A Community Analysis: A Tool of the Macro Social Worker

Often people only think of social workers and mental health providers as only people who work on a micro, or individual, level. That is not always true. Many work on a larger scale to try and address the needs of entire communities or even larger areas. These are called macro workers and, while a more rare creature than the micro worker, they are just as, if not more so, important. One of the major tools they need is the community analysis in order to identify needs in their communities and begin to take action to rectify the problems by mobilizing public, business and non-profits by presenting their findings in the following type of format. Later I will show how a grant proposal is done to get the funds necessary to, in this case, address the lack of mental health and resources for the poor in a community in SC.

History

Traveler's Rest is a small city in the Upstate of South Carolina. Greenville County, this region is steeped in history. In the book Traveler's Rest at Mountains Foot by Mildred W. Goodlett, the author provides one of the most comprehensive histories of the region (1966). According to Goodlett, the region was inhabited by the Native Americans (primarily Cherokee and Catawba), prior to 1755 when the Governor of South Carolina entered into treaty with the Cherokee Nation. As part of the treaty, the Cherokee ceded part of their lands to SC, east of the Indian Boundary line. Later, in 1776 the Native Americans were driven out and formally ceded to SC in a new treaty.

Archie Huff wrote in Greenville: The History of the City and County in the South Carolina Piedmont that the area was getting crowded as new roads were completed in the late 1790's that connected Asheville to Knoxville (Huff, 1995). The establishment of a U.S. Post Office in 1808 marked the year that Traveler's Rest was recognized as more than just a few houses and taverns, earning a permanent spot on a postal route leading from Greenville to Asheville.

It would be in 1891 that an act of government would incorporate Traveler's Rest as a city, though only for a period of 30 years (Goodlett, 1966). In 1959, 29 years after the act incorporating TR ran out, residents petitioned to be re-incorporated and were successful. Thanks to the coming of industry to the area, the population would reach almost 2000 by 1960 (Huff, 1995). The final decades of the 20^th century would see TR grow as it blossomed as a bedroom community within the Greenville-Spartanburg metropolitan area. In 2000, population would reach a total of 4, 099 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000).

Present Day

Traveler's Rest is currently undergoing a downtown revitalization project (City of Traveler's Rest, 2008). The goal of this project is to promote redevelopment and includes the installation of decorative street lighting and trees, improve parking, a hiking/walking trail to link to Furman University and downtown Greenville, and pedestrian enhancements meant to encourage visitors to stop and stroll. A Wal-Mart supercenter opened in 2006, and many more speciality shops and restaraunts are in the planning stages.

The city has tried hard to establish a sense of community in TR, hosting a number of local events. The recent events have included a 5k run, a bicentennial harvest festival, and the library's Hometown History and Heroes series featuring local historians who have published works. They have also gained words from local townspeople who have gained celebrity, including a motorcycle champion, a reality TV star and a well-known philanthropist (City of Traveler's Rest, 2008). Also, residents reported an annual Christmas Parade and Independence Day fireworks.

TR most recently made national headlines in 2009, when 14 year old Alexander Draper was removed from his mothers custody for reaching 555 pounds at only age 14 (Barnett, 2009). SC authorities charged his mother, J. Gray, with criminal neglect. This case looks to be a keystone on which future claims of child abuse and future child obesity legislation hangs.

Geography

Geographically, TR is a small area slightly north of Greenville, SC located at 1,100 ft. above sea level and occupying approximately 3.8 square miles of land area (Anonymous, 2010). TR is difficult to describe in terms of boundaries, as a look at the pictured map will show (U.S Census Bureau, 2000).

The physical boundaries seem to follow the Enoree River somewhat to the north along Lindsay Lake Road and parallel Foot Hills Road to the south. Eastern and western boundaries do not seem to follow any specific geographical boundaries that the author can see. It is identifiable as the zip code of 29690 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000).

