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Standing with Our Neighbors: Palmetto Goodwill Partners on New Initiative to Combat Food Insecurity with Several Location Organizations
Food insecurity impacts every aspect of a person’s life, from their ability to work and learn to their capacity to grow and thrive. Here at Palmetto Goodwill, our mission is to provide equitable access to training, education, and employment. But we know that mission begins with ensuring our neighbors’ most basic needs are met.
Right now, an ongoing federal government shutdown has disrupted or delayed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for over 581,600 of our neighbors across South Carolina. This has created an immediate and urgent need for food assistance.
In response, Palmetto Goodwill is proud to stand with our community and take action.
Mary Ann Gilmer, Chief Mission and Engagement Officer at Palmetto Goodwill, speaking at the Lowcountry Food Bank.
Our Commitment: A $50,000 Donation and New Food Drive
To provide immediate relief, Palmetto Goodwill has made a lead donation of $50,000 to the CARE Fund. This fund, activated by our partners at the Coastal Community Foundation, provides rapid-response grants to nonprofit organizations that deliver emergency food, housing, and utility assistance to affected families.
This donation is just the beginning. The need is immense—our partners at the Lowcountry Food Bank, for example, report needing an additional $125,000 in food assistance each week to meet the growing demand.
To bridge this gap, we are mobilizing a new initiative to fight hunger. For the next several months, all Palmetto Goodwill retail store locations will serve as collection sites for non-perishable food donations.
We will be coordinating with local food banks, including the Lowcountry Food Bank and Harvest Hope, to ensure these donations quickly get to the SNAP beneficiaries, furloughed federal workers, and all community members facing food insecurity.
“The way to achieve the greatest impact is through partnership,” said Brian Itzkowitz, President & CEO of Palmetto Goodwill. “We can’t operate in silos and hope to get a great impact out of that. We’re pleased to be part of this collaboration and others to help the families who are in need in the eighteen counties we serve, and we know they are in need right now.”
How You Can Help
We cannot do this alone. We encourage all community members to join this effort by donating non-perishable food items.
When you drop off your household goods, you can now also drop off canned goods, pasta, peanut butter, and other non-perishables. Your donation will directly support families in the Tri-county, Pee Dee, Grand Strand, and Lower Savannah regions.
Every item makes a difference in helping a neighbor stand strong during this challenging time.
Ready to help?
Find your nearest Palmetto Goodwill donation center and its hours of operation on our locations page.
Are you in need of finding food?
While each of our donations centers is a drop-off site for nonperishable food, we’re ensuring all food donations are transported to the Lowcountry Food Bank. Find your nearest Lowcountry Food Bank and its hours of operation on the pantry page.
