Second Helpings

Description

Second Helpings is a nonprofit food rescue and distribution network striving to eliminate hunger and food waste in the South Carolina Lowcountry. We collect and distribute food which would have otherwise ended up in landfills, and provide it, free of charge, to more than 50 food pantries, soup kitchens and family and senior programs in Beaufort, Jasper, and Hampton counties. In 2023, we rescued and distributed 3.4 million pounds of food. Since 1992, we have distributed more than 50 million pounds of food for our neighbors who need it.

According to Feeding America, there are 29,440 persons in need in our three-county area - including several thousand on Hilton Head Island and those who commute to work here. These, and many others who are finding that they can’t make ends meet because of high inflation or an unexpected expense, are the people that we and our agencies serve. They are children and their families, senior citizens, and workers whose paychecks don’t stretch far enough to cover their expenses. Many of them work in the hospitality industry, making our paradise possible for local residents and visitors.

We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that has been awarded Angel Charity Status by South Carolina. Nearly all of our funding comes from private donations. Thanks to our 468 volunteers, $1 in donations enables us to rescue enough food to provide five meals. Our volunteers keep our overhead low while allowing our Agency Partners to use their funds on their core missions with no overlap of services.