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| Dear Spartanburg Community,  Happy July! We hope that your summer has been wonderful and that you have been able to stay cool while participating in all the wonderful outdoor events that Spartanburg has to offer. Our office has been bustling with activity over the past month. Our team has grown in size with two wonderful new additions to our staff, our garden is producing beautiful vegetables, and we have been hosting visitors from all over the state- including SC Thrive and SC Legal Services. Please read on to learn more about what is going on around our office and in our community! Thank you for all your support of AccessHealth Spartanburg and our community. If you have any feedback, comments, or suggestions, please send them to [email protected].
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AccessHealth Spartanburg is pleased to announce the addition of two new staff members!
Brook Henderson, MSW is joining the AccessHealth Staff as a Social Work Care Navigator.
Brook is a native of Union County. She earned a Bachelor's Degree in Soial Work from Limestone College and a Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of South Carolina. Brook is responsible for connecting clients to vital resources throughout Spartanburg County while serving as the primary social worker for AccessHealth Spartanburg. Brook comes to AHS from Spartanburg Regional Hospice, where she worked as programs Volunteer Coordinator for over 6 years. Brook enjoys being active in her church, spending time with her family and friends, and exercising.
Cartia Higgins will be responsible for client case management and resource navigation in her role of Community Case Worker for HOPS (Healthy Outcomes Program Spartanburg). Cartia spent one year at Spartanburg Methodist College studying to be a paralegal before graduating from Spartanburg Community College with a degree in business management. She has two years of nursing home experience and six years of patient care experience. Outside of work, Cartia enjoys hair modeling, working out, traveling, and enjoying her dog, friends, and family.
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| Our community garden has been thriving with the warm summer weather. Our carrots are ready to harvest and our tomatoes are ripening with each day. Check out the following pictures of our wonderful produce!  
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Spartanburg Through the Eyes of the Homeless
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One hundred people experiencing homelessness in Spartanburg County were given an unique opportunity to document their daily lives and create art through photography. Each individual was given a disposable camera and one week to take pictures of what inspired them. In the words of Pastor Jason Williams, the creator of the project, "These photographers may be homeless, but they do not have to be hopeless, nameless or voiceless."
The top twenty photos from the project have been printed and are on display at the Chapman Cultural Center throughout the month of July (10am-5pm M-Sat, 1pm-5pm Sun). Donation boxes are placed beside each picture and the amount of money each picture raises will be used to determine the top three photographs. The winning photographers will receive personalized prizes. According to Williams, "We realize those affected by homelessness don't all have the same experience. One person might need a pair of shoes. Someone else might need new clothes for a job interview. Another might want a tent. We are going to leave the final decisions up to the winners." At the end of the exhibition, the twenty pictures will be auctioned off. Money raised from the donations and the auction will be given to local organizations that help those affected by homelessness.
Homelessness is an enormous barrier to healthcare. At AccessHealth Spartanburg, we partner with local organizations to help our clients secure shelter, housing, and necessities. Please consider attending the exhibition to see some amazing artwork, learn more about homelessness in Spartanburg County, and raise money for our hardworking partners.
For more information, visit:
Through Our Eyes. The included picture was taken by a participating photographer and was borrowed from the Through Our Eyes Instagram account.
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Celebrate Health During the Month of July
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July is National Blueberry Month. Blueberries are low in calories and dense in nutrients, making them a great addition to any healthy diet. Blueberries contain high levels of antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese. Several studies show that blueberries can assist the body in protecting DNA from damage that contributes to aging and cancer. In addition, blueberries may lower blood pressure, help to prevent heart disease, and help maintain brain function and improve memory. For more information on the health benefits of blueberries, visit:
Authority Nutrition.
July is National UV Safety Month. The skin is the largest organ of the human body and it is important to protect it from harmful UV rays. In order to protect against skin damage, the following precautions need to be taken: wear proper clothing that covers and protects the skin, use sunglasses and hats when you go outside, seek out shade between the hours of 10am and 4pm when UV rays are the strongest, use extra caution around reflective surfaces (water, sand, snow), apply and reapply broad spectrum sunscreen, and use caution at higher altitudes where there is less atmosphere to absorb UV radiation. These sun safety tips were published by the
Department of Federal Occupational Health.
July is also National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, "approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. will experience mental illness in a given year. African Americans and Hispanic Americans used mental health services at about one half the rate of Caucasian Americans in the past year and Asian Americans at about one third the rate." National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month aims to improve access to mental health services and promote public awareness of mental illness, especially amongst minority populations. The dissemination of information is especially important, because "individuals living with serious mental illness face an increased risk of having chronic medical conditions. Adults in the U.S. living with serious mental illness die on average 25 years earlier than others, largely due to treatable medical conditions." For more information on National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, visit the
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
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| Summer is here! Please consider an in-kind donation of summer items. Our clients are in need of the following warm weather items:
Sunscreen
Bug Spray
Reusable Water Bottles
Sunglasses
Deodorant (Men's and Women's)
Soap & Shampoo
Please note that all toiletry items must be unopened and unused in order to be accepted as donations. If you have any questions regarding donations, please contact
[email protected].
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July 4th is the Red, White and Boom Celebration at Barnet Park (248 E. St. John Street). The event runs from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Gates will be open at 5:00 pm. There will be fantastic food, music, and a spectacular fireworks show. General Admission is $5. For more information, visit : Red, White and Boom. 
July 16th is part of the Movies in the Park Event Series sponsored by Hub City Church. The movie on July 16th is Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It will be played at Barnet Park and will run from 8:15 pm to 11:00 pm. Admission is free! Popcorn and soda will also be provided free of charge. Make sure to bring lawn chairs and a blanket! For more information, visit: HCC- Movies in the Park.  July 8th-23rd is the South Carolina Peach Festival held in Gaffney, SC. The three weekend long festival includes the following events and activities: inflatables, a dessert contest, a scavenger hunt, a peach eating contest, a 5k/10k race, a dog show, a pageant, a truck and tractor pull, a talent show, a golf tournament, arts and crafts, a carnival, a parade, a car show, a BBQ cookoff, a corn hole tournament, a battle of the bands, wrestling, mud bog, and more! For more information, visit: South Carolina Peach Festival.
If you have any community shout outs that you would like us to share in our August newsletter, please email
[email protected].
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If you would like to support
and contribute to
AccessHealth's mission click
HERE!
In Good Health,
AccessHealth Spartanburg
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