Our Rural Health and Nutrition (RHN) Extension Agents in Lee, Hampton, and Marion Counties are working on Policy, System, and Environment initiatives to fight obesity. Prior to and during this COVID-19 crisis, getting healthy foods into local food pantries has been a way to provide healthy eating options for food-insecure individuals.
The RHN agents in Lee county who are working on the CDC grant project are coordinating partnerships through Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church and SC Center for Rural and Primary Healthcare to bring “Foodshare” (local fresh fruit and vegetable produce boxes) to Lee County. Agents assisted Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church with the application to become a SNAP vendor and coordinated distribution of Foodshare boxes to the food pantry. Food pantry clients can now purchase Foodshare produce boxes using SNAP benefits. Through these efforts, our RHN agents have created a new healthy food access point for food-insecure community members in Lee County.
