In addition to investing in our two priority areas, the Mary Black Foundation promotes health and wellness in Spartanburg County, SC through the Community Health Fund (CHF). The CHF is an annual grantmaking opportunity for projects outside of the Foundation’s Early Childhood Development and Healthy Eating | Active Living priority areas and, generally, represents 10-20% of the Foundation’s total grantmaking.
2022
| Organization | Amount Paid as of December 31, 2022 / Description |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate | $15,000 to build the organization’s capacity to address IT and cyber security concerns. |
| Children’s Advocacy Center of Spartanburg | $46,980 for the last year of a two-year general operating support grant to provide services for children and families who have been affected by sexual or physical abuse. |
| CommunityWorks | $30,000 to support residents in need of affordable housing through financial education, coaching, and down payment assistance. |
| Evans Training Center | $5,000 to support training and development for board and staff.
$15,000 to provide a comprehensive array of program services, including residential housing, to men battling addiction. |
| GoForth Recovery | $15,000 to provide clients access to therapists with specific addiction, trauma, behavioral, and family counseling skills. |
| Healthy Smiles of Spartanburg | $30,000 to provide dental screenings, prevention, and restorative care to children in need without access. |
| Homes of Hope | $126,000 in grant funds to assist in the development of affordable rental housing units in the City of Spartanburg’s Southside. The Foundation also provided a loan to Homes of Home as part of the development project. |
| JUMPSTART | $15,000 to provide services that address the educational, employment, healthcare, housing, and family relationship needs of previously incarcerated residents. |
| Louvenia D. Barksdale Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation | $2,500 in general operating support to improve the health and quality of life for those impacted by sickle cell anemia. |
| Servants for Sight | $20,000 to provide essential eye care, including glasses and surgery when needed, for residents who face barriers in accessing care, including transportation. |
| Spartanburg Area Mental Health | $43,650 to continue its work in addressing the mental health needs of underserved communities in Spartanburg. |
| Upstate Carolina Adaptive Golf | $5,000 to offer adaptive golf opportunities for Spartanburg County youth with disabilities. |
Dr. George Newby, Jr. Health Equity Leadership Award
In addition to the grant awards above, the Foundation announced three grants made in honor of Ms. Nora Curiel, the 2022 Dr. George
Newby, Jr. Health Equity Leadership Award recipient.
- HALTER: $4,000
- PASOs Spartanburg: $11,000
- Upstate Family Resource Center: $10,000
2021
| Organization | Amount Paid as of December, 31 2021/Description |
| Angels’s Charge Ministry |
$30,000 in general operating support to provide case management to women during and after incarceration, in an effort to deter recidivism and facilitate a successful reentry into our community. |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate | $10,000 to support Counteracting Youth Mentoring Challenges Caused by COVID-19.
$25,000 to provide one-on-one mentoring opportunities to Spartanburg’s children and adolescents. |
| Bloom Upstate |
$33,280 in general operating support to provide mentoring to girls in Spartanburg County. |
| Children’s Advocacy Center of Spartanburg |
$2,000 to build fundraising capacity through participation in Network for Good’s Jumpstart program. $36,450 for the first year of a two-year general operating support grant to provide services for children and families who have been affected by sexual or physical abuse. |
| CommunityWorks |
$40,000 to increase homeownership in Spartanburg County through a homebuyer assistance program. |
| EMERGE Family Therapy Center and Teaching Clinic |
$40,000 to support a full-time therapist dedicated to community needs that are related to the ongoing effects of the pandemic. $60,000 to build a pipeline of diverse mental health professionals, especially those who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. |
| Girls Scouts of South Carolina-Mountains to Midlands |
$10,000 to establish five new troops in under-resourced areas in Spartanburg County. |
| GoForth Recovery |
$25,000 to support a peer support specialist who provides screenings, referrals, and programs to help men who are facing addiction. |
| Healthy Smiles of Spartanburg |
$50,000 to provide children living in low-income households access to dental care, including school-based screenings, an onsite dental clinic, and a mobile dental clinic. |
| International Association of Lions Clubs – Landrum Club |
$5,000 to purchase a vision screening camera that will be used in partnership with elementary schools in Spartanburg County. |
| Louvenia D. Barksdale Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation |
$2,500 in general operating support to improve health and quality of life for those impacted by sickle cell anemia. |
| ReGenesis |
