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Celebrating 20 Years: Strengthening Voices® Through The Grassroots Leadership Development Institute
In 2024, the Foundation's Grassroots Leadership Development Institute (GLDI) celebrated its 20th anniversary. Launched in 2004 as the Strengthening Voices® initiative under the leadership of Mary L. Thomas, and sustained through a partnership with the City of Spartanburg, this seven-month training program equips participants with the knowledge, skills, and resources to create positive change across the community.
Designed to amplify the voice of individuals who were affected by the complex issues that the community was trying to address, GLDI became the catalyst for launching the Foundation into a focus on impactful community leadership work. Through the years, GLDI has graduated leaders from neighborhood, nonprofit, business, government, and faith communities. The cross section of individuals represented in the Alumni Association reflects a shared purpose in making the Spartanburg County community the best place to live, work, and play.
In recognition of GLDI’s 20th Anniversary, the GLDI Alumni Association planned a series of events, unveiling a Leadership Library in the Center for Philanthropy, touring communities that have been transformed over 20 years, and engaging in 20 Weeks of Service. The initiative’s 20-year milestone would have culminated in an Anniversary Celebration and Graduation of the Class of 2024. After Hurricane Helene hit the community, planned celebratory activities shifted. In a true testament to the values embedded in the initiative's training, the Foundation and Alumni Association quickly pivoted the celebratory focus to serving the community. Several current class members and alumni joined forces – assisting with food distributions, cleanup efforts, debris removal, and helping local nonprofits continue their work in the face of hardships.
Honoring the 20 years of impact made through the Grassroots Leadership Development Institute, the Foundation invited GLDI alumni to nominate and vote to select 20 nonprofit organizations working across Spartanburg County to receive "Just Because" grants totaling $20,000. These grants were awarded to: Access Health, Beauty Marks for Girls, Believers’ Fellowship Assembly, CLIMB Fund, Big Brothers Big Sisters Upstate, Girls on the Run, Hope Center for Children, Hope Remains Ranch, Legacy of Love Outreach, LifeWorks SC, Project R.E.S.T, Ruth’s Gleanings, Stone Soup Storytelling Institute, Temple Education Ministries, The Bridge at Green Street, Butterfly Foundation, Bloom Upstate, Healthy Smiles, Speaking Down Barriers, and Benjamin E. Mays Family Resource Center.
Hear from several graduates of GLDI and how being apart of the program impacted them:
“Being a part of GLDI is one of the best decisions I made for myself. It really transformed Spartanburg for me, gave me a new toolset as a leader, and grew my network of partners and friends. Continuing to be connected with GLDI is a commitment to an organization that has really poured so much into me. One of my former students is a member of the current GLDI class. It’s a way for people to continue growing and learning and building the partnerships and networks that are having a huge impact on Spartanburg." - Dr. Alysa Handelsman, Assistant Professor of Anthropology & Community Sustainability Specialist, Wofford College
“Coming to this leadership class has built my character. I have made relationships and connections with people that I never would've thought I would've been able to connect with.”- Freddie Smith Volunteer, Highland Neighborhood Association
“GLDI has had a huge impact on my personal and professional development. I've seen the value of connectivity and what we can do when we come together and try to build something greater. Spartanburg County as a whole has truly benefited from GLDI, the leaders that have come from it, expound that kind of proficiency and we're just in a better position because of it.”- Cord Sgaglio, Assistant Park Operations Manager, Spartanburg County Parks & Recreation
“I thought I knew a lot about my community, but going through this program, I've learned that we are better together and by partnering with others you can create a lasting effect in your community. Now I'm very intentional in building relationships with others in my community so that we can make a better and greater impact together.”- Kishia Dolata, Realtor, Caldwell Banker Caine
To learn more about GLDI and hear from other graduates visit bit.ly/SPCF-GLDI or watch our 2025 Annual Film here.
