If you look around our community, you’ll find the handprints of Leadership Greenville all around. From public art installations to bike access and community gardens, each class from the Greenville Chamber’s flagship leadership program splits into teams to complete projects (including fundraising $25,000) for local nonprofits.
About the program
It was this week last year that I got the email: I’d been accepted into Leadership Greenville Class 51. The 10-month program gives participants a behind-the-scenes look at the most pressing issues in Greenville County — and it changed the way I see (and write about) my city.
Each monthly class day tackled a different theme, and I walked away with a new understanding of the critical role of public transit, how tourism and the arts enhance our quality of life, and how urgent the childcare crisis is for local families, among many other topics.
Design, construction, and fundraising were led by the project team. | Photos by Leadership Greenville Class 51
Design, construction, and fundraising were led by the project team. | Photos by Leadership Greenville Class 51
Design, construction, and fundraising were led by the project team. | Photos by Leadership Greenville Class 51
Design, construction, and fundraising were led by the project team. | Photos by Leadership Greenville Class 51
Design, construction, and fundraising were led by the project team. | Photos by Leadership Greenville Class 51
Design, construction, and fundraising were led by the project team. | Photos by Leadership Greenville Class 51
Class 51’s projects
One of the most impactful pieces of the Leadership Greenville journey is the project you complete with your team, and ours partnered with United Ministries to renovate the Place of Hope, a day shelter for people experiencing homelessness. The space already served essential needs — showers, laundry, and case management — but we wanted it to feel dignifying. Thanks to a match from the Hathaway Family Foundation, we raised $110,000+ to reimagine the space completely, adding new flooring, lockers, appliances, and upgrades to keep it safe and clean for years to come.
The team got their hands dirty (literally) to build the classroom. | Photos by Leadership Greenville Class 51
The team got their hands dirty (literally) to build the classroom. | Photos by Leadership Greenville Class 51
The team got their hands dirty (literally) to build the classroom. | Photos by Leadership Greenville Class 51
The team got their hands dirty (literally) to build the classroom. | Photos by Leadership Greenville Class 51
My other classmates tackled a big project, too: building an outdoor classroom at Conestee Nature Preserve. After Hurricane Helene hit, their work became even more critical as part of the restoration effort, creating a space for students to learn and connect with nature.
Now, it’s Class 52’s turn. If your organization could benefit from a project like these, submit a proposal by Monday, July 14.
