THE WAR OF WORDS, THE FINGER-POINTING BY POLITICIANS, ALL OF IT IS ABOUT TO GET REALLY SERIOUS AND HIT HOME IN THE LOWCOUNTRY WHEN MORE THAN 4-THOUSAND OF OUR NEIGHBORS LOSE THEIR SNAP BENEFITS THIS WEEKEND AND THE AMAZING WORK OF OUR VARIOUS FOOD PANTRIES IS PUT TO THE TEST. THE DEEP WELL PROJECT ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, BLUFFTON SELF-HELP, HELP OF BEAUFORT AND SECOND HELPINGS ARE AMONG THE MANY GROUPS WHO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY EVERY DAY IN THE LOWCOUNTRY AND ARE NERVOUS ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT SHUDOWN’S EFFECTS WHEN SNAP BENEFITS RUN OUT, ALL WHILE THE COST OF FOOD IS CONTINUING TO RISE FOR ALL OF US. IN SOUTH CAROLINA, FAMILIES MAKING ABOUT 26 HUNDRED A MONTH OR LESS FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR QUALIFY FOR SNAP BENEFITS- THAT’S OVER 44-HUNDRED HOUSEHOLDS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY ALONE. MORE THAN 12-HUNDRED FAMILIES ARE REGISTERED TO SHOP AT BLUFFTON SELF-HELP. HELP OF BEAUFORT HAS SEEN 800 PEOPLE WALK THROUGH THEIR FOOD PANTRY DOORS, UP 22-PERCENT FROM THE MONTH BEFORE, AND LEADERS THERE FEAR A 50-PERCENT COVID-LIKE BUMP IF SNAP BENEFITS END. DEEP WELL ON HILTON HEAD SAYS ITS ALREADY SEEING COVID-LIKE NUMBERS. BLUFFTON SELF-HELP IS OVERSPENDING ITS BUDGET BY 36% TO KEEP FOOD ON ITS PANTRY SHELVES. THE PANTRIES ARE ASKING FOR FRUIT, PASTA, PEANUT BUTTER, JELLY, EVEN KETCHUP AND MUSTARD, BESIDES THE OTHER STAPLES MOST OF US TAKE FOR GRANTED. AND YES, THEY’LL TAKE MONEY. AND FULL-SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE BLUFFTON SELF-HELP AND DEEP WELL SAYS WE HAVEN’T EVEN STARTED TALKING RENT AND UTILITY BILLS.
GOVERNOR MCMASTER WAS EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE TUESDAY THE ACTIVATION OF THE ‘ONE-S-C’ FUND UNDER THE CENTRAL CAROLINA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION THAT WILL HELP COORDINATE CHARITABLE GIVING FOR REGIONAL FOOD BANKS AND LOCAL FEEDING PARTNERS ACROSS THE STATE, BUT STATE SENATOR DEAN TEDDER FROM CHARLESTON AND DORCHESTER COUNTIES WANTS A SPECIAL SESSION OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO ADDRESS THE CRISIS, CITING THE 260-THOUSAND FAMILIES WHO RELY ON SOON-TO-EXPIRE SNAP ASSISTANCE. HE SAYS THAT NOT ONLY WILL THOSE FAMILIES FEEL HARDSHIP, BUT THE STATE’S ECONOMY AS A WHOLE- GROCERY STORES, FARMERS AND SMALL BUSINESSES THAT RELY ON THOSE WHO SPEND THEIR SNAP DOLLARS. TEDDER, WHO’S A DEMOCRAT, SAYS ‘HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY ARE NOT PARTISAN ISSUES, THEY’RE HUMAN ISSUES, AND WE CANNOT WAIT FOR WASHINGTON TO ACT WHEN SOUTH CAROLINIANS ARE GOING HUNGRY.’
OH, AND BY THE WAY, THERE’S A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE- THE HIGHEST THERE IS- CHURNING IN THE SOUTHERN CARRIBEAN HEADED NORTH, THOUGH MELISSA IS FORECAST TO MISS US BY HUNDREDS OF MILES. THE POPULAR TOURIST ISLAND OF JAMAICA IS ABOUT TO GET THE FULL BRUNT OF THE STORM THAT’S CARRYING 175-MILE-AN-HOUR WINDS, AND MOVING AT ONLY 5 MILES AN HOUR, MEANING THE STORM MIGHT DUMP MORE THAN 30-INCHES OF RAIN ON THE ISLAND AS IT TRACKS TOWARD EASTERN CUBA AND THEN THE BAHAMAS.