Category: Press Release

Greenville Women Giving, a philanthropic women’s collective giving organization, dedicated to identifying and funding local organizations in the areas of arts, education, environment, health and human services, has awarded the Greenville Homeless Alliance (GHA) with a grant totaling $97,125.72.

Funding will support an unprecedented, collaborative effort with partners from Greenville County Schools Fine Arts Center architecture program, Bonds Career Center building construction program, Soteria Community Development Corporation, Architecture 224, LLC, Craig Gaulden Davis Architecture, and Clancy Theys Construction. With the Greenville Homeless Alliance as the convener, this grant will kick start a pilot introducing an innovative, one-of-a-kind initiative to build two tiny homes designed by high school students and built by interns from Soteria, a non-profit organization addressing the needs of formerly incarcerated people. The challenge to access safe, affordable housing is even more stark for people with criminal convictions. Research shows that they are nearly ten times more likely to experience homelessness than the general population which can lead to chronic homelessness.

“We are humbled to have this generous investment from Greenville Women Giving to support the Greenville Homeless Alliance’s goal to lead a tiny/micro home pilot,” said Susan McLarty, Director of the Greenville Homeless Alliance. “As noted in GHA’s 2023 Unsheltered Homelessness Brief, chronic homelessness costs the taxpayer an average of $35,578. This pilot can help address our affordable housing crisis and build capacity for future expansion on land Soteria owns, ensuring stability, a supportive community, and a continued 0% recidivism of Soteria 12-month graduates.”

With a pipeline of students and graduates from Soteria Community Development Corporation, this pilot offers the opportunity for ongoing collaboration that benefits students, Soteria interns, and community members who yearn for a permanent place to call home.

“As architects, we have an innate ability to help facilitate a solution to the problem,” said Fine Arts Center, Architecture Studio Instructor + Department Chair, Dr. Catherine Smith-Gates. “I don’t have words to describe how exciting it is for students to use their gifts for good and to see their work solve a real-world problem.”

In the pilot phase, students in the Fine Arts Center architecture program have created architectural plans for two tiny homes with pro bono review from local architects. Participants in Soteria’s prison reentry program will construct the two homes and place them on land owned by Soteria. Homes will then be rented to Soteria 12-month program graduates for approximately $300 per month.

“We reclaim wood and reclaim lives,” said Jerry Blassingame, Founder and Executive Director of Soteria Community Development Corporation. “This provides much needed permanent rental homes for our 12-month graduates to continue working in jobs in Greenville County.”

The full vision is to create a supportive community of affordable homes for people graduating from Soteria’s 12-month reentry program and for people emerging from homelessness. This broader vision will include still more local people and organizations, like students in Greenville County career centers working on construction.

Research conducted by the Greenville Homeless Alliance has cited exits from homelessness in the form of safe, affordable housing as the top priority since the 2019 Report on Homelessness in Greenville County. Convening a tiny home pilot to explore this innovative housing option utilizing local talent was identified as a top goal for 2024 by GHA’s Steering Committee. This investment from Greenville Women Giving will help address the affordable housing crisis and create a supportive mixed-income community.

###

About Greenville Women Giving
Greenville Women Giving is a philanthropic women’s collective giving organization created as a special initiative of the Community Foundation in 2006. Since its founding, GWG has awarded 152 grants totaling over $8.5 million and has grown to over 500 members. For more information, visit: https://www.greenvillewomengiving.org/

About the Greenville Homeless Alliance
The Greenville Homeless Alliance is a partnership of public, private, and nonprofit organizations committed to finding solutions to homelessness in Greenville County. Growing out of the “Tent City” crisis, GHA was formalized in 2018 as a collective impact organization. For more information, visit: https://www.gvlhomes4all.org/.
About Soteria Community Development Corporation (CDC)
Soteria CDC advocates for economic and social justice for those and their families impacted by the criminal justice system. They work to create opportunities for previously incarcerated individuals to reenter society through transitional housing, life skills, and job training. For more information, visit: https://www.soteriacdc.org/.
About The Fine Arts Center Architecture Program
In 2013, the Greenville County School District, Fine Arts Center, private donors, and Clemson University partnered to create the first of its kind high school architectural program. This program would allow and introduce students to the study of architecture and offer them the unique opportunity to achieve up to eight credit hours at Clemson University in the School of Architecture. For more information, visit: https://www.fineartscenter.net/.

