Charleston, South Carolina – With the holidays quickly approaching, organizations around the Lowcountry banded together on Wednesday to provide meals for needy families.
Thanksgiving is only a week away, and as many families struggle to meet holiday expenses, organizations throughout the Lowcountry have stepped up, providing anything from meals to utility assistance.
“We’re nearing the end of the year, holidays are approaching, and many people are forced to choose between making a Thanksgiving meal, providing for their children, and paying other bills,” said Brianna Holman, community relations coordinator at Palmetto Community Action Partnership. “If we can just eliminate something off their plate, that’s what we’re here to do.”
The North Charleston Community Resource Center prioritizes ensuring families can keep the lights on and their tummies full throughout the year. However, as the holidays approach and families continue to recover from SNAP cuts earlier this month, organizers say the need is much greater.
“As you know, the SNAP benefits have disrupted a lot of people’s lives,” Executive Director Louis Smith explained. “The veteran life has been disrupted, our federal employees, so as a result, we have this tremendous amount of people coming in to get their groceries for this holiday season.”
The Charleston Police Department met people where they were by partnering with other organizations to hold a drive-thru food distribution on Wednesday, which Chief Chito Walker described as exemplifying his department’s dedication to showing up for the community.
“I am committed to continuing what we began several years ago. “The kind of department that I came into and making sure that we’re taking care of everyone, especially now,” Chief Walker stated. There’s a lot going on. “This is the time of year when we should be thankful and festive.”