Demographics

As of 2008, the city population would total 4,523, fifty-two percent of which is female (Anonymous, 2010). Described demographically, TR is a predominantly white racial area with 77 percent of the city identifiable as white or caucasion, 18 percent as black, one percent as asian and four percent as other or mixed. As of Census 2000, over 91 percent of the population would be living in Urban TR, while 8.5 percent of the population inhabited rural TR areas (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). Traveler's Rest is also an aging population, as approximately 1270 residents were age 45 and over as of 2008 (Anonymous, 2010). That is fully one out of every four residents. The median age of the poulation is 32.2 and the median income for the area is $34,917, both numbers being slightly smaller than the average for the state of South Carolina. Per capita income, the average income computed for every man, woman and child of a specific group, is noticeably different and revealing. Whites average $17, 178 per capita while African Americans lag behind at $9372 with Hispanics a close third at $8523 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). This illustrates a deep racial divide in the distribution of income. Of the labor force, people able to work aged 16 and over, a full 37.7 percent was unemployed (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000).

Education in SC lags behind the national average in all national assessments grade 4-8 (State Education Data Profiles, 2009). Nearly one in four (23.8 percent) of TR residents has not obtained at least a H.S. diploma or equivalent (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). TR has 5 public and 1 private school located within it's borders including two elementary, one middle, one high school and a small charter school (State Education Data Profiles, 2009).

There were a total of 1563 households in 2000 according to the census data (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). 1138, or 72.8 percent, were considered family households while 352, or 22.5 percent, were single person households. 362 of the family households were single parent households.

Total housing units available in TR was 1729, 1563 of which were occupied (U.S.Census Bureau, 2000). Vacant units totaled 166, the majority of which were available for sale or rent. Of the occupied units, those living in owner occupied units, 71.5 percent were white. By contrast, in the renter occupied units, 77.5 percent were African American households. This shows a great disparity around who can own versus who can rent in TR. Statistic on homeless rates in Traveler's Rest were difficult to find, but residents interviewed assured me they do exist. More research on this area should be done, if only to complete the picture of Traveler's Rest that demographics can show.

Out of these occupied housing units, a full 168 households had no vehicle to use (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). This is worrisome, as a vehicle is often necessary for most activities of daily life, and lack of a vehicle may be a strong indicator as to the level of poverty in an area. In addition, the author's search of local public transportation authorities revealed that there is no public transport in Traveler's Rest, nor to or from Traveler's Rest either. This limits the options of no vehicle families needing to get around, needing to get rides in and out of town.

More disturbing statistics lie in the poverty rates in TR. According to the Census, over 31 percent of children aged 5 and under in TR are living in poverty, compared to only 12.4 percent of those aged 18-64 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). Close behind, at 28.5 percent, children between 6-11 suffer the second greatest rates of poverty. The third most significant and disturbing category is the 21.1 percent of people aged 75 and older who live in poverty in TR. One must be concerned how this will translate to decent educations if the children go to school hungry and with poor self-esteem.

Poverty status by race statistics seemed a little more predictable. 13.9 percent of whites in TR lived below the poverty level (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). However, this is a significant difference from the 22.3 percent of African American and the 76.9 percent of the hispanic population living in poverty.

Furthermore, the ratio of income to poverty level statistics show that 10.1 percent of all impoverished households survive on less than half the income required to be considered at the pverty line and earning the dubious title of Severely Poor (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). This leaves 5.6 percent to live as the Poor, while another 3 percent qualify as the near poor. While another 17 percent live close to the poverty line, it is interesting to note that a priviledged 65.1 percent of residents live at least twice the poverty level.

Comparative Poverty.

As one examines the census data between Travelers Rest (TR) and Greenville County (GC), it becomes very apparent how stark the difference is in the level of poverty among families and individuals. Examining table 1, one can see that the poverty rate for families in Greenville County (7.9) is below the national average (9.2). The same can be said for the individual rate of poverty, GC (10.5) to the national rate of (12.4). However, just a few miles up the road one will see a different picture. TR has a rate of families on the poverty level of (12.2) compared to the national average of (9.2) and among individuals at (15.8) to the (12.4) at the national level (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). This places poverty in TR well above the standards of not only Greenville County, but the nation as well. The table 1 attached to this article illustrates this fact quite well.

As one can see, the difference in poverty levels is clearly a significant factor in TR at over a seventh of their individuals and almost one out of every eight families is living in poverty; Almost three percent higher than the national average and nearly half again that of Greenville County. Beyond the households, let's look at other significant numbers in table 2 attached to this article.

The author finds it highly disturbing that almost a third of a TR's most valuable resources, the children, are living in conditions that set them up to fail academically, socially and mentally. 3 out of 4 categories show TR to be in more significant trouble with impoverished aged groups than GC. And is there a link between poverty and crime rates, does poor neighborhoods and learned apathy create better opening for crime to flourish in the smaller cities?