Team members from BASF’s sites in Mauldin, White Stone (Spartanburg), Seneca and Central (Clemson) Converse helped celebrate Ruthie Gregory’s fifth birthday at Cleveland Park in Spartanburg, complete with balloons, birthday cake and a trip to Zoo Miami at the end of the month.

“We are deeply honored to help grant Ruthie her wish of going to Zoo Miami,” said Gerald Murphy, Site Manager for BASF in Mauldin and White Stone. “We know she is excited and so are we. All the teams in the Upstate couldn’t wait to be part of this event.”

The trip was funded by a $7,500 charitable contribution made by the BASF sites through Make-A-Wish’s Corporate Wish Sponsorship.

“The sponsorship was created to offer corporate and community supporters a first-hand giving experience to grant a life-changing wish for a child with a critical illness,” said Kea Wade, Corporate and Community Engagement Manager at Make-A-Wish. “We are grateful to have BASF sites as partners in wish-granting for the tremendous wish kids of South Carolina. Their combined generous charitable investment in our mission will provide encouragement and healing for many children facing critical illnesses. Their corporate impact will transform lives.”

The funding of Ruthie’s trip, including her parents, Martina and Dillon and sisters Maryleigh and Mattie, came about when staff from Make-A-Wish reached out to the BASF site in Converse. Jerome Kirkland, the site manager at Converse, realized this was the perfect way for the BASF sites in South Carolina to come together.

“Individually, each of the sites does a lot for the community and gives back in a lot of ways,” Kirkland said. “However, we have been looking for a project that could bring all of us in the Upstate together.”

Ruthie, who has Revesz syndrome, a rare bone marrow disorder, chose Zoo Miami to see the animals and hold a koala and a tiger.

“She’s excited to be going on this trip and really excited to be spending time with her sisters,” Martina Gregory said. “It really means a lot. It was very special to us to get this wish, and go with her, and live life to the fullest with her.”

BASF’s South Carolina sites employ approximately 750 people and invest nearly $85 million in the state through annual payroll, purchases, investments, taxes and charitable contributions.

The BASF sites in South Carolina produce materials that are vital to the sustainability of our economy and quality of life. Employees are committed to producing safe, clean and reliable products that are essential ingredients in many consumer items used in homes around the world every day.

For more information about BASF in South Carolina, visit www.basf.us/sc.

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 16,000 employees in North America and had sales of $20.5 billion in 2023. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com/us.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €68.9 billion in 2023. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.

Greenville, SC – FUEL – a Greenville, S.C.-based brand building agency – announced today that it has received national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Greater Women’s Business Council, a regional certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). WBENC Certification is the gold standard for women-owned business certification in the United States.

“We believe it’s crucial to support and amplify the voices of women entrepreneurs, and our WBENC certification helps us do just that,” says Mary Church Cornette, CEO and head of creative for MCC Enterprises LLC, which does business as FUEL. “This certification opens doors to new opportunities, allowing us to connect with a powerful network of corporations and fellow women-owned businesses. We’re excited to leverage this platform to inspire other women-owned businesses to thrive and contribute to a more vibrant business landscape.”

The WBENC standard of certification implemented by the Greater Women’s Business Council is a meticulous process, including an in-depth review of the business and a site inspection. The certification process is designed to confirm the business is at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by a woman or women and that the business has appropriate structure and strategic business planning and implementation in place.

By including women-owned businesses among their suppliers, corporations and government agencies demonstrate their commitment to fostering diversity and the continued development of their supplier diversity programs, which in turn empowers women as leaders and brings about a more diverse, balanced and sustainable economy.

