Jun 15, 2021 | News
A Dynamic Collaboration
Several agencies collaborated to plan and execute The Minority Financial Summit.
The following individuals were instrumental in delivering a webinar that was well-received by attendees:
Brenton Brown, presenter, SC Commission for Minority Affairs
Tammie Greene and Sonja Barkley, presenters, SC Department of Commerce
Natasha Pitts, City of Spartanburg
Jalitha Moore, One Spartanburg
Katrina Meeks, SC SBDC
It is common for small businesses and start-ups to need funding to operate or expand their business. Unfortunately, many of these owners and entrepreneurs do not know where to find financial assistance, nor how to apply for it. A key function of the SC Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is connecting clients with funding options unique to their business needs and helping them apply for these programs. With small businesses floundered in the wake of COVID-19, Spartanburg Area Manager Katrina Meeks decided to take this initiative one step further with the Minority Financial Summit webinar training.The Minority Financial Summit was designed to advance and foster lender relationships and connections, specifically for minority-owned small businesses. The webinar educated attendees on funding options available within the community and discussed the criteria lenders look for when deciding to fund various projects. It also addressed the disparities that minorities often experience when working to secure small business funding.
Meeks developed the curriculum not only for those seeking a business loan or grant, but also for anyone interested in understanding how the SBA supports small businesses or how each of the “4 C’s” (customer, cost, convenience, and communication) factors into the longevity of a business. The event was promoted through the SBDC’s extensive network, as well as through each participating member’s social media account and through each participating agency’s resource partner database.
Over 300 people from throughout the state of South Carolina submitted interest in the webinar, and 127 people attended. The summit featured a lineup of panelists including Community Development Loan Officer Joseph Dukes, Dixon Woodward of United Community Bank, Lee Belcher of Synovus Bank, and Frank Anderson of the U.S. Small Business Administration. The speakers talked about how businesses can strengthen their financial impact, and also provided financial information for entrepreneurs looking to start a new business. The collaboration between speakers from different agencies offered a dynamic variety of perspectives and was applauded by attendees—many of which encouraged the SBDC to host the event again in 2022.
“Your program was excellent,” said Erin Ouzts of Ten at the Top. “The guest speakers were knowledgeable and covered topics relevant to the audience. Thank you for making this happen.”
Jun 11, 2021 | News
TATT Chat Recap | June 10, 2021
Special Guest Speaker
William Timmons, U.S. Congressman
Please watch the full conversation here.
William@TimmonsLLC.com
864-616-8821
Upstate Initiative Update
Dean Hybl, Ten at the Top
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
Camp iROCK
- 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
- CDS collaborates with many other providers
- Cdservices.org too volunteer or donate
- Sept 30th Breakfast event (fundraiser)
Jun 7, 2021 | News
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
https://app.frame.io/reviews/c288e953-c799-4caa-a46a-1ae375c72a09/abed097f-4062-41e7-9d28-3e0071965ed4?version=acf37b46-7ea6-4ede-8817-a9030c97a312
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:
The Phoenix Center www.phoenixcenter.org
The Family Effect www.thefamilyeffect.org
Gibson Training Center www.gibsontrainingcenter.org
Employer Consultation / Drug Testing / Employer Referrals / SAP/DOT Services
Michael McLain
Director Local Provider Relations
The Phoenix Center
mmclain@phoenixcenter.org
864-467-3769
Jun 2, 2021 | News
Katie Davenport, Executive Director, Greenwood Promise
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!”
May 28, 2021 | News
Robyn Grable, Founder & CEO of Veterans ASCEND/Ability ASCEND
Visit the veteransascend.com and abilityascend.org (in production) websites to learn about these hiring models and how they align talent across businesses and organizations matched on skills, location and salary requirements. See the presentation here and watch a recording of the TATT Chat here.
TATT Announcements
See upcoming TATT events here.
Resource Update
Upstate Warrior Solution, Theresa Thompson, Deputy Director
Serves all veterans and opening up services to first responders
Local nonprofit born and raised in the Upstate with all money raised locally including grant funding, corporate donations, event fundraising, and private donations
Partnering with PRISMA (and soon Spartanburg Regional) to identify veterans in need following medical treatment
May 25, 2021 | News
On May 24th Ten at the Top and the Urban League of the Upstate hosted a special lunchtime conversation with White House Photographer Lawrence Jackson.
A staff photographer for President Obama from 2009-2017 and currently the official photographer for Vice President Kamala Harris, Jackson shared some of the pictures and stories from his time covering two administrations.
A graduate of George Wythe High School and James Madison University, Jackson was serving as an Associated Press Photographer when he became a member of the White House Photographer Staff in 2009.
Following the completion of the Obama Administration, he published the book Yes We Did: Photos and Behind-the-Scenes Stories Celebrating Our First African American President.
Jackson said that there are three elements he focuses on in his photography with most photos containing at least one of the three:
- Emotion of the Story – Connecting the viewer in an emotional way to what is happening in the photo
- Information – Showing what is important to be relayed from the photo
- Aesthetically Pleasing – Something that draws people into the photo
You can watch the presentation through this link.
