Message From the Executive Director

Celebrating Our First Five Years

     The Mary Black Foundation has made one of Upstate Forever’s dreams a reality – an office in Spartanburg! From the very beginning, we have realized that we cannot achieve our mission of being a truly effective regional organization with our only office in Greenville. Of course, we have done work, and had successes, throughout the Upstate, but there is simply no substitute for the day-to-day physical presence in a place. And for us we cannot imagine a better place for our second office than “Hub City” itself – Spartanburg!

     For decades, the Mary Black Foundation has been making many dreams come true, as it has launched and strengthened programs that have significantly improved the health and well being of countless thousands of Spartanburg County’s residents. Last year their Board approved a new funding initiative called “Active Living,” which is based on the irrefutable nexus between community design and public health. At the end of last year we applied for a grant under this initiative. I will never forget the phone call from the Foundation’s program director in February: “Your application has been approved, as submitted.” WOW!

     We will be focusing on five major projects in our Spartanburg office: (1) Education and Advocacy on topics and issues related to Active Living; (2) an “Active Living Assessment” of the codes and ordinances in both the City and the County aimed at identifying provisions that impede the development of safe and walkable communities; (3) a “Big Box” initiative to address the abandonment problem and the quality of new large retail projects in Spartanburg County; (4) a “Parks and Open Space” initiative to increase the number of active and passive parks in the county; and (5) to become involved in ongoing efforts to improve the downtown area. Of course, all of this work will be useful and relevant to the entire Upstate. The Big Box problem, for example, is certainly not limited to Spartanburg County!

     Over the last several years, considerable progress has been made by local governments, nonprofit organizations, business leaders and interested citizens toward improving active living opportunities and conditions in Spartanburg, such as revitalizing the downtown area, constructing the Palmetto Trail and other greenways, promoting “walk to school” activities, and establishing safer pedestrian crossings. Through our office in Spartanburg, Upstate Forever hopes to support, reinforce and expand these exciting efforts. Our goal is to become a part of the team and hopefully make the team stronger and even more effective.

     We have found a wonderful place for the office – in the historic Belk Building at 100 East Main Street right in the heart of downtown, and we have assembled a superlative staff for the office. (See Board and Staff News on page 15).

     Please stop by and see us!