31 Oct Help Mill Village Farms Win $25,000

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” — Jeremiah 29:7

 
The greater Sullivan neighborhood in Greenville is characterized by staggering statistics—only 22.9% have a high school graduation or equivalent, only 38.2% are in owner-occupied housing, and nearly 36.8% live below the poverty level. Within these communities, 28.6% have SNAP (food stamp) benefits compared to 11.5% of the state and 9.6% in the Greenville metro area. There is a great need in this neighborhood, and Mill Community Ministries is looking to make an impact.

Mill Community Ministries (MCM) is a faith-based organization that began in 2012 as a culturally engaged ministry of Grace Church. Launched as Mill Village Farms, the organization applied the lessons learned from experiences in the small rural community of Allendale, South Carolina, to serve the under resourced communities in the historic mill villages of Greenville, SC.

Recognizing the opportunity to expand the efforts of the ministry beyond the fiscal, volunteer reach, and sustainability of its members, the leadership of Grace Church created Mill Community Ministries as an independent non-profit organization seeking support of community partners. Originally funded exclusively by Grace Church, funding is now derived from independent donors and like-minded community organizations.

Today, Mill Community Ministries is the umbrella non-profit organization that provides fiscal sponsorship for Mill Village Farms, The Village Wrench, and Nasha Lending. The purpose of all of these operational endeavors is to build relationships, leverage resources, and empower individuals to transform their communities.

MCM has a goal to reach 80-100 youth, ages 14-18, in the Greenville community, including the greater Sullivan neighborhood, with employment and training opportunities at Mill Village Farms, as well as assisting at least 10 inner-city teens to find meaningful employment at other local businesses. You can make this a possibility!

Through State Farm’s Neighborhood Assist program, MCM is eligible for a $25,000 grant. This funding will allow them to provide the necessary employment and training opportunities in the community as well as enable these youths and teens to learn crucial communication, interviewing, and resume-building soft skills.

Support the work of Mill Village Farms by voting today. You can cast 10 votes once a day. Voting ends at the end of this week.

More information about Mill Community Ministries:

Mill Village Farms was established with a mission to grow food and grow jobs in under-resourced communities of Greenville. The organization’s vision is to transform communities by developing successful youth entrepreneurs through sustainable agriculture and educational empowerment. Mill Village Farms was the foundational ministry of Mill Community Ministries.

Village Wrench provides free bike repair as well as bike learning and earning opportunities for residents in West Greenville that often depend on a bicycle as their main mode of transportation.

Nasha Lending equips under-resourced community entrepreneurs with business training, personal development, and no-interest micro loans.