Lowcountry Food Bank (LCFB) on Tuesday announced it has been awarded grant funding from CSX Transportation to support local veteran farmers by purchasing the produce they grow for distribution to neighbors who experience food insecurity - some of whom are veterans. The donation recognizes and uplifts individuals and organizations dedicated to honoring those who serve our communities.
LCFB distributes healthy food, including fresh produce, to veterans who can access it through food distributions close to home. Veterans also have access to an emergency food pantry in the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston that helps address diet-related health issues. Additionally, LCFB community partners distribute LCFB-prepared meals to veterans who may be experiencing food insecurity.
Out of the more than 40 million people that Feeding America food banks serve each year, 20 percent of the households served include veterans or someone who currently serves in the U.S. Military.
Since its 2006 launch by LCFB, the Growing Food Locally (GFL) program has worked with local, small farm enterprises, which focuses on partnerships with historically underserved producers on the sea islands of South Carolina. A dual-purpose initiative, GFL aims to help the farmers grow their businesses while providing access to fresh, nutritious, and culturally appreciated foods for neighbors who experience food insecurity.
These growers have not traditionally had access to financial resources, markets or the appreciation that larger scale growers have had for decades. In 2010, several growers on St. Helena Island came together to form an agricultural cooperative, the Gullah Farmers Cooperative Association, to advance economic opportunity for growers of Gullah heritage in the region.
The power of the Growing Food Locally program's partnership is more than simply purchasing produce to meet the needs of our neighbors, which is important, but this project also helps preserve local foodways and build a more resilient and robust local food system. The work represents a shift from traditional food banking and traditional fundraising. The LCFB strives to tell donors and other stakeholders the importance of cultural preservation, the capabilities of our neighbors to build solutions that benefit us all, and how they can be part of much needed systemic change.
"Thanks to organizations like CSX, we have the honor of helping uplift veterans who have given so much of themselves to serve our nation," said Nick Osborne, LCFB President and CEO. "We want to express heartfelt thanks to CSX for supporting our mission and to our veterans who may simply be going through a difficult time."
For more information about LCFB programs, visit lowcountryfoodbank.org.