$135,000 to support a Crisis Intervention Coordinator and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner who will partner with Spartanburg School District 6 to provide children and adolescents experiencing a mental health crisis with immediate assessment and care, preventing unnecessary visits to the emergency room, and improving continuity of care. |
| SAFE Homes-Rape Crisis Coalition |
$50,000 to fund a full-time therapist to work with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. |
| Servants for Sight |
$26,000 to expand access to eye care for uninsured residents in Spartanburg County. |
| Spartanburg Area Mental Health Center |
$75,000 to address the stigma within communities of color about accessing mental health resources. |
| Spartanburg County Foundation |
$7,500 to support the efforts by the Benjamin E. Mays Consolidated School Alumni to repurpose the school into a family resource center. |
| Spartanburg Regional Foundation |
$39,000 to fund two Forensic Nurse Examiners who will assist sexual assault and domestic violence victims who arrive at the hospital. |
| St. Luke’s Free Medical Clinic |
$40,000 in general operating support to provide healthcare services to uninsured residents in Spartanburg County. |
| The Spartanburg Science Center |
$2,500 to support Seeing Through Their Eyes, a program for youth to learn about and document nature. |
| United Way of the Piedmont |
$37,000 to support a Community Resources Coordinator who helps vulnerable families in Spartanburg County create a pathway to financial stability. |
| Uplift Outreach Center |
$5,000 to build capacity around board governance through planning and training. |
| Upstate Carolina Adaptive Golf |
$5,000 to offer adaptive golf opportunities for Spartanburg County youth with disabilities. |
Sponsorships
| Organization | Sponsorship |
| City of Spartanburg/2021 |
Unity Week Celebration and Walk As One: $1,000 (CHF) |
| The Cleveland Opportunity Foundation/Northside |
5K Race and Fun Run: $500 (HEAL) |
| Spartanburg County Foundation |
Feed 5,000 Youth Share & Care Day: $500 (HEAL) |
2020
| Organization | Amount Paid as of December 31, 2020/Description |
| Adult Learning Center | $9,000 to assist with staffing and training needed to offer comprehensive adult education services while adhering to COVID-19 safety protocol. |
| Angel’s Charge Ministry | $15,000 in general operating support to serve women during and after incarceration by providing assistance with housing, case management, and advocacy to reduce recidivism and to facilitate a healthy productive reentry into our community. |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate | $10,000 for the first year of an eighteen-month grant to assist with operational costs related to providing one-on-one mentoring opportunities to Spartanburg children and adolescents. |
| Children’s Cancer Partners | $5,000 for assistance with transportation to diagnostic and treatment services to ensure children have access to needed cancer care. |
| The Children’s Museum of the Upstate | $15,000 to assist with operational costs at the downtown Spartanburg location, specifically related to providing high quality learning opportunities for young children, while adhering to new health and safety protocols. |
| CommunityWorks | $50,000 to assist with the Bring Back the Burg fund which will help small businesses recover from and survive the economic impacts of coronavirus. |
| EMERGE Family Therapy and Teaching Clinic | $20,000 for the first year of an eighteen-month grant to partially fund a full-time therapist who will be dedicated to community needs that arise out of the current COVID-19 pandemic. |
| GoForth Recovery | $12,500 for the first year of an eighteen-month grant to support a peer support specialist who provides screenings, referrals, and programs to help men who are facing addiction |
| Habitat for Humanity | $15,000 to assist with general operating expenses related to their work in providing housing and home repairs for low-income families. |
| Healthy Smiles of Spartanburg | $25,000 for the first year of an eighteen-month grant to provide children living in low-income households access to dental care, including school-based screenings, an onsite dental clinic, and a mobile dental clinic. |
| Institute for Child Success | $5,000 for its research, public awareness, and advocacy efforts around the impact of COVID-19 on children and families. |
| Mount Moriah Baptist Church | $75,000 to support the community with needs specific to COVID-19, including mental health and wellbeing services, providing on-site and virtual academic tutorial services for students kindergarten through 12th grade, and expanding food distribution to address food insecurity and food inaccessibility. |
| Piedmont Care | $2,500 to support a project to pilot At-Home HIV Testing |
| ReGenesis Health Care Center | $25,000 for the first year of an eighteen-month grant to support a crisis intervention coordinator who will partner with Spartanburg School District 6 to provide children and adolescents experiencing a mental health crisis with immediate assessment and care, preventing unnecessary visits to the emergency room, and improving continuity of care. |
