St. Mark Food/Nutrition Pantry Partners with Food Lion Feeds to Combat Hunger
October 3, 2024
The Great Pantry Makeover addresses food insecurity and increases access to nutritious food
What: Hunger is a devastating issue that affects every community.
Food banks across South Carolina are seeing a drastic increase in the need for food and resources from neighbors experiencing hunger. St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church Food/Nutrition Pantry, a partner feeding agency of Harvest Hope Food Bank, has experienced an elevated need for emergency resources since the beginning of this year. In fact, demand at the St. Mark Food/Nutrition Pantry has grown by 100% over the past nine months’ time. This means more Lee County neighbors are receiving help who have never needed it before, while those served by the agency continue to face financial strain and other difficult challenges.
Food Lion Feeds is responding to that need by awarding $6100 to help the food pantry improve operations and increase its capacity to nourish its food-insecure neighbors. Through its annual Food Lion Feeds event, The Great Pantry Makeover, the investment helps create sustainability in operations and allows the pantry to serve more people. Food Lion Feeds was founded in 2014 by Food Lion to address food insecurity in the towns and cities it serves.
On October 3, 2024, Food Lion associates will support these local efforts by volunteering to complete pantry improvements. During this 30-day effort, Food Lion associates will volunteer for activities such as painting and cleaning pantries or installing shelving, freezers, coolers and other equipment to expand the capacity for fresh fruits, vegetables and other products. In addition to providing transformative solutions to address critical needs for the partner feeding agencies, Food Lion associates will stock the pantry shelves with nutritious food. Food Lion Feeds is donating more than 3,000 pounds of shelf-stable food, including canned protein, canned fruits, canned vegetables, breakfast items, pasta and rice.
The annual campaign takes place every September to align with Hunger Action Month, a time when Food Lion Feeds deepens its extensive existing partnership with Feeding America® to highlight the impact food can have on a person’s life and inspire action to end hunger within their communities. Since 2015, Food Lion Feeds has renovated or supported more than 320 food pantries through The Great Pantry Makeover.
Interview and photo opportunities are available on-site.
When: October 3, 2024, 11:00 AM
Where: St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church
Food/Nutrition Pantry
510 Manville-Wisacky Road
Bishopville, South Carolina 29010