Critical Needs Assistance

This program addresses the hardships faced by many residents in North Columbia, especially those that reside in zip code 29203 in Columbia, South Carolina. This is an area where many families face significant economic hardship, limited access to nutritious food, and serious health disparities.

For example, more than 25% of residents in this area live below the poverty line. This rate is more than 1.5 times the rate for the Columbia, S.C. metro area (14.5%) and nearly double the rate for South Carolina (14.1%). Also approximately 43% of children under 18 and 16% of adults age 65 and older live below the poverty level. Additionally, many families in the area live in a food desert-making it difficult to access affordable, nutritious food. Diabetes-related lower limb amputation rates are among the highest in the nation. The rate of these amputations is 9.96 per 10,000 residents which is 1.8 times higher than the overall South Carolina average.

To address these issues the program helps stock a food pantry at a local high school. The program also donates bags of nutritious, non-perishable food “Sacks of Love” for students to carry home on the weekend during the school year. Ensuring that students are nourished during the weekends increases the likelihood that they will study, complete assignments, and be better prepared to learn upon returning to school. We also periodically conduct community food giveaways to help food insecure residents. Over time, we have donated nearly 300,000 meals to food-insecure residents.

Other activity examples include helped 153 people from 49 families purchase food, pay rent, or cover utilities during the COVID-19 pandemic plus donated personal hygiene items to schools and the homeless.
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