video: Childhood obesity is much more than a cosmetic concern. The health consequences of childhood obesity include greater risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and other serious illnesses.

 

 

Date: February 7, 2013

Time: 11:30 to 1:00pm

Location: Greenville Library System at Hughes (Main Library)

“Consequences” Video: Examines the scope of the obesity epidemic and explores the serious health consequences of being overweight or obese.

 

Date: February 21, 2013

Time: 11:30 to 1:00pm

Location: Greenville Library System at Hughes (Main Library)

“Challenges” Video: Obesity is a very serious medical condition, no longer viewed as strictly an issue of cosmetics. It’s a contributing factor in the death and disability of too many of our neighbors, friends and family members, and its societal costs are astronomical.

27 Sep

Live Blogging During Health Assessement…

Posted by Brock in Health and Wellness, Uncategorized.

It’s September 27th, 2012, at 10:20 am.

Russell just started his presentation of the brand new Greenville County Health Assessment.  This is the 4th round since 1998, and now gives us over 5,000 interviews to pull current and historical data from about the health and wellness of our community.  Over 100,000 minutes of interview time.

10:25 am.

Greenvillians love Greenville.  87% say Greenville is an “excellent” or “very good” place to live.  It’s a great place to raise children.  Healthcare is convenient to your home.  We have clean air and water.  And, we have great recreational facilities.

In 20 years, Greenville’s population has almost doubled.  The growth of Mauldin and Simpsonville has been tremendous.  It’s due to more people coming in to Greenville.

The hispanic population is exploding in Greenville County.  In 1990 only one census tract had more than 2% of its’ population with hispanic origin.  Many tracts now have over 15%.  The total growth of the Hispanic population will be 1659% by 2016.

10:30 am.  The income gap is widening in Greenville.  We are little higher than SC in median household income at $46,115 in Greenville County vs. $43,937 for SC.

1 in 8 families in Greenville live  in poverty.  13%.  16% of families that live with children under age 18 are below poverty.  This an an increase of 68% from 6,139 in 2000.

10:35 am.  The number of hospitalizations for Heart Disease is up.  Costs have increased by 500%.  This prove that the costs are escalating.

Families are dealing with rising costs to budget and the costs of premiums is up.

The number of uninsured is growing dramatically.  And, the challenges they face are ovewhelming.  17% of Greenville’s population is currently uinsured.  15 years ago it was 10%.  Today it’s 17%.

74% are habitually uninsured.  This means they have not had insurance for a year or more.

The uninsured are less healthy than the insured.  40% of those without insurance say they are in “very good” or “excellent” health, compared to 64% of those who say they are fully covered.

10:37am.  Almost a 3rd of Greenvillians have postponed care in the last year.  42% of those postponing care say their condition got worse.  Half say they never got the care they needed.

10:39am.

While only 8% often have difficulty arranging transportation to medical services, and only 7% delayed getting medical treatment because of difficulty in arranging transporation, lower income Greenvillians are challenged to find medical transportation.  

Today, 221,000 Greenvillians are medically underserved.  Staggering.

10:40 am.  44% of Greenvillians say they are in “excellent” or “very good” health.  20% say they are in “fair” or “Poor” health.  This is a decrease of 32% since 1998.  From 68% saying they are in “very good” or “excellent” health in 1998 to only 44%.

Cholestorol rates are increasing.

Obesity is a huge problem. 2/3rd of Greenvillians are overweight or obese. 70% of males said they were overweight or obese.

Overweight individuals accrue costs approximately 30% higher than their peers.  Obesity – attributable medical expenditures were estimated at $1.06 billion in 2003.  More than half were paid by taxpayer dollars through Medicaid and Medicare.

If SC were to halt the increase in the prevalence of obesity at today’s levels, we could save $858 per adult in 2018, a total of $3 billion.

10:50 am.

Do you need more information?  Call us at 864-244-8443 or email Russell Stall at rstall@greenvilleforward.com.  You can also go to The Greenville Indicators Website at http://www.greenvilleindicators.com.  You can go to this site to collect any data that you want or need in terms of issues that face Greenville.

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