Crime

TR currently has housed the Police Department (PD) in the city hall built in 1985. A full 15 full time sworn officers and one state constable make up the bulk of the current police force (TRPD History, 2010). 11 fleet cars and two bicycles make up the transportation to cover the 3.8 mile city, and they are supported by a full-time plainclothes detective, a school resource officer, two canine officers and state of the art law enforcement tools.

As a result of their interventions, violent crime is rather low, and significantly lower than the state average (Anonymous, 2010). However, the same cannot be said of non-violent crimes, such as property crimes, which occur at a rate higher than the state average. Despite the efforts of TRPD to mount a 24 hr patrol in 3 shifts, crime continues (TRPD History, 2010). TR rarely has the means or inclination to attempt violent crime, but that nonviolent crime, such as property crime and petty larceny, have continually grown in this past decade (Anonymous, 2010).

Captain John Gardner currently leads several special units including the canine patrol, bicycle patrol, traffic safety division and the school resource officer. The units are encouraged to be more proactive by identifying to roots of crime. Working with the community is but part of the strategies used by her protectors to keep watch on the most fearsome criminal elements around.

Human Resources

A quick look at the area was all that was needed to provide an overview of the human services in TR. There is a police department, a fire department and an office of public works. The city is run by a city council and that by a mayor. There is no public transportation system nor is there a local DSS or unemployment office. There is a distict lack of medical clinics and hospitals in the area and most emergencies end up in one of the many Greenville hospitals.

Any real acts of human services are provided by the churches in the area as they ditribute largess through means such as the angel tree and the occassional food distribution. According to residents, another asset is the willingness to share among neighbors when times are rough.

Resource Evaluation

This section will be divided into strengths and weaknesses of TR with regards to service available to TR residents. Strengths include a strong city council led by Mayor Wayne McCall. The city council has been a driving force behind the downtown revitalization and approving community enrichment activities. Further resources include the effective TRPD and the Fire Department. There is also an office of public works. Several churches in the area, despite having no formal assistance branches, have a reputation for helping those in need who ask, mainly with food dispensation. The author was able to find blogs indicating local residents have offered food and showers to transients they have run across in the street, which speaks well for the citizenship of the locals. In addition, the author was able to find both NA and AA meetings held in Traveler's Rest (Traveler's Rest Group, 2005). Also, numerous discount stores such as Dollar Tree and Family Dollar are located throughout TR, providing economical answers to everyday needs.

However, the weaknesses of the human resource system in TR are enough to tip the scales of TR resources into the negative category. Most noticeable is the lack of medical clinics in TR. There are some cosmetic medical centers, but nowhere for an ill resident to turn. They must travel to Greenville at the least. Marshall I. Pickens Hospital, the mental facility the author interns at, serves TR patients and sends some patients for follow up at Springbrook Behavioral Health, the only mental health facility in TR and a private institution. However, as a private institution, they only accept patients with insurance.

Further damaging to TR residents is the complete lack of a public transportation system. Had transportation been more readily available, it might be possible to lower unemployment rates and decrease the number of families in poverty. Transportation is an important step in helping the poor take easier care of themselves. As of now, most of the cab services are even located in Greenville, not in TR.

In addition, there are no DSS or unemployment offices located in TR. Anyone needing to apply for services such as Medicaid, Food Stamps, or unemployment benefits must travel to downtown Greenville, a challenge for households with no vehicle and no public transportation.

Even the churches have failed to have any permanent and regular programs to help feed the hungry or clothe the poor. There are no unemployment or welfare offices located in Travelers rest. Several articles, most notably a 2005 article by Amy Albernaz about a seven year large scale study which revealed that poverty was more likely to be a precipitating factor to the onset of mental illness (Albernaz, 2005). The study goes on to suggest that the undeniable presence of increased mental illness in poor communities should have an impact on public policies that are currently lacking.

Interviews.

When asked, resident James Hyde, a 66 year old white resident born and raised by a family that lived in the region since the early 1800's, James said," We are a proud people in Traveler's Rest, at least those of us with deep roots here. We don't like the idea of expanding government intrusion into our town. Not many people we aren't willing, as friendly folk, to run into town to help them get welfare and food stamps and Medicare. I've taken 2 sons down to Marshall Pickens for mental problems myself" (Hyde, 2010). When asked about his opinion on the strengths and weakness of TR, he had a quick response. "The people here know each other for the most part and are always quick to lend a hand in any disaster. Last time a local girl went missing, the community was up in arms trying to find her. Eventually did, but not have happened without the entire city mobilized. Might 'a been different had the girl been black though. Still a bit racist round here, y'know."

