{"id":12335,"date":"2024-07-17T14:50:40","date_gmt":"2024-07-17T14:50:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/south-carolina\/?p=12334"},"modified":"2025-04-09T18:45:18","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T18:45:18","slug":"grab-and-go-success-stories-community-efforts-in-spartanburg-county-south-carolina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/south-carolina\/2024\/07\/17\/grab-and-go-success-stories-community-efforts-in-spartanburg-county-south-carolina\/","title":{"rendered":"Grab and Go Success Stories: Community Efforts in Spartanburg County, South Carolina"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn Spartanburg County\u2019s community of Enoree, the legacy of the cotton mills still lingers. For decades, the mills were the heart of the community, providing steady employment and a sense of identity. However, as the mills began to shut down, the town faced significant economic challenges. Jobs were lost, and the community had to adapt to a new reality. Amidst these changes, ensuring the well-being of the community\u2019s children became a priority, leading to innovative solutions to combat hunger and provide support.<\/span>\r\n\r\nA unique initiative by Spartanburg County School District Four aims to have no child go hungry. The summer program is eliminating food insecurity in the district when kids are not in school. Born out of necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic, this grab and go summer feeding program provides non-congregate meals for children to take home. Available to all children 18 years or younger not enrolled in a daily meal program like summer school, this initiative addresses a critical need in a community still recovering from economic shifts.<\/span>\r\n

Reaching the Community<\/b><\/h3>\r\nThe program operates through several sites, including churches and schools. These locations were strategically chosen based on the community’s needs and the willingness of local churches to get involved. \u201cThe churches reached out to me and it\u2019s worked out…I mean, it\u2019s worked out well,\u201d said Audra Terry, Director of Dining at Spartanburg County School District Four.<\/span>\r\n\r\nSocial media has played a significant role in spreading the word. \u201cAt the younger grades, there were letters sent home in book bags, but it\u2019s mostly been social media and I sent emails internally to all staff and they\u2019ve shared the word,\u201d added Audra.<\/span>\r\n

Serving Hundreds<\/b><\/h3>\r\nThe grab and go sites serve a substantial number of families. “We are serving non-congregate meals to 450 to 500 children a week,” said Audra. This distribution includes five breakfasts and five lunches per child each week, adhering to USDA\u2019s nutritional guidelines.<\/span>\r\n\r\nMoreover, volunteers from local churches play a crucial role in the distribution. “We pack the meals at Woodruff Middle School. Jeff Taylor with Taylor Boy Produce loads ’em all up and distributes to each church,\u201d said Audra.<\/span>\r\n

Stories of Impact<\/b><\/h3>\r\nThe impact of this program is deeply felt within the community. One volunteer recounts, “There was one father who had lost his wife and he had twin girls. And so he needed, I mean, he really needed the help.” Another touching story involves a family whose only vehicle broke down. \u201cI took their meals to them at the end of the night every Wednesday.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nOne particular anecdote shared by a volunteer speaks volumes: a family had to choose between paying their water bill and buying groceries. The meal program eased this burden, allowing them to pay their bill and feed their children.<\/span>\r\n

Addressing Challenges<\/b><\/h3>\r\nThe program has faced its share of challenges, particularly in ensuring they have enough food without over-preparing. \u201cThere\u2019s always a concern about having enough. We try to prepare. We\u2019ve not run out. But that\u2019s our concern because you don\u2019t want to over-prepare and have waste,\u201d said Audra.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe program\u2019s success is gauged by the increasing number of families served and the positive feedback from the community. “I\u2019ve had a lot of thank yous. I\u2019ve not had any negative feedback from the community.”<\/span>\r\n

Advice for Other Districts<\/b><\/h3>\r\nFor other districts looking to implement similar programs, the advice is clear. “I would suggest that they look at the community as a whole and find out what works best for their community,” advises Audra. “We\u2019ve had success because we\u2019ve involved the local churches, we\u2019ve used social media effectively, and we\u2019ve listened to the needs of our families. The district is not making a lot of money, but it’s serving the community. That’s our goal. If the district’s goal is to serve their community, this is an easy program to operate,\u201d said Audra.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAnother recommendation is to pursue grant funding to support the summer program. For instance, the Spartanburg 4 School District received a No Kid Hungry summer non-congregate grant to aid in implementing the non-congregate meal distribution. The funds were utilized to purchase packing boxes for meal items, rent refrigerated trucks, and acquire hand trucks to facilitate the transport from packing areas to distribution sites.<\/span>\r\n\r\nIn Spartanburg 4 and other school districts, the grab-and-go meal site stands as a testament to community spirit and the collective effort to ensure no child goes hungry, providing not just meals, but hope and support to families in need.<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In Spartanburg County\u2019s community of Enoree, the legacy of the cotton mills still lingers. For decades, the mills were the heart of the community, providing steady employment and a sense…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":12335,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-12335","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-blog"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nGrab and Go Success Stories: Community Efforts in Spartanburg County, South Carolina - SOUTH CAROLINA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/south-carolina\/2024\/07\/17\/grab-and-go-success-stories-community-efforts-in-spartanburg-county-south-carolina\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Grab and Go Success Stories: Community Efforts in Spartanburg County, South Carolina - SOUTH CAROLINA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In Spartanburg County\u2019s community of Enoree, the legacy of the cotton mills still lingers. 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