Join us for the launch of Start-Grow Upstate – a resource navigator for entrepreneurs and small business owners. We are hosting a workshop June 16th at 3:30pm; register here.
See TATT’s event page for more information and registration links for TATT Reconnects and Brews, Blues & BBQ
Join us for the next TATT CHAT on June 24 at 3pm: Events are Back! Guest Speaker: Beth Paul, General Manager of Bon Secours Wellness Arena
Resource Update
Julie Capaldi, President, United Way of Pickens County
The goal is for 70% of 3rd graders to read at their level but after making headway, after COVID they are back where they started
113 students in virtual last year
Between 345 and 350 students now
Need YMCA counselors and more children than usual with younger children and also children with social issues due to pandemic
More counselors being hired to assist children with fear and loss
Dana McConnell, Executive Director, Center for Developmental Services (CDS)
8K children each year with developmental disabilities (1 in 5 individuals has a disability)
80% of thier clients are children under 12 so focus is on strong early intervention including assistance with hearing aids, psychology, etc.
They work on independent living, entering the workforce, and assist with finding day/residential services for with children with many disabilities, some including Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Downs Syndrome
Substance Use Disorders and Addiction impact all socio-economic groups, all races, and for many of us, our own families. Substance use also costs employers in absenteeism, lost productivity, lower morale of coworkers, and increased workers compensation costs. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) reports substance use costs employers $81 Billion dollars per year and that 70% of all people that use drugs in our society are employed. The Phoenix Center accepts employer referrals to treatment services and consults with Human Resource Managers on substance use treatment options and drug testing plans to effectively treat an employee’s substance use disorder and assist them in returning safely to work. For consultation or to discuss drug testing at The Phoenix Center, or employee/supervisor substance use education or treatment options, you may contact Mike McLain: (864) 467-3769 or via email: mmclain@phoenixcenter.org
The story below is just one example (there are many more) that describes how treatment can support those we employ professionally, or the loved ones we care about personally, seek and obtain long-term recovery.
Duchess came to Serenity Place tired and defeated from the consequences of a decade-long addiction. “My life was a struggle on a daily basis. I felt hopeless and was turning tricks to get my next high.” Her main motivation to change her life was her young son and teenage daughter. She chose to come to Serenity Place because she was able to bring her son, CJ with her while she was in treatment. Not only was she able to heal from her addiction her son could too. “Serenity Place helped breathe life into CJ. He started to talk at Serenity Place and he wasn’t before we got there. The staff taught him how to ride a bike and helped potty train CJ.” Her son was educationally behind his peers when they first came to Serenity Place but today he’s not only on track with his peers — he’s reading at a grade level higher.
Duchess graduated from Serenity Place in 2018 and continued her recovery journey in the step down program known as LOTUS. Duchess’ most recent accomplishment is receiving her GED- something she believes never would have happened had she not been in recovery. Today, she works full-time as the Medication Technician at one of The Phoenix Center’s programs, Serenity Village. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to work with these ladies and their children.” Duchess says, “My life isn’t glamorous but it’s simple and that’s what I love most about it. The simplicity of it all.”
Duchess Video: Use link below to learn more about Duchess and her powerful recovery story
The Phoenix Center is grateful for the support from our community and from The Family Effect.
The Phoenix Center serves an average of 5,000 citizens per year in various treatment services and over 10,000 yearly through prevention, education, health fairs, and professional trainings. Service offerings include residential detox, residential for women/children, outpatient substance use and mental health for children/adolescents, and adult outpatient and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) services for adults. Professional CEU trainings are available, as well as experiential/team building learning activities at our Ropes Course, and Professional Leadership Training based on the work of James Kouzes and Barry Posner “The Leadership Challenge” focusing on the 5 Practices of Exemplary Leadership.
To find out how to engage with the Family Effect through volunteerism, funding treatment scholarships, special projects, fundraising, grants, or even rocking the babies and sharing story time with the young children at Serenity Place, go to: www.thefamilyeffect.org or email Aileen Gallagher at aileen@thefamilyeffect.org The Family Effect supports the services of The Phoenix Center to insure that anyone needing treatment for substance misuse or substance use disorders receives it, regardless of income or insurance status. www.phoenixcenter.org
To connect with us for opportunities or referrals to any of our services and programs:
Imagine a world, or on a smaller scale, a county, whose residents, foundations, small businesses, and leading industries support their youth’s future SO MUCH that they are willing to invest in a program that pays the last dollar of their college education. Where students’ dreams of going to college, without an insurmountable amount of student loan debt, can come true and become a reality. Well, in Greenwood County, our students’ dreams are coming true. The idea was born out of Kalamazoo, Michigan, a community very similar to Greenwood, South Carolina, when an anonymous group of donors decided to save their community through philanthropy that is directed towards the root cause of community failure-education. It was developed based on the need for a workforce and to encourage high school graduates to go to college and then return to their hometown to live, work, and raise families. A group of individuals from Greenwood learned of this program and decided that this is something that Greenwood County needed, could be done, and so from that, The Greenwood Promise was founded.