As for the weaknesses, Mr. Hyde had some ideas. "Sure, there could stand to be an unemployment office or social services office here, despite how small we are. Getting into Greenville can be a major pain, 'specially for those 'un have no transport. More, a small medical clinic equipped for emergencies would be something important that we don't have" (Hyde, 2010). Asked what he wanted as a citizen to improve TR, Mr. Hyde replied "a small medical clinic and a small Department of Social Services office, even if they only had limited hours." He implied that with no public transportation in TR, they might find themselves quite busy enough to justify the expense the buildings would cost. In addition, Hyde suggested that easier access to services for the poor might help the current statistic of property damage crimes and people will find less need to turn to crime for money or as a way to get out frustrations.

Capt. John Gardner of the Traveler's Rest Police Department had a slightly different take on the situation. "I believe that sometimes there are rotten apples in the barrel. If you don't remove the rotten apples, soon all the apples rot and you are left with vinegar," he stated (Gardner, 2010). He went on to describe, "I've been here for almost 5years, more than I'd like to count in Greenville before that, and I ain't never yet seen anyone change their stripes because of a good tax refund or threat of returning to jail. Over half of those who go free I see again within a year. I just don't see how offering low cost medical and easy welfare is gonna curb crime if the motivation is greed. Maybe fewer first time offenders, who turn to crime for desperation, but in my opinion that is the minority. Perhaps a cost analysis would be more convincing, then I'll listen". Thanking Capt. Gardner for his time, the author moved on.

Impoverished Resource Distribution.

When first noticing the disparity of poverty levels in TR and the lack of resources available to them , the author's first thought was to see if the "lower income, more mental illness" adage would hold true in this case, as in so many others. D. Thomas, LMSW and therapist at Marshall I. Pickens Hospital (MIPH) said that "there was no good way to know" (D. Thomas, personal communication, September 30, 2010). He pointed out that while MIPH served TR as well as the rest of Greenville County, there was simply no one he knew of making statistical comparisons of mental illness and poverty between Greenville County and TR. Thomas also noted that MIPH was limited to "those who can make it [to MIPH]" and it was unknown how many of TR's impoverished might reach MIPH, especially knowing the significant households with no vehicles. This led the author to inquire about mental health resources for TR. "Springbrook Behavioral Health, but that is for private insurance holders only," said Thomas. "Other than that, there really are none," he said. Before moving on, he warned me to be careful extrapolating increased mental illness based on poverty, as the theory was based on correlational work and is inconclusive at best (D. Thomas, personal communication, September 30, 2010). Calls to Springbrook Behavioral Health and web-searches turned up no other information on mental health services in TR, not even a private practitioner. Which begged the question, what resources are there for the poor in T.R.?

So the author turned to another source, which preferred to be known only as Mike. Mike, of the internet site Homeless Shelter Directory, responded in an e-mail.

"None. Not even a soup kitchen. If Traveler's Rest poor want relief for food, shelter or anything else, they must leave [TR] city limits. My search did not even turn up a local DSS in Traveler's Rest..." (Mike, personal communication, October 3, 2010)

In the search for any sort of resources that TR residents could turn to, the author contacted City Administrative Assistant Brynda Brown (Brown, 2010). The author was unable to get any demographic information regarding Ms. Brown; however in a short interview obtained after numerous phone calls Brynda wasted no time in addressing my concerns. "Now listen closely, no interruptions. We are a small town with a limited budget. There is only so much we can do and maintain focus on goals we have set currently with downtown revitalization in full swing. Having said that, there is definite merit in some of your ideas you have shown me, and I'd like to form some committees to discuss the feasibility of some of your ideas. Most feasible would be a local soup kitchen. A small amount of council and local support, and we should be able to make progress there. Following that, we may be able to start working on a local clinic or urgent care offices by offering the right business incentives. An actual hospital is well a ways away, but this is a good start. I want to assure you that the poor are always foremost in the Mayor's heart" (Brown, 2010). Despite the short and abrupt nature of the interview, the author was satisfied that she really listened and cared and was convinced she would make progress as she promised. However, the issue of public transportation was one it seemed no one wanted to discuss. Brynda did offer a caveat as the author prepared to say his goodbyes and hang up the phone. "You seem smart. Realize that the city council has been set in its ways and may not see the value of your ideas as readily as I do. I will be your advocate, but realize a bunch of stuffy old politicians will be loath to divert funds from the downtown revitalization plans. I'll do my best. Afternoon", said she, then there was a click and silence.

