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Serve & Connect along with several local organizations and residents gathered at the Palmetto Terrace in North Columbia on Feb. 26 for the third annual Empowerment for Peace Walk under the theme, “Restore the Village: the Tipping Point.”

The strength and resilience of a community coming together over calls for peace were the setting for the third annual Restore the Village: Peace Walk. This year, as with years prior, we are continually appreciative and encouraged by our community’s commitment to a collective mission for peace. Thanks to the voices of North Columbian citizens, this year’s North Columbia Empowerment for Peace Walk event was an undeniable success, moving us one step closer to a safer, more cooperative community for all.

On Sunday, February 26th, more than 200 community members joined together alongside law enforcement officers from local and county departments to highlight youth leadership and encourage community-wide support for peace over violence.

The event began at noon with a community-building event at the Palmetto Terrace community. Participants gathered for a sign-making event to help them express their support and make their voices heard. Community leaders, community violence survivors, and police voices were shared along the march route starting at the Palmetto Terrace community traveling one and a half miles through the Booker Washington Heights Community, Colony Apartments, North Pointe Estates, and ending at a block party at Bayberry Mews community basketball court.

“This is a call to action that originated purely out of the community,” shared Erica Staley, Columbia Coordinator with Serve & Connect, “Community members wanted to take a symbolic stand against gun violence, to acknowledge the lives lost, but to also affirm life. This walk is a walk for peace, a walk to uplift youth, a walk for partners to join together in a stand symbolically and literally against gun violence.”

Thank you to all of our Columbia friends and neighbors who joined us for this year’s event! Special thanks to the City of Columbia, Columbia Police Department, Richland County, and Richland County Sheriff’s Department for their partnership with the North Columbia Youth Empowerment Initiative in organizing this year’s walk.

North Columbia Youth Empowerment Initiative Empowerment for Peace Walk: The Tipping Point
02/26/2023
Video: Palmetto Moose Productions

Serve & Connect is proud to share a glimpse into our impact from 2022. Our work takes a team, and we are grateful to all who continue to support our mission. We envision a future where police and citizens across our country work together as one community to address the root causes of crime and promote safety and thriving. We are committed to working hard to make this vision a reality. Below is a collection of our 2022 Impact, made possible thanks to our partners and supporters.

Thanksgiving-themed event brings together police and community throughout Lexington County

Lexington, SC – On Tuesday, November 22 from 12-4pm at the Icehouse Amphitheater in Lexington, Serve and Connect will partner with First Community Bank, Town of Lexington, Lexington Sheriff’s Department, Cayce Police Department, West Columbia Police Department, Uplift Lexington County, and Si Se Puede to host Bountiful Harvest. This multi-agency event aims at bringing neighbors together while we pack free, non-perishable boxes of food called Greg’s Groceries. Items will be Thanksgiving themed so every family can celebrate the holidays. There will be a free meal for all, as well as music and a resource fair for people of all ages to enjoy.

“Partnerships and outreach to our community are part of our ongoing strategic plan and Bountiful Harvest continues to be an event where we see how our department, our community partners, and Serve & Connect can positively impact those in need on so many different levels”, Chief Terrence Green from Lexington Police Department said. “Greg’s Groceries boxes provide Thanksgiving meals to families who might not have a holiday dinner otherwise, our many partners have an opportunity to introduce their services to those in need, and sitting down for lunch together creates a chance for conversations that officers may never have otherwise.  There’s so much value in that on so many different levels.”

WHAT: Free community event hosted by multiple agencies including packing holiday food boxes, free meals to share, music, and a resource fair. This multi-agency approach aims to bring partners and members of the community together to spread some extra love before Thanksgiving.

