Programs & Services
In 1983, the LCFB began its operations by distributing food from a 10,000 square-foot, rented building in Ladson, South Carolina, to a handful of local faith-based and nonprofit agencies serving low-income populations. In March 1998, the LCFB moved its operations to a 37,000 square-foot, rent-free distribution center in North Charleston, located on the former Naval Base. In 1999, the LCFB distributed 1.7 million pounds of food, more than a 123% increase over the previous years. The LCFB’s membership also grew dramatically by 104% reaching a total of 196 local faith-based and nonprofit agencies served in the ten coastal counties of South Carolina. In order to provide better access to food resources for rural faith-based and nonprofit agencies operating Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties, the LCFB opened its 6,500 square-foot regional food center in Yemassee in 2000. The success of the regional food center in Beaufort prompted the LCFB to establish a 9,300 square-foot regional food center in Myrtle Beach to provide food resources to local faith-based and nonprofit agencies serving Georgetown, Horry, and Williamsburg counties. In 2007, the LCFB distributed more than 9.3 million pounds of food to a network of more than 300 faith-based and nonprofit food programs in coastal South Carolina. The LCFB continues to increase the overall food supply and to design programs to the needs of the community in the fight against hunger. In the last couple of years the LCFB has undergone institutional transformation from a traditional distribution model to a community action-based model of emergency food distribution. These principles were adopted in the LCFB’s Strategic Plan “Marching to Quality: 2007-2010” and communicated to the LCFB’s agencies during its annual Community Development Conference in May 2007. The conference focused on the need for community-based action to end hunger in the Lowcountry by providing a tangible plan that will eliminate the potential for hunger in our community. During the conference, the LCFB’s staff and agencies adopted a five-year community action plan called the “Ten Point Promise.” Designed for creating a Hunger Free Lowcountry, the LCFB’s “Ten Point Promise” includes the following: 1) We have set an initial destination 18 million pound of food annually in order to feed the hungry in the Lowcountry; 2) We will add 275 agencies over the next five years; 3) We will grow our agency partners into Quality Agencies (i.e., agencies committed to nutrition, accountability, community development, and customer service); 4) We will build upon the work that has been started and see that 31 Community Coalitions are in place within the next three years; 5) We will build and support a Quality Food Center; 6) We will provide targeted incentives to reach remote areas or vulnerable populations; 7) We will make changes to the USDA distribution system to bring about greater equity and provide a platform that supports growth; 8) We will continue to expand programs such as BackPack Buddies so that every child has an opportunity to learn; 9) We will build community partnerships, which will enable us to fulfill our mission; 10) We will launch new initiatives and programs when they will facilitate progress.
Charleston Regional Food Center
Since 2005, the LCFB has been faced with the loss of its rent-free 37,000 square-foot Charleston Distribution Center , which will be demolished due to the Noisette Company community redevelopment project in North Charleston , South Carolina. In December 2007, the LCFB purchased and is currently renovating a 65,000 sq. ft facility, which can accommodate the collection, inspection, storage, and annual distribution of a projected 18 million pounds of healthy food by 2011. Nearly doubling its annual food distribution, the LCFB will be utilizing its new food center to create an innovative, community-based approach for serving its low-income populations. The facility includes: 1) docks for unloading food and loading deliveries for distribution; 2) shelf-stable product storage; 3) large coolers and freezers; 4) a packing and sorting area; 5) administrative office space; 6) production kitchen for the preparation of Kids Cafe meals and providing job training and employment opportunities for welfare-to-work recipients; and 7) meeting rooms to provide nutrition education classes for the LCFB’s agencies, clients and interested constituents. The LCFB is projecting to move to its new facility by August 2008.
Childhood Hunger Programs
Childhood Hunger Programs: In order to significantly impact childhood hunger in coastal South Carolina, the LCFB launched its first sponsored Kids Cafe program in 2000; Kids Cafe is an after school program that provides low-income students with hot, healthy meals and academic assistance. The LCFB currently operates 15 Kids Cafe sites in coastal South Carolina. In 2007, the LCFB provided more than 104,661 hot, nutritious meals or nearly 134,000 pounds of food through this program. MORE >>>
In 2006, the LCFB piloted its BackPack Buddies weekend feeding initiative, a program providing healthy snacks to children suffering from inadequate weekend nutrition. The LCFB currently supports 18 BackPack Buddies sites.
Government Feeding Programs
Commodities Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)
July 2003 marks the first ever Commodities Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) in South Carolina. In partnership with the SC Department of Social Services, the LCFB distributes USDA food commodities to Women, Infant and Children (WIC) participants and the elderly living on Food Stamps. The program is currently available in Berkeley, Charleston, Horry and Williamsburg counties.