WBENC Certification combined with professional development and engagement in the WBENC network provides unsurpassed opportunities year-round, both virtually and in-person, for women-owned businesses to grow and expand their business and innovation through events, programming and connections with major corporations and other WBEs.

To learn more about FUEL, please visit fuelforbrands.com.

# # #

GREENVILLE, S.C. – During National Older Americans Month, Rebuild Upstate celebrates the completion of its 1,000th accessibility ramp.

Rebuild Upstate serves low-income homeowners by making repairs and accessibility improvements to create safe, livable housing in existing homes and neighborhoods in Greenville, Anderson, Pickens, and Oconee counties. Rebuild Upstate engages community volunteers to build ramps and perform other repairs.

Rebuild Upstate has helped more than 1,800 older adults in its home repair and modification program. Accessibility modifications include grab bar installation, low-step showers, hand-held shower heads, and bench seats. Rebuild Upstate fills in an important, growing need in helping low-income and cost-burdened older adults age in place.

According to the AARP, 77% of Americans want to age at home. Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) 2021 report, The State of the Nation’s Housing, reported that only 3.5 percent of the US housing stock provides all three critical accessibility features—a no-step entry, single-floor living, and extra-wide doorways and halls—that help households with reduced mobility to live safely and comfortably in their homes. JCHS further reports that In South Carolina, 24.9 (or nearly 1 in 4) of older adults in the Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin metro area are currently experiencing cost burdens.

Rebuild Upstate installs repairs and accessibility modifications at no cost to the homeowner, preserving their income for other critical needs while helping older adults age in the community.

In the past 17 years, Rebuild Upstate has been honored with numerous awards including Max Heller Neighborhood Improvement Award from the Greenville Chamber in 2019; Fred R. Sheheen Award for Excellence in Non-Profit Leadership from TogetherSC in 2018; and a three-time winner of the Best Practices Award from the Coalition for Home Repair, the national association of nonprofit home repair organizations.

If you know of a low-income older adult who needs a ramp, referrals can be made online. You can sponsor repairs for homeowners on the waiting list by making a donation today.

About Rebuild Upstate:
Rebuild Upstate is a nonprofit organization serving the Upstate of South Carolina. The nonprofit strengthens the communities by providing volunteers and materials to create a safe, healthy, sustainable home environment for disabled, low-income and elderly homeowners. The organization exclusively focuses on repairs and improving existing homes. The nonprofit is also the reigning Chamber Max Heller award recipient. Learn more at www.rebuildupstate.org.

DP3 Architects is excited to celebrate 40 years in business this year. What began as a venture by three classmates from Clemson University has grown into one of the most well-respected architecture firms in South Carolina.

In 1984, Mark S. Eggl, Samual D. Justice, and J. Michael Taylor established Design Partnership, crafting their earliest designs in the confines of a basement, quickly gaining a reputation in the community for impeccable service to their clients, as well as designing buildings that were not only beautiful but functional and efficient. DP3 Architects’ passion for creating unique and innovative lasting designs that give places true functionality and purpose has been present from the very beginning. Some of the firm’s early projects included:

• Clemson University Hardin Hall Renovation
• Mauldin Sports Center
• Simpsonville Activity and Senior Center
• Greenville County Camp Spearhead
• Sirrine Stadium Restoration

Design Partnership navigated many changes, including a name change to DP3 Architects in 2003 and the transition to its second generation of leadership. Today the firm is led by Mike Pry, Meg Terry, Brian Thomas, and Ben Urueta. Guided by a shared vision, they continue to embrace the needs of an ever-evolving industry.

