FoodShare marks 1 year of service to local counties
FoodShare South Carolina, in partnership with the Chesterfield County Coordinating Council, is celebrating one year of service to Chesterfield and Darlington counties. The FoodShare Hub has been serving food insecure communities in the counties with affordable fresh fruits and vegetables. In the last year, the program has distributed 1,877 boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables, more than 30,000 pounds of produce. Food insecurity is defined as the lack of access and presence of food that makes up a completed diet. In Chesterfield and Darlington Counties, 12.4 percent of the population is food insecure, and this rate has increased and been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. At FoodShare, families have been able to leverage the state Healthy Bucks program to purchase a locally sourced 15 pounds box of fresh fruits and vegetables for $5 on EBT or $15 in cash. Food insecurity can impact the way a person treats their chronic disease, which is plaguing our communal health. There are costs correlated with this inability that could have devastating impacts on our society as a whole. So while we are interested in solving the immediate need for someone to have a full stomach, we are creating long term solutions to the problem, through timely, convenient and affordable access to fruits and vegetables in Chesterfield and Darlington counties. FoodShare South Carolina is a network of Hubs across the state with the goal of enhancing the quality of life of families by creating access to fresh affordable food, and quality cooking and skills education. Our work revolves around three tenets: community empowerment and engagement, increased financial opportunity, and physical revitalization.
