Furman University and LiveWell Greenville Updates and Community Engagement Efforts

Building Brighter Tomorrows Conference

The Institute for the Advancement of Community Health (IACH), in partnership with the Institute for Child Success (ICS), hosted the 2026 Building Brighter Tomorrows Conference at Furman University. Centered on the theme, A Pathway to Healthy Communities, the conference brought together practitioners, policymakers, researchers, educators, and community leaders from across the region to explore innovative approaches to advancing community health.

Participants attended twelve breakout sessions across three thematic tracks that addressed topics such as social drivers of health, caregiver support, trauma, resilience, and community-led solutions. The conference also featured a keynote presentation by Risa Wilkerson, Executive Director of Healthy Places by Design, and provided opportunities for networking, learning, and cross-sector collaboration through a welcome reception and poster session.

The event fostered meaningful dialogue and strengthened partnerships dedicated to advancing healthier and more equitable communities.

HEAL Board

The Health Equity Action Leaders (HEAL) Board continued advancing community-driven change by centering the voices, experiences, and leadership of Greenville County residents. During this period, a HEAL Board working group collaborated on the development of the board’s first white paper, which explored community power in South Carolina and highlighted key insights emerging from board activities and qualitative research findings.

Board member Ma’ta Crawford, who also served on the Roots & Research Community Research Advisory Board, was featured on the Community Health Exchange Podcast. During the discussion, she reflected on her experiences in community health leadership, the importance of “heart work,” and her aspirations for future generations of community changemakers.

The HEAL Board also continued advancing its core priorities by creating safe spaces for dialogue and action, strengthening member capacity related to policy, systems, and environmental change, and elevating community perspectives to ensure that coalition priorities and community change efforts remained grounded in lived experience.

As part of these efforts, board members participated in a Civic Engagement Action Series designed to strengthen community participation and leadership. Sessions focused on community building in March, civic voice in April, and storytelling in May, providing opportunities for residents to connect, share experiences, and develop skills for community action.

In addition, board members supported LiveWell Greenville’s Food Security Coalition through the Summer Break Café initiative, which aimed to connect children and families with nutritious meals during the summer months.

Roots and Research

Over the previous several months, the Roots & Research Community Research Advisory Board continued to strengthen its capacity and influence as a community-led research partner. Members participated in an in-person celebration where they shared identity statements, strengthened relationships, and participated in professional headshot sessions.

The board also reviewed several research projects and findings, including results from a scoping review and meta-analysis examining the use of community-based participatory research (CBPR) in cardiovascular disease interventions. Members further expanded their research knowledge through qualitative methods training and contributed to the development of the upcoming Roots & Research website. These activities supported the board’s continued growth as an active partner in community-engaged research and dissemination efforts.

Community Engagement Coalition Kickoff Meeting

On April 10, 2026, LiveWell Greenville held the Community Engagement Coalition Kickoff, an initiative built upon longstanding relationships and trust cultivated throughout Greenville County. The coalition was established to bring together advocates, community leaders, and residents committed to advancing community-driven change and strengthening connections across the county.

The kickoff meeting attracted strong participation and featured a welcoming environment that reflected the diversity and commitment of the Greenville community. The event marked an important milestone in the continued growth of the coalition and its efforts to foster collaboration, civic engagement, and collective action throughout the region.

The coalition also launched its inaugural newsletter to support ongoing communication and engagement among community members and partners. You can view the first newsletter here.

Community Partnerships

HEAL Board Milestone
The HEAL Board, a community advisory board, celebrated its second year of service. Over the past two years, members have grown as multicultural advocates for their communities in Greenville, SC. Looking ahead, the HEAL Board will not only advise but also take the lead in planning, designing, and implementing action projects. These projects, rooted in service and advocacy, will ensure that community voices remain central to advancing health equity. The board’s leadership reflects the deep commitment and expertise that community members bring to shaping healthier futures.

In September 2025, the team hosted two community presentations. Sabrina Smith of the Active Living Coalition introduced LiveWell Greenville’s plan for four upcoming community walk audits in Berea, Greenville County, SC. These audits will allow residents to evaluate how easy and safe it is to access neighborhood resources, while identifying both supports and barriers to walkability. Feedback gathered will directly inform improvements in local environments.

Additionally, Toya Moore facilitated a training on community building, encouraging members to reflect on the distinctions between community building and community organizing. The training challenged participants to think deeply about their ultimate goals in galvanizing their communities, further strengthening the HEAL Board’s leadership and vision for equity-driven change.

Roots & Research Update

As of Summer 2025, the Roots & Research advisory board has now completed its full training and successfully conducted its first research review. This milestone marks the beginning of a new model for partnership in Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR). The board’s work provides a platform for members to share expertise, build meaningful partnerships, and engage in open dialogue with researchers committed to authentic CBPR practices. Their insights and lived experiences add essential value to research design and practice, reinforcing the importance of community-driven approaches to health equity.

Food Pantry Summit

On March 12, 2025, LiveWell Greenville hosted a Food Pantry Summit attended by 65 champions representing food pantries from across the region. The summit focused on enhancing pantry operations through culturally appropriate offerings, promoting healthier food choices, embracing client choice pantry models, and exploring the use of artificial intelligence to improve fundraising and distribution models.

LiveWell Greenville’s HEAL Board

The HEAL Board of LiveWell Greenville is a community engagement board composed of members from across Greenville County, who are passionate about advancing healthy eating, active living, and fostering a sense of belonging. Established in 2021, the board has been actively developing a co-created recruitment model for new members – shifting from a community-informed to a community-led process. Prospective members are invited to attend the April board meeting before deciding whether to join.

Building Brighter Tomorrows through Community Health Innovations

This spring, the Institute for the Advancement of Community Health (IACH) continued to promote innovation and collaboration through a series of grant-related initiatives. The annual Community Health Forum, Building Brighter Tomorrows through Community Health Innovations, featured Dr. Brian Castrucci of the de Beaumont Foundation as the keynote speaker. Following the forum, grant team members participated in a specialized workshop titled Talking Health: A New Way to Communicate About Public Health.

South Carolina Public Health Association’s Annual Meeting

At the South Carolina Public Health Association’s Annual Meeting in Myrtle Beach, IACH Post-doctoral Training Coordinator Megan Richmond represented the program to promote its community engagement fellowship. On March 11, 2025, Dr. Melissa Fair led a dynamic panel discussion on the role of authentic community input in shaping research, urban planning, health assessments, and care delivery.

National Nutrition Month Event

In honor of National Nutrition Month, Hannah McKinnon, Project Research Associate, and Dr. Abagail Horton, Research and Evaluation Manager, volunteered with FoodShare to pack produce boxes. Their efforts supported increased access to fresh, affordable produce in the local community.

foodshare event: Photo of Hannah McKinnon and Abagai

IACH and LiveWell Greenville Retreat

On April 4, 2025, the Institute for the Advancement of Community Health and LiveWell Greenville’s Partner Hub hosted a full-day retreat for grant project partners. Utilizing community-based participatory research (CBPR) tools, attendees co-created a shared “River of Life”, clarified partner roles, and identified a collective North Star to guide their future collaborative and equity-centered efforts.

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