While evolution is inevitable, what has remained constant is DP3 Architects’ commitment to providing unique architecture, interior design, and planning services that ensure clients’ spaces not only meet their needs but also ignite a greater quality of life. Throughout the years, DP3 Architects has developed an extensive portfolio spanning across their four verticals: community, higher education, hospitality, and interiors. Notable projects include:

• The City of Greenville Public Works Campus
• Hale’s Jewelers
• Travelers Rest Municipal Campus
• City of Easley Fire Station Headquarters
• Scoundrel
• Cartwright Food Hall
• Anderson University Student Center
• Clemson University Doug Kingsmore Player Development Center
• Rupert Huse Veteran Center
• The Sumerel Office Building at Legacy Square
• Wells Fargo Center Renovation

These projects vary widely in size, scope, and purpose. What they all have in common, however, is the degree of expertise with which each was designed. The DP3 Architects team prides themselves on technical proficiency and their ability to collaborate with clients with the end goal of creating spaces that serve those who occupy them.

At the heart of DP3 Architects’ success lies its greatest asset: its team. From the most seasoned leaders to the newest hires, the talent and collective passion of the team is what drives the firm forward.

“40 years in business is a huge accomplishment. We would not be here without the vision of our 3 founding partners, the nearly 200 team members who have walked through our doors, our amazing clients and consultants, and of course this community which continues to support us on a daily basis. We owe each and every one of them our thanks.” – Brian S. Thomas, AIA | Principal & CEO

The firm’s culture and “Architecture-by-Team” approach creates a client and team member experience that has always revolved around a collaborative and fun setting. It is because of this culture that DP3 Architects has recently been named the “Best Architecture Firm in South Carolina” by the Greenville Business Magazine and one of the “Best Places to Work in South Carolina” by SC Biz News. In 2023 they received the “Firm Award” by AIA South Carolina. Looking ahead, DP3 Architects is committed to building upon its legacy of innovation and service, ushering in the next era of design excellence. As they embark on the next 40 years, they remain deeply grateful for the strong foundation of experience and expertise upon which they stand.

“Reflecting on four decades of practice, our journey has been defined by the dedication and collaboration of our remarkable clients and our team. Our longevity as a firm is a testament to the past and current leadership, the talent of our people, and our ability to continue to evolve in the profession of architecture and design. As we commemorate this milestone, we honor not only our past achievements but also the unwavering commitment to our clients and of every member of our team, whose passion and expertise continue to shape the spaces that inspire and endure.” – Meg Terry, AIA | Principal & CMO

PEOPLE PLACES PURPOSE
www.dp3architects.com

Furman University has launched a five-year strategic plan to strengthen its position as a university of innovation and impact, foster a thriving community, and ensure a sustainable future, President Elizabeth Davis announced today.

The “FUture Focused” strategic plan will guide Furman and its faculty and staff through 2029. Recognized nationally for The Furman Advantage and other transformative academic programs, the liberal arts and sciences university will expand and enhance its focus on providing world-class opportunities to every student, strengthen its dedication to a student-focused academic experience and deepen its community impact.

“Our strategic plan is our commitment to elevating excellence, innovation, and the holistic development of our students and our community,” Davis said.

“From pioneering engaged learning to inventing The Furman Advantage to creating four community-focused institutes, our efforts have placed Furman among the finest liberal arts and sciences universities in America. Our faculty and staff continually demonstrate an ethos of innovation and a commitment to improving society. This dedication is clearly apparent in the success of our students and alumni,” she added.

The “FUture Focused” strategic plan outlines a roadmap for continued excellence, innovation and community impact, prioritizing individualized and innovative learning, a thriving community, and a sustainable future through three pillars:

Priority One: University of Innovation and Impact

Position Furman as a premier liberal arts and sciences university recognized for delivering a high-value, individualized learning experience through the teacher-scholar model, a culture of innovation, and thought leadership.

Priority Two: Thriving Community

Cultivate a vibrant, interconnected community where students, faculty, and staff flourish, engagement thrives, and wellbeing is prioritized.

Priority Three: Sustainable Future

Foster a dynamic and sustainable future as we enter our third century (which begins in 2026).

The Furman Board of Trustees unanimously approved the “FUture Focused” strategic plan during its spring meeting, which concluded Saturday. The Furman faculty endorsed the plan in April.

