ReGenesis Institute in Spartanburg awarded $2.81M Bezos Earth Fund grant

A Spartanburg grassroots organization founded to help clean up and revitalize local distressed communities has received a $2.81 million grant to spruce up distressed areas in cities across the U.S.

ReGenesis Institute, a nonprofit founded 25 years ago by Harold Mitchell of Spartanburg's Arkwright community, received the grant – one of 30 totaling $50 million awarded by the Los Angeles-based Bezos Earth Fund's Greening America's Cities initiative.

Mitchell, 58, was a Democrat member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 31st District in Spartanburg, serving from 2005 to 2017.

The Bezos Earth Fund was created by a commitment of $10 billion from businessman and philanthropist Jeff Bezos in 2020 to be disbursed as grants to address climate and nature through 2030.

Mitchell said the grant will support work with partners to enhance low-income communities with more parks, trees and community gardens in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Wilmington, Delaware.

"I consider this grant to be in appreciation for the work of the ReGenesis partnership in creating the collaborative problem-solving model over the past 25 years," Mitchell said.

Spartanburg roots: Fighting for environmental justice

Mitchell grew up in the Arkwright community of Spartanburg's south side, which contained an abandoned textile mill, a former fertilizer plant, a former city landfill and two abandoned dumps.

In the late 1990s, he led the effort to clean up and invest in the Arkwright and Forest Park neighborhoods, which had a combined population of 5,000, jobless rate of 10% and poverty rate of 25%.

Many residents had health concerns that they suspected were related to the presence of the hazardous waste sites and chemicals from the fertilizer plant.

By working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other state and federal agencies, Mitchell founded ReGenesis Institute to help other communities to clean up toxic waste sites and address health problems.

Two years ago, Mitchell was one of 26 environmental leaders appointed to the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council to carry out the administration's Justice40 Initiative.

Mitchell: Build Back Better Spartanburg's Mitchell: Disadvantaged communities would benefit from Build Back Better Act

Justice40 projects require certain federal agencies to spend at least 40% of Build Back Better Act funds to address climate change and clean energy in communities that have suffered disproportionately from decades of economic decline, poor educational outcomes, health problems and decaying housing.

Locally, Mitchell joined with developers in the cleanup of the former Victor Mill site in Greer. The site has been transformed into a 318-unit, multi-family apartment complex called the Lively at Victor Park.

Mitchell said the Bezos grant will address communities that have lost green space due to decades of segregation, exclusion and land dispossession.

He said there is evidence that adding green space to underserved areas in cities can improve physical and mental health and through air quality, physical activity, reduced heat and places for social interaction.

"The ReGenesis partnership has become recognized as a national model of environmental justice and community revitalization success," Mitchell said. "ReGenesis has demonstrated that community-driven problem solving and partnership building works, and proved that it could be effective with the right mix of partners, funding and technical assistance."

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Spartanburg's ReGenesis wins $2.81M Bezos Earth Fund grant