In one final effort, the author turned to the historical first and last line of defense for the poor and homeless; the church. A quick phone call reached the financial secretary of Reedy River Baptist Church, the oldest church in TR, established in the late 1700's. Ms. Prince, a 43 year old white female, was quick to provide me information regarding some activities geared towards the poor and homeless in Traveler's Rest (Prince, 2010). "I have only been here three years, but in that time I have seen the church hold a "free" yard sale, in which all items were sold at no cost; clothing, furniture, plates, lamps," she said. "Also they distribute free school supplies every year, not only to poor congregation members, but to any who respond to the flyers and are in need that show up at the church door." When asked about further programs she may have knowledge of, Ms. Prince responded, "Every year they give Christmas gifts to those families that otherwise would have nothing. Even prisoners in the local jail are given gifts in what we call the Prison Packet Ministry and we are active in a program called Migrant Ministries, though I'm not sure how that works. You'll be better off talking to the pastor for further information." After brief goodbyes, the author set about waiting to hear from the Pastor and thought about the generosity of one church in a poor area. Unfortunately, the author was unable to make contact with the church pastor as of publication time.

The Residents Perspective

I asked Mr. Hyde what the appeal of living in Travelers Rest was to him. "First, my family has lived as a very influential family since the late 1700's. My family donated Paris Mountain to Furman University in the early 20^th century, and we had a strong tradition of law enforcement workers throughout the 20^th century. We have a large family with several homes located at the base of Paris Mountain in the small area not ceded to Furman. We have a strong history here. We have many stories about the growth of Traveler's Rest and watched as industry half built our town both before and after the World War II, before most of them eventually fell apart. Sometimes a sensitive is drawn into battle, my Vietnam. Shortly after my return, I was able to find a woman that cared for me and children that I loved. The [Independence Day] fireworks and the Christmas parade has provided me with happy thoughts I want to share with my children. Perhaps we may even attend the harvest festival" (Hyde, 2010). I asked Mr. Hyde about poverty in TR. "They mainly stay out of the way. We don't like to see them, so they mainly stay in their trailer parks or run down homes in the run down areas and don't bother many of us respectable folk. Not exactly bad neighbors, but you won't find me asking for a cuppa sugar from them, that's for sure."

I thanked Mr. Hyde and moved on to my next interview, a Mrs. Clair Overstreet. Mrs. Overstreet, a 69 yr. old black widow, claims she has lived in TR her whole life. "I have seen city councils come and go, mayoral power change hands, and the death of much of our industry and mill towns. I have seen parts of TR degenerate into near slums and watched as black people were ridiculed, even after the end of segregation. What is it you want, young man?" (Overstreet, 2010).

Mrs. Overstreet, when asked about TR as a whole, was there a sense of community, responded, "I s'pose there is around holidays, but the rest of the time it is mainly just a place to live, a place to get trapped. Once my husband had dreams of moving up a corporate ladder in one of the textiles mills, but never moved beyond a floor supervisor cause of his race. He died early from lung complications due to shoddy factory safety controls, and I was left to care for the young'uns. Back then, not many people wanted to see a woman working, especially in Traveler's Rest," she said. "However, there were a few women employed in the local factories, especially after WWII when many refused to return home to be Suzie Housemaker. Many of them ended up homeless and traveled north and west to find jobs in where they could and if they were lucky a housekeeper or tutor. No, this is a community that few people love, unless their family traces back to the beginning of the town" (Overstreet, 2010). Unsolicited, Mrs. Overstreet left the author with one last bit of wisdom, "that damn city council thinks working on downtown is gonna change TR. Well, it ain't. Want to change TR? Fix the damn streets outside of downtown and help the businesses that can't afford to pay downtown costs. There are potholes and unpaved roads and run-down buildings out here when you leave downtown. It's like they forgot us, or don't care." The author thanked Mrs. Overstreet for her time and went to find the opinion of the next generation, a teenager currently growing up in Traveler's Rest.

