Social work grad students plan events to raise awareness of food insecurity

A group of graduate students in the University of South Carolina College of Social Work is planning a weeklong campaign April 2 – 9 to collect canned food for Harvest Hope Food Bank and raise awareness of the growing problem of food insecurity and malnutrition in the Palmetto State.

Called “Hunger Knows No Rivalry Week,” the initiative will include presentations and food drives at Dreher High School, Hand Middle School and Radius Church in Lexington and culminate in a canned food drive at the April 9 home baseball game against Clemson University.

The students, who are working on their master’s degrees in social work, have teamed up with the Bi-Lo at 7830 Garners Ferry Road and the Chick-Fil-A at 294 Harbison Blvd. to encourage the community to donate food for Harvest Hope’s emergency pantry, which is nearing the time of year when food requests are highest.

Bi-Lo employees will hand out bags to encourage shoppers to fill them with canned goods, and the Chick-Fil-A will have a barrel for food donations. Barrels also will be located across the university campus for students, faculty and staff to make donations.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 6.3 percent of households in South Carolina (104,000) have very low food security, and 15.5 percent of households in the state (255,000) face food insecurity.

Mary Allen Mann, a second-year MSW student, said the students have been researching the meaning of these numbers and the stories behind the numbers.

“This is why they wanted to plan a large event, to get beyond the immediate Carolina community and to get Clemson involved, as well to help people in need” she said.

Allen said she and her fellow students want to make the food drive sustainable.

Dennis Poole, dean of the College of Social Work, said he was proud of the students for leading such a critically important effort.

“To promote the well-being and social justice of vulnerable families in South Carolina, we must collaborate with diverse people and 'organizations of our state,” Poole said. “What better place to begin is there than hunger and food security?”