Contributors: JaLisa Jordan, Live Healthy Spartanburg Program Manager & Erica Rhodes, Communications and Logistics / Project Coordinator for SRHS Community Health Department and Live Healthy Spartanburg

Updates from Live Healthy Spartanburg

Live Healthy Spartanburg is a community health collaborative coalition formed in 2021 following the merger of Road to Better Health and Spartanburg’s Way to Wellville. Live Healthy Spartanburg’s mission is to achieve health equity and improve health outcomes for all Spartanburg County residents. 

The Georgia Health Policy Center, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation initiative, approached Live Healthy Spartanburg about an opportunity to take part in Aligning for Equity, one of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s initiatives. Aligning for Equity is coordinated by the Georgia Health Policy Center, housed at Georgia State University in Atlanta, and the Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies, a community-based public health non-profit organization based in New Orleans, LA.

Live Healthy Spartanburg was awarded the opportunity to take part in this initiative and a $200,000 grant this summer. Funds will be used to support the operations of Live Healthy Spartanburg and pay resident leaders for their time providing input for the development of a 10-year strategic plan for racial healing. Resident Advisory Partners will be at the center of this work. 

What are Resident Advisory Partners?

Five residents from the City of Spartanburg and Spartanburg County will be selected and will lead efforts to gain a deeper understanding of and remedy the effects of racism on health outcomes. Their role will be to collaborate with community partners and officials from local governments to develop strategies that promote health equity.  

The ideal resident partner will be someone with strong personal relationships in their neighborhood, a passion for helping others and dedication to bringing about positive change,

said JaLisa Jordan, Program Manager of Live Healthy Spartanburg.  

Resident Advisory Partners will serve two-year terms under the guidance of Live Healthy Spartanburg. Live Healthy Spartanburg is currently reviewing the 40+ applications, holding interviews, and hopes to have the positions filled by the beginning of next year. 

This project will result in long-term benefits for the entire Spartanburg community. Want to stay in the know? Be sure to follow Live Healthy Spartanburg on Facebook and check their website for updated information and community meeting information.