WHEN: Tuesday November 22

• Packing of holiday food boxes begins at 10AM

• Community event including holiday food box give away open from 12-4pm

WHO: Lexington Police Department, West Columbia Police Department, Lexington County Sheriffs Department, Cayce Police Department, Serve & Connect, First Community Bank SC, PASOs, Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, SC Developmental Disabilities Counciol, The Hive Community Circle, Lighthouse for Life, SC Victim Assistance Network, Ezekiel Ministries, Post Trauma Resources, Pathways to Healing, The Courage Cente4r, Lexington One Adult Education, South Carolina Department of Mental Health

WHERE: Icehouse Amphitheater

107 W Main Street

Lexington SC, 29072

About Serve & Connect

Serve & Connect is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that aims to ignite positive change through police-community partnerships. Kassy Alia Ray founded the organization in memory of her late husband, Officer Gregory Alia, who was killed in the line of duty in 2015. Backed by evidence-based practices designed to fuel collaboration, Serve & Connect provides the tools, training and technical assistance necessary for police departments, local organizations, leaders and residents to work together to improve community outcomes. 

Columbia, SC — The North Columbia Youth Empowerment Initiative (NCYEI) joined Serve & Connect and its community partners to host the upcoming “Serving Up Thanks” series. The events are funded by the Byrnes Criminal Justice Innovation grant from the Department of Justice (DOJ). Serve & Connect was one of 20 grant recipients by the DOJ last year to support the department’s criminal justice innovation efforts to address serious and violent crime issues through collaborative cross-sector approaches that help advance broader neighborhood development goals. “Serving Up Thanks” will span the week of Thanksgiving to promote peace in North Columbia through cooperative action and support.

The first event will bring together the Neighborhood Council of Empowered Residents (NCER) Meeting and Serve & Connect’s Greg’s Groceries program at Gable Oaks Apartments on Monday, Nov. 21, from 5-7 p.m. The meeting will promote dialogue centered on food access and creating a path to peace. The Columbia Police Department will also host a Greg’s Groceries packing event.

The second event will be on Tuesday, Nov. 22, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1003 Colleton Street, Columbia, SC 29203. NCYEI will host the “Serving Up Thanks” Resource Fair + Harvest Hope Food Bank event in collaboration with community partners, including Belmont Community Association, Gable Oaks Apartments, New Jerusalem Interdenominational Church (Harvest Hope Food Bank agency) and the Knowledge is Power Coalition. Attending resource/service providers include: CAN Community Health, Pathways to Healing, Moms Demand Action & the Survivor Network, LRADAC, SC Thrive, DMH Columbia Area Mental Health Center, Prisma Health, Cooperative Health, Dominion Energy’s Customer Assistance Outreach, Senior Resources, and Richland Library.

The series’ final event will be held on Thanksgiving Day with a “Serving Up Thanks” Thanksgiving meal delivery from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Neighborhood residents and volunteers are invited to join NCYEI in coordinated Thanksgiving meal delivery to members of the 29203 community. Meals for “Serving Up Thanks” will be provided courtesy of The Village at Southlake independent living community in Lexington, SC and Cooperative Health.

“The holidays mean celebration and abundance for many, but not all of us. Together, we can support, inform, and uplift our neighbors in need right where they are,” shares Erica Staley, Serve & Connect’s North Columbia site coordinator. “The most meaningful part of “Serving Up Thanks” is the chance it gives us to show up for each other as one community – not just in what we say, but in what we do. We’re thankful for the ability to serve, the dedicated partners alongside us, and the opportunity to show our community that we care.”

Individuals interested in participating in the “Serving Up Thanks” events can register online: https://forms.gle/Dhp2x6jmfxjLDi7AA.

As an extension of Serve & Connect, the NCYEI continues the organization’s mission of coordination and strategic alignment among groups already making a difference in the lives of North Columbia’s neighborhood children. Together with community leaders, Serve & Connect has focused on bringing positive change through sustainable police-community partnerships in North Columbia. The evidence-informed work conducted in North Columbia has led to an expansion of similar programs in Kershaw, Lexington, Fairfield and Orangeburg counties.

ABOUT NORTH COLUMBIA YOUTH EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE

The North Columbia Youth Empowerment Initiative was established in collaboration with the Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Office, Serve & Connect and community leaders to foster police and community partnerships that empower the lives of neighborhood children and youth in the 29203 region.

ABOUT SERVE & CONNECT

Serve & Connect is a Columbia-based nonprofit that works directly with law enforcement, community stakeholders, and citizen leaders to address root causes of crime and promote safety so everyone thrives. For more information, visit serveandconnect.org.