Greenwood County is nestled in ideal location; an hour and a half from the mountains and three hours from the beach. Not only that, but Greenwood is home to beautiful Lake Greenwood, Piedmont Technical College, Lander University, and has an Uptown that attracts many each year to the SC Festival of Flowers and the Festival of Discovery. Most importantly, it houses many manufacturing industries and Self Regional Healthcare, our hospital system that rivals some of the best in our state. The need for a homegrown workforce became evident as our industries, businesses, and healthcare struggled to find employees. With our post-secondary education institutions right here in Greenwood, what better place to find those employees?
Here we are, 10 years later, with 3.5 cohorts of high school graduates being funded through The Greenwood Promise and the results have been phenomenal! Sure, we have funded almost 400 students, but the magic has been in the student “birddogging” that has occurred. Some of our students have not even received a penny from The Promise, but the secret sauce is in their knowledge that they can go to college, and no matter what, will not have to worry about the financial piece. They also receive counseling and mentoring from me, the Executive Director of The Promise and a former teacher. I know of so many students that have come through our schools before our program whose lives may have gone in a more positive direction, so this drives my passion and desire to helping students whether money is a barrier for them. We also recognize that we cannot wait to start with our students in their Senior year to get them prepared for college, so we start with Kindergarten Medallion Ceremonies. The kindergarten students receive a medallion with their high school graduation year on it and we make a promise to them that they can go to college when they graduate!
As we move towards our second Phase, we are excited to announce a position that will work with our students at Piedmont Technical College, place students in apprenticeships and internships, and then connect them with our investors for a job post-graduation. Once our funding is secured for Phase 2, we will then be able to fund our students at a public university or college in South Carolina.
In today’s world of uncertainty, one thing is a constant for our students and that is “You can go to College…We Promise!”
Substance Use Disorders and Addiction impact all socio-economic groups, all races, and for many of us, our own families. Substance use also costs employers in absenteeism, lost productivity, lower morale of coworkers, and increased workers compensation costs. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) reports substance use costs employers $81 Billion dollars per year and that 70% of all people that use drugs in our society are employed. The Phoenix Center accepts employer referrals to treatment services and consults with Human Resource Managers on substance use treatment options and drug testing plans to effectively treat an employee’s substance use disorder and assist them in returning safely to work. For consultation or to discuss drug testing at The Phoenix Center, or employee/supervisor substance use education or treatment options, you may contact Mike McLain: (864) 467-3769 or via email: mmclain@phoenixcenter.org
Duchess came to Serenity Place tired and defeated from the consequences of a decade-long addiction. “My life was a struggle on a daily basis. I felt hopeless and was turning tricks to get my next high.” Her main motivation to change her life was her young son and teenage daughter. She chose to come to Serenity Place because she was able to bring her son, CJ with her while she was in treatment. Not only was she able to heal from her addiction her son could too. “Serenity Place helped breathe life into CJ. He started to talk at Serenity Place and he wasn’t before we got there. The staff taught him how to ride a bike and helped potty train CJ.” Her son was educationally behind his peers when they first came to Serenity Place but today he’s not only on track with his peers — he’s reading at a grade level higher.
Here we are, 10 years later, with 3.5 cohorts of high school graduates being funded through The Greenwood Promise and the results have been phenomenal! Sure, we have funded almost 400 students, but the magic has been in the student “birddogging” that has occurred. Some of our students have not even received a penny from The Promise, but the secret sauce is in their knowledge that they can go to college, and no matter what, will not have to worry about the financial piece. They also receive counseling and mentoring from me, the Executive Director of The Promise and a former teacher. I know of so many students that have come through our schools before our program whose lives may have gone in a more positive direction, so this drives my passion and desire to helping students whether money is a barrier for them. We also recognize that we cannot wait to start with our students in their Senior year to get them prepared for college, so we start with Kindergarten Medallion Ceremonies. The kindergarten students receive a medallion with their high school graduation year on it and we make a promise to them that they can go to college when they graduate!