New Alpha Community Development Corporation (NACDC), founded in 2015, is a minority-led non-profit that partners with the Whitney M. Slater Foundation and Kingdom Living Temple to address the environmental and economic justice issues facing low wealth residents in the Florence, SC area. In a community with nearly 1 in 5 people living in poverty, where climate change is not just a theory but a fact of life, NACDC believes solutions lie in the knowledge, strength, and resilience of the community itself. Their mission is to help communities of low- and middle-income families with environmental health and community economic development issues. Their activities include building relationships with other climate justice coalitions, wetland restoration, clean energy and home weatherization for low-income residents, inclusive forest conservation strategies, and the implementation of solar-powered hydro-panels which provide clean water for communities lacking it or experiencing climate impacts.
Rev. Leo Woodberry, pastor of the Kingdom Living Temple in Florence, leads New Alpha CDC – yet he feels the magic of their work comes from the nexus of community partnerships. NACDC, the Whitney M. Slater Foundation, and Kingdom Living Temple unite to build relationships and create solutions in vulnerable communities. For these three organizations, that means treating, “all the needs of our people from a spiritual, mental, and physical perspective,” according to Woodberry. Kingdom Living Temple is an interfaith organization whose work is primarily from a religious and spiritual foundation. The Whitney M. Slater Foundation focuses on water, air, or land quality issues impacting community health. And New Alpha CDC dedicates itself to community economic development, environmental justice, and energy. This holistic approach opens pathways to relationships with diverse members of the community, enriching the collective vision for stronger communities and healthier environments.