We are thrilled to share that we were featured in Good Morning America! The news story highlights our Greg’s Groceries program and our recent statewide “Beyond the Box” packing event hosted in October.

Thank you, Good Morning America, for sharing our story and spreading the good news! Thank you also to everyone who made this possible, especially our presenting sponsor, Walmart!

We are so proud to uplift the tremendous work being done across our state by many officers working in partnership with their community. A special note of appreciation to Columbia Police Department Chief Skip Holbrook and Pastor T.A. Belton for being a part of this story.

Hosted in partnership with Florence Police Department and City of Florence, Key sponsor by Duke Energy

Florence, SC – On Tuesday, November 15 at 3pm at Northwest Park in Florence, the Florence Police Department and the City of Florence will partner with Serve & Connect and Duke Energy to host Bountiful Harvest. The event aims at bringing neighbors together while we pack free, non-perishable boxes of food called Greg’s Groceries. Items will be Thanksgiving themed so every family can celebrate the holidays. Two-hundered boxes will be available to residents in need for no cost and will be delivered on a first-come, first-served basis. There will be a free meal for all, as well as music, games, and a resource fair for people of all ages to enjoy. This event is rain or shine.

Florence Police Chief Allen Heidler shared the following words regarding their partnership with Serve & Connect, “The Florence Police Department is excited to be working with the staff of Serve and Connect and the Gregs Groceries program. We are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to improve our outreach within the City of Florence. Gregs Groceries, through Serve and Connect, will not only afford us another opportunity to connect with our community during the packing event, it will also provide officers with an avenue to immediately help individuals and families who have fallen on hard times with a boxed meal. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.”

WHAT: Free community event including packing holiday food boxes, free meals to share, games, music, and a resource fair. This will be used as an opportunity to create neighborly bonds and build relationships between members of the community and FPD.

WHEN: Tuesday November 15 from 3-6pm

WHERE: Northwest Park, Northwest Community Center, 801 Clement Street, Florence, SC 29501

HOST PARTNERS:  Florence Police Department, City of Florence, Duke Energy, Serve & Connect

ADDITIONAL PARTNERS: SLED, South Carolina Department of Public Safety, SC Works, Florence         Housing Authority, United States Army, Pee Dee Mental Health Center, McLeod Safe Kids, Pee Dee Coalition, Florence County Central Dispatch

About Serve & Connect

Serve & Connect is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that aims to ignite positive change through police-community partnerships. Kassy Alia Ray founded the organization in memory of her late husband, Officer Gregory Alia, who was killed in the line of duty in 2015. Backed by evidence-based practices designed to fuel collaboration, Serve & Connect provides the tools, training and technical assistance necessary for police departments, local organizations, leaders and residents to work together to improve community outcomes. 

On October 6th, 2022, law enforcement officers from nearly fifty agencies across South Carolina gathered with community partners and volunteers at our Greg’s Groceries “Beyond the Box” Statewide Packing Day. Together, we packed 2,000 boxes of nonperishable food to be distributed in the community.

This packing day’s theme, “Beyond the Box,” showcased the impact of Greg’s Groceries. A box of Greg’s Groceries is so much more than a box of food. It’s an opportunity for officers and community members to connect with another. As part
of going “Beyond the Box,” we hosted a resource fair for the first time at a statewide packing event providing information regarding mental health, COVID-19, domestic violence, housing, human trafficking, youth services, substance
abuse, suicide prevention and more. Walmart generously supplied us with food valued at $30,000 and gave a $30,000 monetary contribution for a total of $60,000. We are grateful for their support and generosity. “We are thrilled to
partner with Serve & Connect on this incredibly vital mission,” shared Brian Little, Walmart’s director of global communications. “Access to food is essential for growth, but there are many other pieces in the puzzle of success. We
hope to help spread education and access to these important tools within our community.”

