Thank you Mayor, members of council, and city administration for allowing me time here today to present our Neighborhood in Review and a Thank you to the City of Greer for your part in giving hope to our community of neighbors by supporting the mission and programs of Greer Relief.
What do you do when you see a neighbor in need?
The combined vision & mission of Greer Relief is to transform neighbors in need to neighbors who thrive, by providing services to eliminate poverty and help neighbors overcome barriers for success. Already in 2019, Greer Relief has assisted 1571 neighbors.
- Benefit Bank has been a part of our programs since 2010, it is a one stop online resource application process that auto populates applications for Food Stamps, Medicaid, and other government aid.
- In 2016, Greer Relief co-founded a new concept program with Loaves & Fishes and Greer Community Ministries…the Greer Food Co-Op has been designed to serve anyone in need and to do so in a way that promotes community, individual dignity, participation, and ownership of the co-op.
- Since 1991, J Verne Smith Center has served as a on-stop service hub helping bringing people hope by offering a path to stability in their own backyard. In 2018, 5 organizations provided services to the community to answer the struggle by providing medical assistance, food, financial assistance, nutrition education, job counseling, staffing and referrals for more. We were also blessed to receive grants for renovation of the Center. The John I Smith Charities grant renovated the 8 bathrooms and break room at the Center. Also the CBL Community Foundation Grant has started a renovation fund for the Training Room, which will remove 2 walls and triple the on-site training space. We have also added a new partner in March 2019 – SC Works is moved in and has already started WorkKeys testing & placing job seekers. Plus the GREER Free Medical Clinic will be expanding their services thanks to the Healthy Greenville 2036 grant from Prisma.
- RENEW has been Reaching Every Neighbor Every Way since 2015. This program takes the next steps down the path to stability. We focus on financial, job, and health/wellness classes taught by volunteers who want to be part of the healing. It’s the Dr. who teaches home remedies, the business owner who talks about what it takes to keep a job, the nutrition students who prepare, cook, and share a taste of a new recipe. And the greatest benefits of this program we have found is it not only offers information and education it offers community, it offers a safe space to talk, it offers a friend, it offers hope.
- Since 2009 we have provided VITA, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, and right now at Greer Relief, our volunteers are preparing taxes for households making $62,000 or less. So far this year we have prepared 333 returns bringing to this community $5 hundred 25 thousand, 8 hundred 98 dollars…for FREE. So far…