The planning process started in February 2023 with a “Community Day” workshop that brought faculty and staff together to share ideas and establish priorities for the plan. A Strategic Planning Team, co-led by Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Beth Pontari and Vice President for Student Life Connie Carson, included a cross-section of faculty and staff who created the plan between October and December 2023. The team incorporated additional feedback in February and March from trustees and the campus community.

Working groups will convene and begin to operationalize the plan this summer.

Furman has been recognized as a “Most Innovative School” by U.S. News & World Report nearly every year since launching The Furman Advantage, a four-year academic pathway that weaves together classroom and experiential learning, mentoring and advising, reflection, and career preparation. The underlying Pathways Program, a first-in-the-nation two-year advising program, prepares students to succeed in college and take full advantage of all that Furman offers.

Learn more and view the full strategic plan here. For more information, please contact Clinton Colmenares at 919-548-6493.

Release is online:
https://tinyurl.com/3frn2eke

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Two local women, Sheryl Pierce and Brittany Cannon, described their personal journeys to finding quality, attainable housing at a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the completion of extensive renovations at Century Plaza Apartments, a 212-unit mixed-income-to-market-rate apartment and townhome complex on Century Drive in the Overbrook neighborhood.
Affordable housing advocates and local officials attended the festivities, with confetti cannons adding a happy exclamation point to the event.
Bryan Brown, Greenville Housing Fund’s President and CEO, said that Greenville Housing Fund has invested over $5 million at Century Plaza over the past year, without displacing existing residents.
“Century Plaza Apartments is in a great central location near I-385, downtown, and many employers,” Brown said. “These renovations create fresh, attractive apartments for families and individuals, like Brittany and Sheryl, looking for an accessible, affordable rental option.”
Over half the apartments have seen interior renovations, and extensive work has been done to the exterior and building systems, including siding and window replacements and upgraded landscaping. The community clubhouse sports new gym equipment and a refreshed resident lounge, while renovations to the outdoor pool were also recently completed. Brown noted that the renovations are on-going, but that the improved functionality and aesthetic of the property will be on display during a first-annual summer cookout for the Century Plaza community in early June, hosted by Greenville Housing Fund, complete with local BBQ, snow cones and popcorn machines.
Brown also praised a successful collaboration with the Greenville Housing Authority to accept housing vouchers at Century Plaza, creating additional opportunities for as many as fifty households seeking reasonably priced housing in Greenville’s extremely hot real estate market.
City of Greenville Vice Mayor Pro Tem Dorothy Dowe echoed Brown’s enthusiasm.
“We know that the availability of high-quality workforce housing is absolutely critical in enabling economic success and mobility. Century Plaza – with such easy access to downtown and to some of Greenville’s largest employers and employment centers – is a shining light in that regard, and the City of Greenville is so pleased to be able to participate in this transformation,” Dowe said.
Dowe and Brown were joined on the ribbon-cutting agenda by Will Eckstein of Harmony Housing Affordable Development and Matt Good, Board Chair at Greenville Housing Fund. Both applauded the renovations, as well as the partnerships and cooperation that made them possible.
Greenville Housing Fund purchased and rebranded Century Plaza in early 2023, in partnership with Harmony Housing Affordable Development and Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP, (NYSE: GHI). Additional support came from the City of Greenville. The South Carolina Department of Commerce also contributed funding toward the renovation work.
Greenville-based Vista Capital Management Company provides on-site leasing and property management services. Apartments at Century Plaza are still available; interested renters can contact the leasing office at (864) 696-2278 to check current inventory and to apply for a unit.

Greenville Housing Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to championing a future of thriving and affordable neighborhoods across Greenville’s diverse communities. Through lending, investing, advocacy, and land-banking, GHF works with community stakeholders, developers, municipalities, and many other partners to preserve and increase the supply of safe, accessible, high-quality, affordable housing for all citizens of Greenville County. Learn more at www.greenvillehousingfund.com.

