‘We are building a safety net’: Advocates push for regional council to address food insecurity
Local leaders say too much weight falls on community organizations, officials in support
By
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — Local advocates are pushing for a regional food council to address food insecurity in the Charleston area.
This comes after the Charleston Area Justice Ministry’s Nehemiah Action gathering on Monday, where members asked officials from Charleston city, North Charleston and Charleston County to support using funds for the creation of the food council. Advocates and local leaders say the weight of providing food in the area falls heavily on nonprofit and community organizations, and a council would find solutions to address the issue from a regional perspective.
“Municipalities, really, we’re asking them to step up because of the cuts to the federal food programs, cuts to SNAP, which have already begun, and they’re going to increase,” Julia Eichelberger, a member with CAJM, said. “And so there are going to be more and more people actually that are going to be affected.”
The Lowcountry Food Bank’s annual report highlights a massive effort to combat food insecurity across the region, showing the reliance on local organizations providing. Officials say food insecurity rates are at a 20-year high.