Over 42% of area people at risk of hunger are children, seniors

Many of the almost 40,000 seniors living in poverty in our region make tough choices every day.

“A lot of people, especially as they get older, have to choose between medicine or food, and that’s a choice we feel nobody should ever have to make,” Chip Latham, executive director of the Care and Rescue Center of York County, said.

The center is one of over 700 partner agencies receiving food from Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.  Second Harvest annually distributes over 50 million pounds of food and other items throughout a 19-county service region.

“The mission of the care center is to help our neighbor one family at a time.” Latham said.

Janie Dixon is a senior citizen who the center delivers food to each month.  “It’s nourishment,” Dixon said.  “Sometimes what they bring, I can have it for dinner.  If it’s very nice, I can have it for Sunday dinner.  It helps in every way.”

“We take food out from the center, volunteers deliver it, and it goes out to the neighborhood and other parts of the city,” Latham said. “So (people) have food to make it through the week.”

Because the Food Bank supplies food and essential grocery items to hundreds of agencies, a monetary donation helps all of these organizations.  For every $1 the food bank receives, they distribute 7 pounds of food. You can donate now by clicking on this link.

You can also donate non-perishable and canned food at any of WSOC-TV Family Focus partner locations Ashley HomeStore, Showmars, Hendrick Honda and E.R. Plumbing Services until June 10. Find a donation location near you by following this link. 

Learn more about the 9 Food Drive at www.9FoodDrive.com

If your organization or business would like to get involved or help with 9 Food Drive or you have an inspiring story to share, please email Kevin Campbell, WSOC-TV Community Affairs Manager at Kevin.Campbell@wsoctv.com.

Cox Media Group