A short trip to Traveler's Rest High School gave me the final perspective the author had been looking for. Principal Lou Lavely provided the author with a student representative to interview provided complete anonymity could be assured. As a result, 'Tina' soon stood before me. The author asked her how she felt about living in TR. "its ok, I guess. Kinda boring here. No mall, no real places for us teens to hang out. Even Greenville gets boring after a while. There's Frankie's Fun Park, but not much else." What about her education? "The high school is top notch, a lot of great teachers, I guess. Most of us want to get out of here though," she said. When asked what she meant, she responded," A lot of us want to move to someplace exciting for college. Clemson or Columbia... even Charleston. Myself, I wanna get completely out of state. Either New York or the west coast." About the renovations? "Yeah, TR is getting a lot nicer... a little artistic in some places. But TR is TR. It is probably never gonna be a large city which is why we dream of leaving." Is everyone feeling this way? "Nah," said Tina "some people have no real ambition than to hang around here and hopefully live in the same house for the rest of their lives. It's easy, I suppose" (Tina, 2010). How is the education here? "Who really cares. I just want enough A's to get me into college and away from here."

The author was beginning to feel as if the majority consensus was that TR was not much more than a place to live for a lot of residents. The author had one final question for Tina. How are the race relations at your school? "Well," Tina replied, "some of us get along, but it is mostly segregated. Blacks hang with blacks and whites with whites. The exceptions are the cheerleaders, who hang together no matter what race they are. I wouldn't say it is open hostility, but there have been a few fights where some redneck attacks a black student yelling the usual stuff. Y'know, monkey, nigger... stuff like that. They tend to be poor too, so it isn't like they are on anyones A-list." A counselor? "Ha. What're they gonna do?" (Tina, 2010). The author thanked her for her time and allowed her to return to whatever daily activity she was supposed to attend.

Analysis

Traveler's Rest is still a small city working on improving life for it's residents. The city council and mayor appear to be making strides using the downtown revitalization program to help attract businesses and tourists, as well as entice new residents to this quaint city. Located a few hours from the beach and surrounded by state parks, TR is on it's way to becoming a force to be reckoned with. The proximity to Furman University should be a big draw for university students if the city council decides to take advantage of it and include some younger venues for students and residential youth to enjoy. It is these kind of touches that will make TR more than just a place to live, but a place for people and families to stay and flourish. While tourism and visitors are important, it is imperative that the city not forget it is made of of residents, many who have lived here their entire lives and those of their parents as well.

The establishment of a DSS and medical clinic, even if only a part time situation, will go far in making residents, especially poor resident, happier individuals. "Getting to Greenville is such a pain, especially with no car," said Mrs. Overstreet, "Perhaps a small Public Transit Authority for TR will be a big help for us all. It'd be nice not to carry groceries over a mile to get home. I could even buy more things and make fewer trips to market."

As the author reviewed what was learned during the course of this research, several conclusions were reached. Politics, poverty, education, lack of resources and a sense of belonging were all problems being experienced in Traveler's Rest. In addition, there didn't seem to be many plans in the works that would address the lack of services available to the poor residents of Traveler's Rest.

Of most importance was the lack of public transport in TR. Plans will be needed to either improve the mobility of those living in poverty without transportation, or a way should be found that will bring resources to them. Even just a couple of buses will improve mobility, especially for the elderly that may need help to and from grocery stores or medical facilities. In addition, public transportation will allow readier access for the unemployed and working poor to find ways to get to Greenville unemployment offices and possibly better paying jobs. Most importantly, medical services for low income individuals are located in Greenville and are needed to be utilized by the impoverished living in TR until one can be established in TR.

Another need is services for those experiencing mentil illness in TR (Albernaz A. , 2005). Studies show that there is a higher incidence of mental illness among those living in poverty and with the abnormally high rate of families and individuals living under the poverty line in TR, it might be beneficial to expand mental health services in the area. Perhaps MIPH from Greenville could open a part time center to allow for past and future clients to attend outpatient therapy in a facility located in TR. Failing that, perhaps Springbrook, already located in TR, could expand their facilities to accept patient with little or no insurance.