| Ruth’s Gleanings | $15,000 to assist with operational costs related to the distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables through Spartanburg County emergency food providers and food banks addressing increased need due to COVID-19. |
| SAFE Homes Rape Crisis Coalition | $25,000 for the first year of an eighteen-month grant to fund a full-time therapist who will work with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, an increased need due to family instability caused by economic uncertainty and stay-at-home recommendations. |
| The Salvation Army | $15,000 to assist with increased demand for safety net services including case management, rent and utility assistance, food, and clothing. |
| Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic | $15,000 to support the low-cost health clinic that provides chiropractic care to uninsured and underinsured individuals in Spartanburg. |
| The South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind Foundation | $15,000 to support K-12 education for deaf and blind children in Spartanburg. |
| Spartanburg Alliance for the Mentally Ill | $2,500 to support the #stigmafree Spartanburg mental health campaign. |
| Spartanburg Area Mental Health Center | $139,385 for the first year of an eighteen-month grant to address the stigma within communities of color about accessing mental health resources. |
| Spartanburg Community College | $15,000 to partner with a national consultant to conduct a student mental health assessment and develop a strategy to address gaps and barriers in the school’s mental health services. |
| Spartanburg County School District Seven | $500 donation to support the CEO program at Carver Middle School. |
| United Way of the Piedmont | $25,000 to support the Opportunity Housing Collaborative, which will guide the development of funding, policies, and programs to ensure sustainable neighborhoods and increase affordable housing options.
$5,000 to support individuals and families most effected by the tornado on February 6, 2020. $25,000 to support the COVID-19 Local Relief Fund, which provides rent, mortgage, and utilities assistance to families in need. $18,500 for the first year of an eighteen-month grant to support a community resources coordinator who helps vulnerable families in Spartanburg County create a pathway to financial stability, an increased need due to the economic crisis caused by COVID-19. |
| Upstate Family Resource Center | $3,500 for a contract with Swift Business Solutions to produce a marketing video.
$15,000 in general operating support to address increased need for safety net services for families who are facing financial instability due to COVID-19. $6,000 to support PASOs and efforts to connect Spanish-speaking families in Spartanburg County with available resources and support to minimize the impact of COVID-19. |
| Upstate Warrior Solution | $5,000 to provide critical case coordination for veterans related to the COVID-19 crisis. |
| Upstate Workforce Futures Corporation | $9,200 to support the ACHIEVE program, which offers employment and educational opportunities for young people ages 16-24 through GED preparation and employability training. |
2019
| Organization | Amount Paid as of December 31, 2019/Description |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate | $2,000 to support participation in the National Big Brothers Big Sisters conference. |
| Boys and Girls Club of the Upstate | $40,000 for after school and summer programs at 7 elementary schools in Spartanburg County, specifically to support health and wellness programs. |
| Christmas in Action | $18,000 to construct accessibility ramps for seniors, those with disabilities, or those who are otherwise disadvantaged. |
| City of Spartanburg | $20,000 to purchase a drug incinerator system that will be utilized by the Spartanburg Police Department as well as other police agencies and community partners. |
| GoForth Recovery | $25,000 to hire a peer support specialist who will provide screenings, referrals, and programs open to clients as well as the broader community. |
| Mobile Meals Service of Spartanburg County | $40,000 to purchase a combination oven/steamer to replace a 16+ year old commercial oven and 2 steamers. |
| SAFE Homes Rape Crisis Coalition | $20,000 to for a victim advocate who will provide crisis counseling, personal advocacy, and supportive services at the emergency shelter location. |
| South Carolina Waterfowl Association | $10,000 to provide students and chaperones in Spartanburg County the opportunity to attend Camp Leopold. |
| St. Luke’s Free Medical Clinic | $40,000 to continue serving the uninsured population at a level consistent with the need in Spartanburg County. |
| The Charles Lea Center Foundation | $10,500 to place basic health monitoring and assessment equipment in each of the Charles Lea Center’s sixty group homes. |
| United Way Association of SC | $5,000 to support the SC Census Initiative as outlined in the SC Counts: 2020 Census Collaborative |
| United Way of the Piedmont | $29,000 for a Community Resource Coordinator to help vulnerable Spartanburg County families create a pathway to financial stability.
