Greenville Health Authority awards more than $20M in grants

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The Greenville Health Authority Board of Trustees awarded 15 new grants through its Healthy Greenville program with a unanimous vote on Wednesday, bringing the total of its community health-focused grants to more than $20 million since the program launched four years ago, according to a news release.

Just-awarded grants benefit a range of projects, including homes for those with severe disabilities who are also experiencing chronic homelessness, a program to expand virtual services to those with Parkinson’s disease and repurposing a school bus into a mobile café to reach children and senior citizens at risk for hunger.

“The Greenville Health Authority Board of Trustees is very excited to award a $500,000 grant over the next three years to United Housing Connections toward the building of its innovative Church Street Place,” Mike Ellison, the housing authority’s grant committee chairman, said in the news release. “This award aligns with the Community Health Needs Assessment for Greenville County and with the GHA vision to help make Greenville County the healthiest county in America.”

“Housing and health care go hand in hand,” Lorain Crowl, executive director of United Housing Connections, said in the release. “We are so proud to partner with Prisma Health to create 36 homes for some of the most vulnerable citizens in our Greenville community — those with severe mental or physical disabilities who are experiencing chronic homelessness. On behalf of those who will call Church Street Place at Poe Mill home, thank you!” 

Construction is scheduled to begin by the summer of 2021, with the project expected to be ready for occupancy by winter 2022. “The development will provide housing stability for individuals with chronic complex needs," the release said.

“With the United Housing Connections award and the other 14 Healthy Greenville and Healthy Greenville Too awards made this year, Greenville Health Authority has now pledged more than $20 million in grants through 2020,” Ellison said in the release. “Of that $20 million, almost $16 million has already been distributed to organizations making a difference in the health and well-being of the communities where we live and serve.”

This year’s recipients include a one-year $25,662 grant and 13 one-year micro-grants of less than $8,000.

The other macro-grant awarded this year is to the Greenville Area Parkinson Society, which received a $25,662 one-year grant to support technology initiatives to expand its virtual services. The support, which includes iPads for members and an online platform, will allow homebound members and those with transportation obstacles to gain social, educational and physical support, the release said.

In addition, 13 programs will receive micro-grants of $7,692 for one-year support:

• Center for Educational Equity
• Upstate Circle of Friends Neighborhood Mobile Café
• The Greenville Tech Foundation
• International Ballet

• Jasmine Road Inc.
• LEAD Collective Inc.

• Meals on Wheels Greenville
• North Greenville Crisis Ministry
• Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Carolinas
• Safe Harbor Inc.
• Sustaining Way
• SWITCH’s Restoration Program
• YouthBASE

As part of a lease agreement with Prisma Health–Upstate, Greenville Health Authority oversees the Healthy Greenville grants program. Prisma Health-Upstate provides Greenville Health Authority an annual commitment of $4 million for the Healthy Greenville program to support health-related care, health research and health education initiatives benefiting the residents of Greenville County.