APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY POWERS

TO OUR PARTNERS

By the time you receive this newsletter, I will be on leave celebrating a new chapter with my family. I want to take a moment to express my deep gratitude for each of you and the incredible support and engagement you bring to our shared mission. Together, we are making meaningful strides toward achieving health equity and improving outcomes for our growing community and I could not be more thankful for your collaboration.

Serving as your Coalition Manager is an honor, and I am so grateful for your willingness to work alongside us toward the goals outlined in our 2022 Community Health Improvement Plan. I am thrilled about the momentum our team is building as we move forward with key initiatives.

Our team is gearing up for action, including the launch of our Community Health Needs Assessment, a project many of you had the opportunity to engage in during our recent data walk. We are also excited to introduce our New Resident Ambassador Program as another way to deepen community connections. Though our team is small, we are mighty—and we look forward to doing even more together. Please stay engaged with us and lean on our team to help share the Community Health Needs Assessment data widely. 

None of this great work would be possible without you. I can’t wait to hear about the amazing progress upon my return.

Thank you again for everything, and I look forward to reconnecting with you in mid-May.

JaLisa Jordan, DrPH, MPH | Coalition Manager

MISSION: Live Healthy Spartanburg seeks to achieve health equity and improve health outcomes for all Spartanburg County residents.

VISION: We envision a Spartanburg where all residents can achieve health and wellness.

WHAT WE DO: The Live Healthy Spartanburg Coalition connects and convenes partners to address local health improvement and equity initiatives. By focusing on community needs assessments and health improvement plans, we showcase best practices, foster collaboration, and align resources to enhance health outcomes for all residents in Spartanburg County.

MEET OUR RESIDENT AMBASSADORS

Five individuals were selected through an application process, including recommendation letters from community members and partners, as well as in-person interviews. The Resident Ambassador Program is supported by the Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies by way of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The program selected the focus track: Building Community Power to Create Change. The goal for is to mobilize intersectional, collaborative approaches aimed at addressing systemic inequities within healthcare and public health systems and fostering greater agency and resilience among marginalized populations. The ambassadors will attend community engagement events and capacity-building trainings aimed at empowering area voices, building leadership skills, enhancing health literacy, identifying community needs and promoting sustainable change. 

• Rahee Amin (Spartanburg County Resident): "I hope to learn how to be a better leader, so I can serve my communities in the best way possible."
• Sarah Blakley (Spartanburg County Resident): "Through my role as an LHS Ambassador, I hope to learn how to lead other Spartanburg County residents to make more holistic lifestyle choices. I want to empower others to take more control over their wellbeing."  
• Tana Koudelka (Spartanburg County Resident): "My desire to become a Resident Ambassador is rooted in my belief that helping to grow and nurture a healthy community is a responsibility we all must embrace in order that we all may thrive and grow into the best of each of us. A healthy community cares for everyone, lifting young and old into better mental and physical health and joy."
• Chance Lebron (City of Spartanburg Resident): "I want to grow and learn different cultures within the group. As we travel together in the area. I want to gain more knowledge and understanding of different cultures and life experiences."
• Tanna Thompson (City of Spartanburg Resident): Tanna has called Spartanburg home since 2012. She is eager to begin her role as one of this year’s Resident Ambassadors. She hopes to continue her work in helping others overcome barriers to good health so they may go from surviving to thriving.

WE WELCOME OUR YOUTH AMBASSADORS

In an exciting new partnership, Connect Spartanburg and Live Healthy Spartanburg have joined forces to bring on the 2025 Connect Ambassador cohort. They recently trained 12 youth ambassadors, equipping them with essential skills to drive adolescent health initiatives in the community. Representing Spartanburg School Districts 3, 5, 6 and 7, the ambassadors include students from Broome, Byrnes, Dorman and Spartanburg High Schools.

These teens expanded their knowledge in youth-adult partnership framework, peer listening, advocacy related to youth risk behavior and community health data, project and event development, and marketing and communications for data-driven campaigns. Additionally, they will serve as brand representatives, promote local health resources, and amplify youth voices in decision-making spaces.

These young leaders are ready to make a meaningful impact on adolescent health in Spartanburg. We are excited to see their efforts unfold in the community!

For event link-up or partnership opportunities related to the youth ambassadors, email Keith Hill (khill5@srhs.com).

SPRING SPOTLIGHT: Selena Smith

Congratulations! Selena Smith was selected as part of the 2025 Inaugural Class of C.L.A.R.E (Collective Leadership Advancing Racial Equity Program) through the Collective Impact Forum.

The purpose of this program is to center and prioritize the participation of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) leaders in the U.S. South working in place-based collectives focused on health and racial equity and/or issue-specific health collaboratives such as birth justice and reproductive rights. Selena was the only member selected from South Carolina. To learn more about the Collective Impact Forum, visit collectiveimpactforum.org.

DATA WALK UPDATES

We had an amazing time at our Community Health Data Walk, held in partnership with South Carolina Department of Public Health. It was a fantastic opportunity to come together, learn and engage about the health priorities that matter most to us.

If you attended and didn’t get a chance to complete our survey on priority areas, we want to hear from you. Submit your thoughts here and help shape our health initiatives.

For those who couldn’t make it but are eager to check out the insights we shared, you can view our informative posters and materials on our website. Explore the details and stay informed about our community health efforts!

SAVE THE DATE: Community Health Awareness Day | June 7, 2025 | Carver Middle School

There will be FREE food, resources, entertainment, activities for all ages, giveaways and so much more! Click the registration button and let us know you if will be joining us this year! ///