https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sitefinder
• Lowcountry Food Bank is partnering with Summer Food Service Program for no-cost meals children aged 18 and younger
• The program begins June 11th and continues for eight weeks
• The sites where meals are served are chosen based on:
o Where food gaps exist and need to be filled
o Their accessibility/near neighbors who may need food assistance
o Their capacity to serve.
• The sites include day camps, park & rec centers, public libraries, faith-based organization
• Link to list of summer meal sites/days/times on our website: https://lowcountryfoodbank.org/summermeals/
• Free summer meals can also be found by using No Kid Hungry’s texting tool. Text the word “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 304-304 to find a nearby meal site.
• This program serves children who face hunger during the summer when school meals may not be available. During the school year, the National Breakfast and School Lunch Programs play a pivotal role in fighting childhood hunger.
• The food insecurity rate remains high at 12.1% in the 10 coastal counties of South Carolina the LCFB serves.
o This is equivalent to 184,480 of our neighbors,
o of whom 50,270 are children (16.6 of the population)
o LCFB strategically works to ensure that every neighbor who may be experiencing food insecurity has equitable access to healthy food.
• Expiration of post-pandemic benefit programs and economic inflation have disproportionately affected communities already facing momentous challenges of underemployment, low income, a lack of transportation, and access to grocery stores.
• LCFB continues to innovate, not only focusing on the food we distribute, but also on deepening our understanding and responses to the root causes of hunger, food insecurity, and how these issues can best be addressed in the varying and unique communities we serve.
• LCFB prepares summer meals in the Zucker Family Production Kitchen in Charleston, which meets all current USDA guidelines. The program ensures children have access to nutritious food, including fresh produce, throughout the summer.
• This program enables the Lowcountry Food Bank to provide year-round hunger relief to children throughout our community. During the school year, the Lowcountry Food Bank partners with public schools to provide essential meals to children and their families through the BackPack Buddies, Kids Café, School Pantry and School Market programs.
• Families are also able to receive food assistance at faith-based and non-profit organizations that partner with Lowcountry Food Bank.
• However, additional food resources are needed during the summer when school meals may not be available, and this summer program fulfills this need with eight weeks of food service beginning in mid-June through mid-August.
Additional general info/stats – Our Summer Meals Program is one more way we work to fulfill our mission
• Our Mission: To unite our community in pursuit of equitable, dignified, and consistent access to food
• Our Vision: A nourished and thriving coastal South Carolina
• Lowcountry Food Bank serves the 10 coastal counties of South Carolina and distributed more than 42 million pounds of food in 2023.
• The Lowcountry Food Bank helps fight hunger by distributing food to more than 230 partner agencies including on-site meal programs, homeless shelters and emergency food pantries.
• The Lowcountry Food Bank advocates on behalf of those who experience hunger and helps empower people to make healthy and nutritious food choices. For more information, go to the Lowcountry Food Bank website at lowcountryfoodbank.org.
• We distributed 18 million pounds of fresh produce last year – 42% of all food we distributed was fresh produce
• More than 180,000 pounds of produce received from local farmers through our Growing Food Locally initiative
• More than 35 meals provided last year, including those prepared in our Zucker Family Production Kitchen
• We cover 9,000 square miles along the coast of SC
• 96% of our charitable dollars are spend on direct programs and services
• Serving for more than 40 years
Brenda Shaw, Chief Development Officer
Lowcountry Food Bank
843-747-8146
http://www.LowcountryFoodBank.org
Mail@LowcountryFoodBank.org
2864 Azalea Dr, Charleston, SC 29405
WHHI Daily News Anchor: Betsy McDaniel
June 2024
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