Since last fall, Greg’s Groceries has grown significantly, with 70% of South Carolina counties having a participating department. The growth of this program has been made possible by our sponsors and partners, with a special thank you
to our Beyond the Box Sponsors Walmart, Americans for Prosperity, and Lake Murray Event Rentals. We also want to thank AT&T, FirstNet, and the South Carolina Bar Foundation for serving as Founding Partners for Greg’s Groceries.
Thanks to their incredible support, we are presently working with 62 active Greg’s Groceries partners. Demonstrating their commitment to community relations, representatives from nearly fifty agencies including the South Carolina Law
Enforcement Division and the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, gathered at the Walmart on Forest Drive in Columbia, SC to assemble and pack 2,000 boxes of nonperishable food for their communities. Each box can feed a family of
four for one week. “SLED is proud to partner with Serve & Connect,” said SLED Chief Mark Keel. “SLED’s Community Relations Agents utilize the Greg’s Groceries boxes to help support struggling families in our communities. Working
together is how we create a safer state, no matter if you come from a big city or a small town. Food box packing days bring us together and show that we all have the same mission – to help people.” Departments and officers were
recognized for their outstanding work with the Greg’s Groceries program in their communities over the last year.

DEPARTMENT IMPACT AWARDS

We were honored to recognize police departments and individual officers for their impact this past year. We had so many amazing departments doing incredible work, building trust and supporting residents in need, and we wanted to
recognize them all! Thankfully, our Serve & Connect Ambassadors helped us to review feedback from the Greg’s Groceries tracking forms to identify agencies that shined over the past year in terms of the number of boxes delivered; the
diversity of ways boxes were delivered; the number of officers within an agency involved in the program; and stories of impact showcasing how the boxes are used to impact lives. Guided by this scoring rubric, we presented awards to the
following departments and individual officers. We were so thankful to have Andrea Mock, Anchor for WLTX News, as our emcee for this special event.

Small Agency of the Year

• Camden Police Department

Medium Agency of the Year

• Orangeburg Department of Public Safety

Large Agency of the Year

• Columbia Police Department

Individual Impact Awards

• Chief Jim Stewart, Anderson Police Department
• Special Agent Tempestt Hough, SLED
• Officer Fernanda Tilley, Charleston Police Department

We also presented a special Champion Award to Ryan Alphin, Founding Board Member for Serve & Connect and Executive Affairs Director for SLED. Ryan has been instrumental in launching Greg’s Groceries since we began in 2017. His
dedication and commitment have helped the program grow statewide.

Serve & Connect will host its 14th Greg’s Groceries Packing Day on Oct. 6, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Walmart on Forest Drive in Columbia, SC. Greg’s Groceries, the signature initiative of the nonprofit’s Compassionate Acts Program, provides thousands of boxes of non-perishable food to individuals and families in need. The community-impact event is sponsored by Walmart, a Serve & Connect national brand partner, and Americans for Prosperity.

The event’s efforts are supported by Serve & Connect partners, such as the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS), and will bring together officers from more than 50 South Carolina police departments with community and partner volunteers to pack 2,000 non-perishable food care packages that feed families of four for up to one week.

“SLED is proud to partner with Serve & Connect,” said SLED Chief Mark Keel. “SLED’s Community Relations Agents utilize the Greg’s Groceries boxes to help support struggling families in our communities. Working together is how we create a safer state, no matter if you come from a big city or a small town. Food box packing days bring us together and show that we all have the same mission – to help people.”

Inspired by Walmart, this packing day’s theme, “Beyond the Box,” shows how the impact of Greg’s Groceries goes beyond the box of food and acts as a connection between police and community members. In addition to packing non-perishable food care packages, attendees will have the opportunity to go “Beyond the Box” at an on-site resource fair providing information regarding mental health, COVID-19, domestic violence, housing, human trafficking, youth services, substance abuse, suicide prevention and more. An awards luncheon recognizing local law enforcement will conclude the day.

“We are thrilled to partner with Serve & Connect on this incredibly vital mission,” shared Brian Little, Walmart’s director of global communications. “Access to food is essential for growth, but there are many other pieces in the puzzle of success. We hope to help spread education and access to these important tools within our community.”

Greg’s Groceries is the only statewide initiative of its kind in America. Founded in 2017 to honor fallen police officer Greg Alia, the program has held more than 14 packing events providing over 10,000 meals to families in need. To date, Greg’s Groceries has 70% of all South Carolina counties participating in the program and is represented by more than 50 local departments and two state agencies. For a complete list of participating departments, see www.serveandconnect.org/gregs-groceries.

