Black‑led climate model: New Alpha CDC
New Alpha Community Development Corporation, led by Rev. Leo Woodberry, is being spotlighted this week for grassroots, Black‑led climate resilience projects like hydropanel water installations — a model advocates say centers local ownership and cross‑sector alliances. Organizers in Vermont are being urged to adapt the faith‑and‑community‑based approach to local resilience efforts. (cleantechnica.com)
New Alpha Community Development Corporation is registered as a 501(c)(3) headquartered in Florence, South Carolina and lists community economic development, health, and environment among its core program areas. (newalphacdc.com)) The organization operates an environmental‑justice training center in Britton’s Neck sited on roughly 7.5 acres of wetland that includes a greenhouse and pollinator gardens for hands‑on programming. (southcarolinapublicradio.org)) In September 2025 New Alpha and Dogwood Alliance opened the Freedom Land Community Forest after acquiring and protecting 305 acres of former plantation land on the Little Pee Dee River for conservation and community use. (wbtw.com)) New Alpha was listed as the recipient of a $130,000 grant awarded in 2022 by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation according to nonprofit grant records. (influencewatch.org)) Dogwood Alliance reports the partners created a capital fund and community subgrant program to help frontline groups purchase and manage forestland as part of a Justice Conservation model. (dogwoodalliance.org)) Local demographics and history underline the project focus: Florence County reports concentrated economic hardship with roughly one in five residents below the poverty line, and New Alpha documents that much of the Britton’s Neck community traces ancestry to people enslaved on the plantation now conserved. (newalphacdc.com))
