We had the good fortune of connecting with Connor Farrell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Connor, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
As a competitive, year-round swimmer who trains six days each week, my daily drive to the pool requires that I pass the Triune Mercy Center, a local soup kitchen, where there is consistently a line of homeless individuals. During the spring of 2020, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, I spoke to the Pastor of Triune Mercy Center, Jennifer Fouse Sheorn, who confirmed that many of the homeless were not receiving adequate hygiene supplies to protect themselves from the pandemic. With my family’s help, Bright Lights Greenville began.

After three years of pouring myself into this passion, Bright Lights Greenville is a fully functional 501(c)(3) non-profit (www.brightlightsgreenville.com). It is our hope that our hygiene kits are a bright light in the lives of the homeless. Our hygiene kits are a reflection of our conviction that the homeless are dignified members of society worthy of respect. To date, we have produced and delivered over 3,600 hygiene kits, we have raised approximately $25,000, and we continue to supply monthly hygiene kits to Triune Mercy Center, Catholic Charities of South Carolina, and a local outreach center.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Resilience is an important value in nonprofit work, because there are often obstacles that we face. One of our most difficult challenges is trying to remain engaged with the community at all times. We are often seeking volunteers to help us package our hygiene kits, and it is sometimes difficult to do so. Additionally, packaging 150 hygiene kits each month is a task that certainly requires resilience. As an organization, we have to remain focused and disciplined to ensure that the kits are produced on time every month. We are incredibly proud of all of the hard work that our volunteers and supporters have put in over the past couple of years!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Some of the best things to do in Greenville include walking around Falls Park, enjoying the Swamp Rabbit Trail, hiking Paris Mountain, attending a Greenville Drive or Swamp Rabbits game, and sharing a meal or drink at some of the incredible restaurants like Halls’ Chophouse, Nose Dive, Soby’s, Tupelo Honey, and Sassafras.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to all the wonderful, generous supporters of our work. This includes family members as well as corporate grantmakers who have helped us provide hygiene kits for the homeless. After receiving our 501(c)(3) status letter from the IRS, we began collecting grassroots donations for our work. I emailed and reached out to family members and friends initially, but we began receiving donations from generous people across the country. Initially, one of my principal jobs was to apply for grants as well. I applied to many different grants, and was able to secure grant funding, most notably from the WHO-backed Global Youth Mobilization Accelerator Program, and the grocery chain, Aldi.

Website: www.brightlightsgreenville.com

Image Credits
Jack Robert Photography

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