The Northside Story

Northside is located just inside the Spartanburg, South Carolina city limits.   Northside is a unique community as it is made up of three different "sub-communities."  A public housing development, Northside Apartments, a subsidized apartment complex, Oakview Apartments, and an area of single family homes, Cleveland Park, comprise this area defined as Northside.  Each of which consider themselves different and not part of the violence problem in the neighborhood.  

In addition to its diversity Northside has many other assets.  The largest one is a public park that gives one section its name, Cleveland Park.  The newest asset to the community is an $11 million elementary school, Cleveland Elementary.  Cleveland Elementary has served as a central place for meetings and now will house Stop the Violence's new LINC Center.  

Stop the Violence's early focus in Northside was primarily on providing positive programs for youth.    In 1999 STV decided to shift the focus to  community organizing and citizen engagement.  In a little less than a year,  a strong core group that is representative of all three areas has emerged.

The first effort of this core group was to get the word out to the neighborhood that people were coming together to make a difference.  On June 26th the Northside Working Group hosted the United Neighborhood Celebration.  Over 200 people marched in a Peace March and over 700 enjoyed festivities and food at Cleveland Park.  

STV has continued to work extensively on engaging residents in initiatives that the residents decide are essential.  Two examples of this are a craft class that is being taught, implemented, and developed by residents, and the development of the aforementioned LINC Center.  This Center was completely developed by the residents and will provide a central communications center, and will be equipped with community computer access.

Throughout the three years STV has been in business it has learned lesson after lesson from the neighborhoods.  The two that will continue to guide our process are: ONE, THE BEST AND TRUE ANSWERS ARE FOUND AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL, IN THE COMMUNITY, AND TWO, NEIGHBORS THAT ARE ENGAGED, WHETHER WORKING OR FELLOWSHIPPING TOGETHER CREATE A SAFER MORE SOLID COMMUNITY.