The Foundation has provided the following organizations on public health project design, management, implementation, evaluation, and sustainability:
Rogers Vegetable Farm Mobile Market Project
Rogers Vegetable Farm, LLC provides access to locally grown, farm fresh produce to community members in Lee and Sumter counties of South Carolina for increased availability of healthier food options. The mobile farmers market serves communities and sites of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants, persons with limited mobility/no transportation and communities with limited transit access. Lee and Sumter counties of South Carolina historically have had limited access to healthier foods. Rogers Vegetable Farm partnered with local community organizations such as Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC), county libraries, schools, housing authorities and Council on Aging Sites to serve as community stops for the mobile farmer's market. Implementation of the project resulted in the following outcomes: improved access to healthy food among SNAP participants/ limited income consumers within the community, improved health outcomes among community members, job creation for low-income community members and increased availability of locally grown produce in community settings.
Lee County Public Library Community Health Hub
Through funding from the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the South Carolina Center for Rural and Primary Healthcare, support for innovative programs and/or strategies that promote and improve health, access to care, or health outcomes for rural patients, populations and communities in South Carolina is made possible. The Lee County Public Library, in collaboration with the Foundation, launched a Community Health Hub during the height of the pandemic in 2020 to expound on their vast established social and environmental systems change work. The health hub aims to increase clinical-community linkages between high-risk underserved rural residents of Lee County, South Carolina with health and social service providers to improve rural population health outcomes, utilizing the Lee County Public Library as a community hub. The library provides a dedicated space for preventive screenings, resources, and referrals via a community health worker from the CareSouth-Carolina Bishopville health system. Hub members who receive preventive screenings will also receive vouchers for fresh fruits and vegetables to be redeemed at the hub.
COVID-19 Community Outreach
The foundation launched a multi-sectoral and tiered campaign strategy to reach unvaccinated African Americans and minority populations in Darlington, Fairfield and Lee Counties. The campaign included focus groups, where information sessions were conducted to grasp the reluctancy, myths and barriers surrounding COVID-19 vaccinations. These tools were also used to engage community members in the initiative by gaining their trust and hearing their voice regarding best approaches to increase education and awareness around receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, a social media campaign was launched to help influence and engage African Americans and other minorities. We partnered with CareSouth Carolina, South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control, Fairfield Medical Associates and local agencies to coordinate monthly mobile vaccine pop-ups in rural areas to provide more access to vaccines and vaccine information.
Marlboro County Public Library Community Health Hub
Through a partnership between the Foundation for Community Impact and Health Equity, the Marlboro County Public Library, and CareSouth Carolina, this grant aims to provide Marlboro County residents with health and social services in a trusted community-based setting. The intent is to bridge the gap between clinical and community, create a streamlined clinical-community linkage to increase provision of clinical services, connect social services to mitigate barriers that impeded residents from achieving optimal health outcomes, and increase COVID-19 education, awareness, and vaccination rates in Marlboro County. The Community Health Hubs are a partnership between local libraries, farmers, CareSouth Carolina Inc., administered by Foundation for Community Impact & Health Equity and funded by SC Center for Rural and Primary Healthcare through the SC Department of Health & Environmental Control CDC Health Equity funding.
Ellerbe Famers Market
Ellerbe Vegetable Farm, LLC has expanded fresh produce and staple item access with the establishment of a permanent year-round retail location in Timmonsville. The retail location will be open 6 days per week, Monday – Saturday from 9 am to 7 pm. The goals of the project are as follows: increase access to fresh locally grown produce and staple foods with special emphasis on SNAP and low-income residents of Florence; provide employment and job training opportunities for four people of the community and increase the number of SNAP sales for fresh locally grown produce and staple foods. Also, the project will work with local farmers, suppliers and distributors to procure remaining items and staple foods.