The Mary Black Foundation has made a $6 million investment in a new initiative, a community-wide action plan for mental and behavioral health.
Vital Spartanburg aims to address the mental health crisis in the community by bringing together healthcare providers, nonprofits, municipalities and philanthropists to pilot innovative programs and expand existing work. The $6 million investment will be used over the next five years to launch the program, which was created based on public input from a community needs assessment.
“The plan will launch new, innovative efforts, but it will also support and grow the many effective programs and initiatives already taking place in Spartanburg,” said Molly Talbot Metz, President and CEO of the Mary Black Foundation.
According to Foundation officials, the investment is a direct result of the unexpected $8 million gift from MacKenzie Scott four years ago. The gift was given in November 2022 to support the Foundation’s mission to invest in the improved health and wellbeing of Spartanburg County residents.
“Funders and service providers worked closely together throughout the process. The decision to develop a plan, the process of creating the plan, funding of the plan, and the execution and evaluation of the plan have all been designed in collaboration,” said Rochelle Williams, Chief Strategy Officer for the Mary Black Foundation.
Officials say Vital Spartanburg was created with the help of representatives from more than 40 organizations over the course of 18 months. The program aims to keep three key priorities at the forefront of its work:
Improve mental well-being of children and families.
Promote well-being of those struggling with severe mental illness.
Support individuals and families impacted by substance use disorders.
To learn more about Vital Spartanburg, visit https://www.vitalspartanburg.org/. More information on the Mary Black Foundation can be found on their website.