$2,000 to support the production and distribution of resource cards that refer families to assistance in the areas of housing, legal aid, health care, and mental health care support. |
2018
| Organization | Amount Paid / Description |
| Adult Learning Center | $30,000 for core services: basic literacy, English for Speakers of Other Languages, Pre-GED and GED classes, pre-employment training, and scholarships for residents of Spartanburg County. |
| Angels Charge Ministry | $7,500 to increase organizational capacity by hiring a Case Manager. |
| Bethlehem Center | $10,000 to support the Innovation Lab and financial literacy programs. |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate | $10,000 to support a coordinator to manage volunteer for the Bigs in Blue and First Responders Mentoring Program. |
| Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas | $15,000 to connect families of children with cancer with essential services, such as travel, lodging, nutrition, medication, and emotional support. |
| Healthy Smiles of Spartanburg | $30,000 to provide access to free and restorative dental care to low-income children. |
| Rockefellar Philanthropy Advisors | $7,500 to match a $7,500 grant from The Spartanburg County Foundation to allow Upstate Family Resource Center to participate in The Fund for Shared Insight’s Listen for Good Initiative. |
| Spartanburg Alliance for the Mentally Ill | $10,000 to increase organizational capacity through volunteer recruitment and services in Spartanburg. |
| Spartanburg County School District Three | $40,000 to assist with startup costs and training associated with joining the national AVID program. |
| Spartanburg Lions Foundation | $7,150 to purchase a camera and printer to provide free vision screening to school-age children in Spartanburg County. |
| Spartanburg Regional Foundation (for the Spartanburg Council on Aging Partnership) | $30,000 to hire a director to lead the collaborative and create a long-range sustainable plan for coordination of senior services in Spartanburg County. |
| University of South Carolina Upstate Child Protection Training Center | $35,000 to fund the salary of a full-time Training Coordinator at the Center. |
| Upstate Warrior Solution | $25,000 to support two positions, a part-time fellow to identify and engage veterans and a full-time case and outreach coordinator to educate and engage law enforcement, and others who encounter veterans who are at-risk or already justice-involved. |
| YMCA of Grater Spartanburg | $10,000 to support the construction of the Youth Development Pavilion in memory of Rob Chapman. |
2017
| Organization | Amount Paid / Description |
| Boys and Girls Clubs | $40,000 for general operating support to sustain the Chesnee Elementary After School Club. |
| Habitat for Humanity | $7,500 to replace street lighting in the Una Habitat Neighborhood. |
| Northside Development Corporation | $25,000 to support a 14-week pilot program, The Northside START ME: Business Accelerator, which supports small businesses and entrepreneurs. |
| Project HOPE Foundation | $40,000 to help renovate a 12,000+ square foot facility in downtown Spartanburg into a therapeutic clinic for children with autism. |
| St. Luke’s Free Medical Clinic | $40,000 for general operating support to provide healthcare to the uninsured. |
| United Way of the Piedmont | $15,000 to provide training for the Compassionate Schools project. |