Greenville, S.C. – Upstate business, community, and healthcare leaders will team up and take the stage in August at Sync for Survivors, a new event to benefit Cancer Survivors Park Alliance (“CSPA”). Sync for Survivors, scheduled for the evening of Sat., Aug. 17 at Greenville Theatre, will feature four- to six-person teams performing their favorite songs to a professionally choreographed lip sync routine to see which team can earn the most votes from the audience.

“Building on the success of signature events like Chop! Cancer and Rock the Lot, the CSPA team has created a unique experience that will put the fun in fundraising”, said Kay Roper, Executive Director of Cancer Survivors Park Alliance. “We invite anyone touched by cancer to get involved and experience the joy of an evening that will support the thousands of survivors, their families, and friends for whom this beloved park symbolizes hope and provides a place of peace.”

“Cancer Survivors Park exists and continues building on the legacy of life and healing because of the graciousness of the hundreds of generous charitable donors, dedicated volunteers, and passionate advocates in our community,” explained CSPA board member and cancer survivor Elizabeth Perkins, who is chairing Sync for Survivors. “Sync for Survivors is going to be filled with song, laughs, cheering, and community – a mirror of the kind of spirit every survivor deserves.”

Receiving a cancer diagnosis can land like a punch to the gut. Cancer Survivors Park, located in downtown Greenville, has been serving the Upstate community since its opening in 2018 as a destination for hope and healing for patients as well as their families and friends. The mission of Cancer Survivors Park Alliance is to engage, educate, empower, and enhance the lives of anyone touched by cancer. The Alliance and its organizational partners develop and manage a variety of on-site and online events and programs available to all. Funds raised through Sync for Survivors will be used to expand and enhance these opportunities.

More information about Sync for Survivors may be found on the event’s website, SyncforSurvivors.org, or by visiting cancersurvivorspark.org. To learn more about participating on a lip sync team, or serving as an event sponsor, contact Kay Roper at (864) 255-5010 or by email to kay@cancersurvivorspark.org.

About Cancer Survivors Park Alliance
Located in downtown Greenville, S.C., between Church and Cleveland Streets, Cancer Survivors Park opened in 2018 to provide a space for celebration, a space for learning, a space for healing, and a space for hope. A 501(c)(3) charitable organization originally formed in 1999 with a vision of changing the way we deal with cancer, the Cancer Survivors Park Alliance serves as the park’s stewards by providing educational programming within the Cancer Survivors Park in continual fulfillment of its mission to serve as a catalyst for collaborative activities that engage, education, empower and enhance the lives of anyone touched by cancer. Learn more, donate, or volunteer by visiting cancersurvivorspark.org.

Dear Pillar Holistic Living Community,
It is with mixed emotions that we share some news with you today. After much reflection and consideration, we have come to the difficult decision to close Pillar Holistic Living. As parents, our family’s well-being is our utmost priority, and we believe this decision is in the best interest of our family.
Dr. Jessica has been presented with a wonderful opportunity to join the esteemed faculty at Sherman College of Chiropractic as a Health Center Case Doctor. While this marks the end of an era for Pillar, it opens up new avenues for Dr. Jessica to continue her journey in the field of holistic health and chiropractic care.
We want to express our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you for being a part of our community. Your support, trust, and dedication have meant the world to us, and we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have served you.
In light of our closure, we would like to offer some options for ongoing care and a chance for you to take advantage of our remaining inventory. The last day of in-office care at Pillar will be on Thursday, June 13, 2024. However, Dr. Jessica will still be available for In-Home Chiropractic Visits and Remote Energy Healing Sessions by appointment only.
Additionally, we will be hosting a HUGE Close Out Sale, open to the public, on Saturday, May 18th, from 10am to 2pm. This will be your chance to enjoy a 50% discount on all in-store products from our plant-based micro-market, apothecary, and eco-boutique. For our current patients, this discount will also be available at your scheduled appointments between now and June 13th.
Once again, we want to express our sincerest appreciation for your support and understanding during this transition. While this chapter may be coming to a close, we are excited to see what the future holds for each of you on your holistic health journey.
With heartfelt thanks,

The Caruso Family