Harvest Hope Food Bank
Harvest Hope is South Carolina’s largest food bank, providing over 21 million meals on average to neighbors in need across the Midlands, Pee Dee and Upstate.
Harvest Hope is on a mission to eliminate hunger and food insecurity in South Carolina. We rescue nutritious food from stores throughout the state and distribute it to food pantries, shelters, and soup kitchens. We operate programs that provide food for our most vulnerable citizens – children, seniors, and rural residents who don’t have access to grocery stores. We also run our own emergency food pantries in Greenville and Columbia where anyone in need can get a week’s supply of groceries for free.
Harvest Hope began in 1981 as the result of a shared vision of business leaders and the faith community, who set out to provide for the hungry in Columbia. Since then, Harvest Hope has increased its mission to feed the hungry across 20 counties in South Carolina.
Who We Help
Harvest Hope provides food for organizations across the state who serve families in need, with special allocations for our most vulnerable residents, including children, seniors, and people in rural areas without access to grocery stores.
Our mission is to transform lives in the communities we serve by feeding the hungry, addressing food insecurity and building a healthy and hopeful hunger-free tomorrow.
GETTING FOOD FROM HERE TO THERE
Moving tons of food is a big job…this is how we make sure everyone can get their basic needs met.
At Harvest Hope, our work is built on our core values:
Social Justice – We commit to addressing the root causes of hunger and advocating for social justice and the common good because we believe that access to safe, sufficient, nutritious food is a basic human right, and because we believe that empowered people and their communities thrive.
Respect – We recognize the inherent worth and dignity of every person and treat all with equity and compassion.
Integrity – We act with honesty, trust, and transparency, and deliver on our commitments.
Collaboration – We collaborate to build strong relationships and partnerships with a diversity of people and organizations who share our vision of a healthy, hunger-free community, even as we acknowledge the need to balance the individual good with the greater good.
Innovation – We strive to continuously improve our service to our clients and communities, because the urgent need to feed hungry people and adequately address the root causes of hunger requires entrepreneurial creativity and enduring optimism to find and scale what works.
Accountability – We maintain the public trust through the efficient and effective use and stewardship of the resources entrusted to us, and we are mindful that our mission is accomplished through the generosity of others.
Excellence – We promise to excel in the delivery of our services and commitments because our clients, stakeholders, and communities deserve our very best.
Enough to Eat
Over 515,000 people in South Carolina struggle with hunger and food insecurity. An unexpected job loss or medical issue can quickly become a financial emergency. People need a way to meet their most basic human needs while they cope with a crisis – otherwise, there’s a chance that poverty could become permanent and entrenched.
Hunger in South Carolina
The problem of food insecurity—not knowing where your next meal will come from—is greater in South Carolina than many people realize. It’s very likely that someone you know may be suffering from hunger and food insecurity.
Who is hungry?
One in eight of our South Carolina neighbors, including 197,000 children, face hunger on a daily basis.
Most of the people that visit Harvest Hope Food Bank are just like you; many never imagined they would be in this situation. They might have fallen on hard times due to a job loss or medical expenses. The access to food that we provide often means that our clients can afford to pay for their medication, not fall behind on rent, or cover transportation to their jobs.
The average visitor to our emergency food pantry comes just three times before they have gotten back on their feet and regained self-sufficiency. Food pantries are a lifeline that helps people avoid losing their jobs, falling into poverty, or becoming homeless. Often our former clients come back to volunteer and pay it forward to other people.
How can we help?
People facing food insecurity may find relief in several ways. Schools feed children during the day, but at nights, on weekends, and during holidays, families often struggle and stretch to make sure everyone has enough. Similarly, government programs like SNAP are a great help, but often don’t provide enough to make it through the month. To truly address the hunger issue, organizations like Harvest Hope are needed to provide food to families who need a little help.
Ways to Give
Your generosity fills our shelves and feeds South Carolinians struggling with hunger in our 20-county service area. Making a tax-deductible financial donation is the most effective way to help. For every dollar you donate, Harvest Hope Food Bank can provide four meals to those in need! Learn more about how you can support our mission of building a hunger-free tomorrow.
Learn how to give: https://www.harvesthope.org/ways-to-give
Contact Harvest Hope:
MIDLANDS
2220 Shop Road
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: 803-254-4432
Fax: 803-254-6011
PEE DEE
2701 Alex Lee Boulevard
Florence, SC 29506
Phone: 843-661-0826
Fax: 843-661-0699
UPSTATE
2818 White Horse Road
Greenville, SC 29611
Phone: 864-281-3995
Fax: 864-281-3998
