Foodshare SC is an innovative program that provides fresh produce to families, especially those who receive supplemental nutrition assistance or SNAP. The program has been expanding since its inception in 2015 and has distributed more than 23,000 fresh food boxes in several South Carolina communities. Just last month, Spartanburg became the most recent community to implement the Foodshare SC food box program.

The fresh food box is the heart of Foodshare SC. Anyone can order a small box of fresh produce for $15 or a large box for $20. SNAP recipients get can $10 off either box thanks to the South Carolina Healthy Bucks program. Almost all SNAP recipients are children, the elderly, the disabled and the working poor, so the program is a cost effective solution to improving nutrition for our state’s most vulnerable citizens.

The Spartanburg program, operating as part of the Spartanburg Urban Mission, is placing a special focus on using as much local produce as possible. Keeping these funds in the community helps support local farmers, says Rev. Darrell McNeill, director of Spartanburg Urban Mission. For more information on our local Foodshare food box program, call 864-586-2840.

The Columbia program partners with the local hospital and clinics to reach patients whose health conditions could improve with better nutrition. Some of those patients are referred to a culinary medicine class where healthy eating and cooking is taught. The culinary medicine program is part of a larger trend towards teaching cooking as a medical intervention for chronic disease. Perhaps Spartanburg will host a similar program someday soon – watch this space!