The Emergnecy Food Appropriation Program (TEFAP)
Through The Emergency Food Appropriations Program (TEFAP), the LCFB is the sole distributor of USDA products to the poor and hungry in coastal South Carolina. This relationship with the SC Department of Social Services provides better quality food on a more consistent schedule, greatly reduces barriers to access, and saves the taxpayer money by distributing these government commodities to the ten coastal counties of South Carolina.For more information about the TEFAP and CSFP programs, please visit the SC Department of Social Services Healthy Helpings website.
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Grassroots Network of Member Agencies
The LCFB maintains formal contractual agreements with more than 300 member agencies in coastal South Carolina. Member agencies include after-school programs, faith-based organizations, shelters, food pantries, children’s homes, soup kitchens, and low-income senior centers. The process of becoming a member agency adheres to the highest selection standards. These standards are continuously reiterated to the existing and prospective member agencies through quarterly agency meetings, an annual agency survey, monthly meal reports, site visits, and an annual Community Development Conference. As previously stated, in 2007, the conference focused on the need for community-based action to end hunger in coastal South Carolina by providing a tangible plan that will eliminate the potential for hunger in this community.
Growing Food Locally
In partnership with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina, and Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, and Clemson University, the LCFB operates the Growing Food Locally program in Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper counties. Primarily serving a perishable foods supplier and distribution function for regional emergency food providers, the Growing Food Locally program is designed to help small-scale farming enterprises become profitable through professional training, free consultations, small pay advances, and a guaranteed safety net purchase of pre-selected crops. In 2007, the GFL program produced 99,700 pounds of fresh produce available to the LCFB’s network of rural, sponsored feeding programs.
Hunger & Homelessness Services On-line Database
The Hunger & Homelessness Services Database serves as a comprehensive listing of more than 400 emergency food services and programs throughout the ten coastal counties of South Carolina. This database helps explain the current state of hunger and homelessness services in our community, and, in turn, makes the community more aware of these services.
Innovative Distribution Initiatives
In efforts to create additional opportunities for low-income clients in costal South Carolina, the LCFB continues to expand its programs by developing innovative distribution initiatives that expand access to inexpensive, healthy food resources. Such examples include: Holiday Program for the Elderly in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties providing 68,515 pounds of food to 3,500 elderly in partnership with the Post & Courier Good Cheer Fund; Mass Food Distributions Model providing direct to client assistance of 103,906 pounds of food to 2,705 families (7,618 individuals) and additional services including blood pressure screenings, stroke and nutrition awareness training, and referrals to local medical and prescription medication assistance. The LCFB is currently researching community-operated Food Cooperatives; a voluntary, membership organization formed to procure and distribute food to its members in low-income communities with limited or no access to supermarkets. Preliminary research has suggested that this initiative will provide greater food self-sufficiency for vulnerable clients, improve access to food resources for isolated communities, and create an ongoing opportunity for consumer education through budgeting, consumer economics and nutrition training.
Nutrition Education
Since 2005, the LCFB has worked diligently to improve its internal capacity to increase distribution of nutritious foods, and to provide nutrition outreach services and education to its network of member agencies. The LCFB’s Board of Directors adopted a nutrition strategy that is allowing the organization to conduct a targeted campaign to provide solutions to the economic and health problems associated with poor food choices in coastal South Carolina. The LCFB is collaborating with and communicating this message to its network of member agencies by designing projects to educate and encourage agencies to promote healthy eating among their clients. In addition to developing and implementing tools to evaluate the LCFB’s nutrition programs, the LCFB’s full time Nutrition Coordinator: 1) develops and disseminates childhood hunger program menus; 2) provides a variety of educational training techniques (i.e. healthy eating seminars and the publication of monthly nutrition newsletters); 3) conducts “Project Strength” courses for families and hands-on cooking demonstrations; and 4) administers ServSafe Food Safety training and testing for the LCFB’s member agencies (mandatory requirement for all LCFB agencies).
Regional Food Centers (Beaufort County and Grand Strand)
The LCFB began its operations by distributing food from a 10,000 square-foot, rented building in Ladson, South Carolina, to a handful of local faith-based and nonprofit agencies serving low-income populations. In March 1998, the LCFB moved its operations toa 37,000 square-foot, rent-free distribution center in North Charleston , located on the former Naval Base. In 1999, the LCFB distributed 1.7 million pounds of food, more than a 123% increase over the previous years. The LCFB’s membership also grew dramatically by 104% reaching a total of 196 local faith-based and nonprofit agencies served in the ten coastal counties of South Carolina . In order to provide better access to food resources for rural faith-based and nonprofit agencies operating Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties, the LCFB opened its 6,500 square-foot regional food center in Yemassee in 2000. The success of the regional food center in Beaufort prompted the LCFB to establish a 9,300 square-foot regional food center in Myrtle Beach to provide food resources to local faith-based and nonprofit agencies serving Georgetown, Horry, and Williamsburg counties. In 2007, the LCFB distributed more than 9.3 million pounds of food to a network of more than 300 faith-based and nonprofit food programs in coastal South Carolina .