Press Release
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Now through May 24th, you can double the impact of your donation to the Lowcountry Food Bank (LCFB) to help ensure children in our community have enough to eat this summer. Through the generous support of a Lowcountry donor, your donation will be matched, up to $50,000, to help fill the gap this summer for children who rely on free and reduced-price school lunches.
Childhood hunger is a serious issue in South Carolina. 1 in 5 children does not consistently receive the nutritious food needed to live a healthy, active life. In coastal South Carolina, the number of children who experience hunger and live in poverty is staggering. More than 50% of the people that the LCFB serves live in households with an annual income of $10,000 or less.
For many public schoolchildren, the food they receive through the National School Lunch Program is most, if not all, of the nutritious food they have to eat. When school is not in session, children face an even greater threat of being hungry. Many low-income families cannot afford to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, and families must cope with the devastating impact on the health of their children as they consume high caloric, low-nutrient dense food.
The consequences associated with food insecurity and poor nutrition, especially for children, are great and enduring. Without access to nutritious food, children face risk factors for obesity, cardiovascular disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes early in life.
Partnering with local nonprofits, elementary schools, and faith-based organizations, the LCFB prepared and served 79,721 meals, including more than 9,000 pounds of fresh produce, to children at 43 Summer Meals sites last summer. The LCFB’s 1,600 square foot, full-scale Zucker Family Production Kitchen enables preparation of nutritious meals on-site to meet the needs of food-insecure children in the summer by providing them with nutritious meals and snacks.
We need the community's help to ensure that every child who is struggling with hunger this summer has access to healthy, nutritious food. Donate today and help provide hope to children who do not have enough food to eat. To donate, visit http://www.lowcountryfoodbank.