ABOUT SERVE & CONNECT

Serve & Connect is a SC-based nonprofit that works directly with law enforcement, community stakeholders, and citizen leaders to create police and community partnerships that bring about positive change and promotes safe, happy and resilient communities. For more information, visit serveandconnect.org.

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At Serve & Connect, we envision a future where police and citizens are working together as one community to address the root causes of crime and promote safety so everyone can thrive. We recognize that to fulfill our mission and inspire positive change we must work in tandem with police and community partners who, like us, believe it is possible to bring about healing and change in police-community relationships.

The City of Columbia Police Department has been one of our closest partners since the founding of our organization. Early in our work, we identified that addressing violence, especially among at-risk youth, was a priority for both police and community partners. In response, we worked with Columbia Police Department to launch the North Columbia Youth Empowerment Initiative in 2018 to bring police and community partners together to address the causes of violence and cultivate a community where youth can thrive. Thanks to the work done in collaboration with these partners, Serve & Connect was able to apply for and successfully receive a federal grant last year to help fund evidence-based solutions for a community-driven approach to gun violence reduction. This work will be designed and implemented in partnership with our police and community partners, who have been essential to this work since day one.

We are optimistic to hear of the Mayor’s proposal to establish an Office of Gun Violence Prevention. This type of leadership will help support the sustainability of efforts such as the activities funded by our federal grant. Addressing gun violence requires a comprehensive strategy that engages many partners. No one can do this work alone. We are proud to work alongside the many amazing organizations and individuals who live and serve in our city to advance toward a safer, brighter future for us all.

ABOUT THE NORTH COLUMBIA YOUTH EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE

The North Columbia Youth Empowerment Initiative was established in collaboration with the Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Serve & Connect, and community leaders to foster police and community partnerships that empower the lives of neighborhood children and youth in the 29203 region. The initiative is funded by a Byrnes Criminal Justice Innovation grant from the Department of Justice.

ABOUT SERVE & CONNECT

Serve & Connect is a SC-based nonprofit that works directly with law enforcement, community stakeholders, and citizen leaders to create police and community partnerships that bring about positive change and promote safe, happy and resilient communities. The NCYEI is a Serve & Connect Compass Partner Community. Compass is Serve & Connect’s program focused on facilitating local movements where police and citizen partners are working together to tackle significant community challenges. For more information, visit serveandconnect.org.

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To learn more about Serve & Connect’s grant and history of work in this
space, click on the buttons below.

Serve & Connect was honored to take part in the Be Safe Summer Series Grand Finale Block Party on August 11 in partnership with the City of Columbia Police Department, City of Columbia, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Columbia Parks and Recreation and Booker Washington Heights Neighborhood Association. The event was co-hosted with North Columbia Youth Empowerment Initiative (NCYEI), a community policing program focused on creating a community where youth can thrive. With guidance from Serve & Connect, NCYEI is working toward a common goal of infusing resources, building relationships and lifting up local leaders and their vision for positive change. Thursday’s event provided the community an opportunity to meet and interact with local law enforcement while building community camaraderie. Thanks to our partners, attendees enjoyed music, food, games, bounce houses, a free vaccine clinic and more.

The block party for the Columbia community was part of the nationwide Summer of Healing initiative through Heal America, a series of local events across the country that bring together people of different backgrounds and perspectives to fight racial injustice. Thank you to Heal America Co-Chair, Rev. Dr. DeForest “Buster” Soaries Jr., Summer of Healing Ambassador, Leon Ford, and U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina, Adair Boroughs for their attendance and contributions as we work together to further our mission. Thank you also to Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, City of Columbia Police Chief William Holbrook, Bishop James Mack, Pastor for Bible Way Church of Christ, and Ms. Regina E. Williams, President of the Booker Washington Heights Neighborhood Association for participating in our program. We can accomplish so much when we work together. 💙

READ MEDIA COVERAGE: Serve and Connect Hosting ‘Be safe Block Party’, Free gunlocks available Thursday, August 11, at Columbia event, Party with law enforcement at Serve & Connect’s free Be Safe Summer Block Party!