It is also a common phrase to say that the children are our future. Seeing as it is a fact that SC lags far behind the nation in education, the author suggests that the parents and faculty unite to pressure local and state government to increase funding (also lagging far behind most states in educational spending) to allow for a smaller student to teacher ratio which currently sits at 13.8 to 1 compared to the national average of 11.1 to 1 (State Education Data Profiles, 2009). Newer books, increased art programs and improved family support are traditionally also keys to improved school systems. Perhaps these steps could help more TR residents complete H.S. and move on to higher levels of education.

Of far more concern to the author was the sense of apathy or even near anger some of the residents had for the city they lived in. Racial relations do not seem as if they are the best in the state, and the author would suggest possible multi-cultural awareness classes to be conducted in early elementary school where it may make the most impact.

Downtown revitilization is a start, but the city council is going to have a lot of work cut out for them if they are going to strengthen community ties in TR. Something must be done about the high poverty rate, and establishing and assisting a soup kitchen or similar charitable organizations will go far in seeing the impoverished citizens are more comfortable. Traveler's Rest is definitely a city making strides, but the question remains to be answered if it is striding in the right direction.

Resources

Traveler's Rest Group. (2005, n.d. n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2010, from Area 62, South Carolina Alchoholics Anonymous: http://area62.org/dist07/travelers.php

State Education Data Profiles. (2009, n.d. n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2010, from National Center for Education Statistics: http://nces.ed.gov/programs/stateprofiles/sresult.asp?mode=short&s1=45

Traveler's Rest, SC Profile. (2010, n.d.). Retrieved October 16, 2010, from IDCIDE.com: http://www.idcide.com/citydata/sc/travelers-rest.htm

TRPD History. (2010, n.d. n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2010, from Traveler's Rest Police Department: http://www.trpolice.com/history.html

Albernaz, A. (2005, June). Leading Stories. Retrieved October 16, 2010, from Official Website of New england Psychologists: http://www.masspsy.com/leading/0506_ne_cover_study.html

Albernaz, A. (2005, June). Study examines Link Between Poverty and Mental Illness. Retrieved October 19, 2010, from nePSY.com: http://www.masspsy.com/leading/0506_ne_cover_study.html

Barnett, R. (2009, July 23). S.C. Case Looks on Child Obesity as Child Abuse. But is it? USA Today, p. Health 1.

Brown, B. (2010, October 21). Personal Communication. (M. Gittner, Interviewer)

Gardner, C. J. (2010, October 18). Personal communication. (M. Gittner, Interviewer)

Goodlett, M. W. (1966). Traveler's Rest at Mountain's Foot. n.p.: n.p.

Huff, A. V. (1995). Greenville: The History of the City and County in the South Carolina Piedmont. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press.

Hyde, J. (2010, October 15). Personal Communication. (M. Gittner, Interviewer)

Overstreet, C. (2010, October 21). Personal Communication. (M. Gittner, Interviewer)

Prince, C. (2010, October 17). Personal communication. (M. Gittner, Interviewer)

Rest, C. o. (2008, n.d.). Open for Business. Retrieved October 13, 2010, from City of Traveler's Rest, South Carolina: http://www.travelersrestsc.com/life/business.php

Thomas, D. (2010, October 3). personal communication. (M. Gittner, Interviewer)

Tina. (2010, October 19). Personal Communication. (M. Gittner, Interviewer)

U.S. Census Bureau (2000). Travelers Rest, South Carolina [Data file]. Retrieved on September 13^th, 2010 from http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=travelers+rest&_cityTown=travelers+rest&_state=04000US45&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&show_2003_tab=&redirect=Y

Addendum

The addendum is where you sum up the problems you find facing your chosen community and prepare to tie in the grant proposal you will write later to attempt to solve or alleviate the problems.

After analyzing the area known as Traveler's Rest, I was able to come up with some conclusions as to the problems facing the city. Most of the problems seem to stem from an overwhelming sense of poverty, a lack of resources and a lack of community cohesion between residents and races. After some thought, the best idea I was able to think of would be the establishment of a community center which could not only hold a food pantry, but part time offices usable by DSS, Greenville Mental Health, volunteer medical staff. In addition, it could have a YMCA style gym and pool, and even an activity room/lounge with tables and computer's to utilize for studying with volunteer tutors. Teen and adult support groups can meet, possibly even use for A.A. and N.A. meetings. Such a multi-purpose facility can solve a lot of problems for a city that may not be ready to support full-time services of the sort that residents are asking for, and would be a large step forward.