Produce Initiatives
Mobile Pantry & Fresh for All Distributions
Mobile Pantry food distributions directly serve our neighbors in geographic areas of high need who have low access to other food resources. During a Mobile Pantry, a truckload of food is distributed to our neighbors in pre-packed boxes or through a client-choice, market-style distribution where neighbors choose the foods they want to take home to their families. Mobile Pantry distributions provide a variety of food, including shelf stable items, fresh produce, dairy and meat. Mobile Pantry distributions make food more accessible in underserved communities where people with limited financial resources may not be able to access food through traditional grocery stores or food pantries.
Fresh For All is our farmers’ market-style, produce-focused mobile pantry model. This mobile model enables us to serve fresh produce in rural areas that are typically difficult to reach and often have limited food assistance resources. Fresh for All distributions are client choice, which reduces the chance of wasted food and provides more dignity for our neighbors in a fun, farmer’s market environment.
Fresh for Kids
Fresh for Kids is a mini-farmers market produce distribution model that serves children participating in our Kids Cafe and Summer Feeding programs. Fresh for Kids allows children to select from a variety of seasonal kid-friendly produce items to make their own bag of yummy and nutritious fruits and vegetables.
Growing Food Locally
Through the Growing Food Locally initiative, Lowcountry Food Bank works with small-enterprise local farms and sources surplus produce to distribute to food-insecure children, families and seniors. By working with local farmers to procure fresh vegetables and fruit, Lowcountry Food Bank is able to keep donor dollars in the local food economy and provide the most nutritious produce possible. This initiative contributes to the financial stability of local farms by covering the production cost of crops that farmers are unable to sell at market.