SAM Secures $1M Promise Neighborhood Grant to Support Southside Community

Spartanburg, S.C. –The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Spartanburg Academic Movement (SAM) $945,308 over two years through the Promise Neighborhoods program. SAM was one of seven organizations in the United States to receive a collective $7 million in grant funding.

SAM’s grant will address systemic challenges and support students and families in the Southside of Spartanburg, providing essential resources to improve educational outcomes and strengthen community well-being in this historically underserved area.

The Southside Promise Blueprint initiative will focus on four key schools in Spartanburg School District 7: Mary H. Wright Elementary, E.P. Todd Elementary, Carver Middle School, and Spartanburg High School. The initiative aims to improve student achievement, enhance family supports, and foster a stronger community.

Specifically, the grant will support early childhood education with family navigation services to ensure children enter school ready to learn, student progression programs to enhance student engagement and transitions through school, dual enrollment opportunities and work-based learning programs and internships for high school students. The grant includes family and community engagement initiatives including the Strengthening Families program to support families and reduce behavioral challenges and mental health supports through service access to address trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The grant will establish a youth advisory council to incorporate community voices into decision making and provide rapid-resource microgrants to empower local organizations meeting immediate community needs.

This grant represents a collaborative effort to integrate education, health, and social services that will help families overcome barriers and build brighter futures. The initiative will track progress through key metrics, including improved school readiness, higher attendance rates, and increased family engagement.

“This grant is a testament to what’s possible when a community comes together with a shared vision and a common agenda to support children and families,” said Dr. Russell Booker, Chief Executive Officer of Spartanburg Academic Movement. “This grant draws from previous work by the community focusing on youth services, high-quality education program and health and wellness. It’s centered on laying a greater foundation for generational change. Collectively, we are creating a brighter future for our students, families, and the entire community.”

The initiative is rooted in collaboration with local stakeholders including SAM, the City of Spartanburg, Spartanburg School District 7, Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, Strategic Spartanburg, South Converse, Liberty Heights, Forest Park Neighborhood Associations, and the other place-based organizations on the Southside.

Dr. Larry Crudup, Pastor of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, an integral partner in the initiative, expressed the church’s enthusiasm for joining this effort. “Mt. Moriah has long been a cornerstone of the Southside community and its schools. This grant aligns with our history of service and our mission to ignite hearts, engage humanity, and transform lives. We are honored to play a role in building a brighter future for the children and families of this community.

Other communities awarded Promise Neighborhood grants this year include Austin Voices for Education and Youth, Austin, Texas, Jubilee Park and Community Center Corp., Waco, Texas, Oakland Promise, Oakland, CA, United Way of Central Alabama, Inc., Birmingham, Ala., The Pritchard Committee for Academic Excellence, Lexington, KY and Indian Township of Tribal Government, Princeton, Maine.