Feed Your Mind Blog - Loaves and Fishes

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Feed Your Mind Blog

A Sold-Out Brunch that Fed Thousands

in Uncategorized

GREENVILLE, SC (May 2, 2019) — Loaves & Fishes' mission is to take what’s available and multiply it among those in need in Greenville County, so it is no surprise that their most recent fundraising event did just that. Taste of the Upstate has become a staple event in downtown Greenville as it showcases some of the best restaurants in town including Husk, The Lazy Goat, Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que, Northampton Wine + Dine, Nose Dive, Passerelle Bistro, Roost, Smoke on the Water and Buttermilk Sky Pie. Live music from The Greenville Jazz Collective and St. Anthony of Padua Male Choir brought a wonderful touch of New Orleans inspired jazz and gospel to the brunch. A new contributor to the event, Open Arts Studio displayed seven local artists who auctioned off...

A Sweet Gift, a Changed Life

in Events

GREENVILLE, SC - Mast General Store in Greenville is partnering with Loaves & Fishes this Valentine’s to restock their community food pantries. The annual Be a Sweetheart, Feed the Hungry campaign, February 9 & 10, matches each pound of candy purchased at Mast Store with a $1 donation that our partners then stretch to: Supply foods to encourage healthy eating - over 68% of the food distributed in 2016 is recognized by Feeding America as foods that focus on good health, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc., Rescue foods that would otherwise be discarded from restaurants and other businesses, Feed seniors who may never have had to worry about food until their spouse passed away, and Nourish hungry veterans who are struggling to put enough food on their tables. With your...

Save the Date! CROP Hunger Walk!

in Events

Mark your calendars and plan to join us for the annual Upstate Crop Hunger Walk on Sunday, March 24, 2019! (Greenville Technical College/Barton Campus; 2:30 pm walk start/1:30 pm pre-walk activities & sign-in) This 5 K family walk event supports the local hunger fighting efforts of Loaves and Fishes in Greenville, and the world hunger programs of Church World Service. CROP Hunger Walks are interfaith community events which engage over 1,000 communities in the U.S. each year to fight hunger in their communities and around the world. Please reply to this email if your faith group or organization would like to participate in this year’s walk. There is no fee to participate, but participants are encouraged to raise money to help fight hunger – every dollar makes a difference! Individuals and teams are...

The Impact Food Rescue Makes on Other Nonprofits

in Food Rescue, Hunger

You’re probably aware by now of the effect food rescue has on fighting hunger and reducing waste. What you may not realize, however, is the impact food rescue has on other nonprofit organizations. In 2017, we distributed more than 2.2 million pounds of food to the 90+ nonprofit agencies we partner with across the Upstate. What kind of impact does food rescue have on these organizations? Reduces their operating costs One of the most significant ways food rescue impacts nonprofit organizations is by reducing their operating costs. Some organizations, such as homeless or women’s shelters, need to serve meals to those they assist. In those instances, the food that comes from rescue organizations significantly reduces how much these nonprofits need to spend on food costs. Other nonprofits that require food for their...

How to Get Involved with Food Rescue

in Hunger

Maybe you know someone who’s been personally affected by hunger. Maybe you’ve been following Loaves & Fishes on Twitter and have become passionate about our work. Maybe you see the need but aren’t sure how to make a difference. No matter who you are or what skills you possess, there’s a way for you to get involved with food rescue. 1. Raising awareness One of the most important ways you can help your community is by sharing what you have learned about food rescue. Most are unaware of how prevalent hunger is throughout the country and even in their own backyards. Sharing statistics about local hunger can have a major impact on your friends and colleagues and can spur them to action. Reducing hunger is possible if we all work together. In addition,...

How to Reduce Personal Food Waste — and Feed the Hungry

in Hunger

Each American wastes about one pound of food each day — enough to feed 2 billion people each year, according to the Department of Agriculture. When food waste accounts for 19 percent of landfills yet over 41 million Americans struggle with hunger, something doesn’t add up. Reducing food waste has become a necessity not only for our environment but also for our hungry citizens. At Loaves & Fishes, we fight food waste by rescuing food from donors, like grocery stores or restaurants, and delivering it to those in need, via shelters or community centers. But it takes all of us working together to make a significant dent in our food waste problem — and that starts at home. Read on for ways you can personally help to reduce food waste in...

How to Have a Zero-Waste Fourth of July

in Hunger

If you are trying to be more mindful of waste, especially in a country where 41 million people struggle with hunger, hosting events can be frustrating. Paper plates, plastic cups, leftovers that go bad before they can be eaten — these are all part of the typical waste produced from Fourth of July celebrations. Fortunately, there are adjustments you can make to help reduce the amount of waste from your event. 1. Avoid disposable items Much of the waste produced by events comes from disposable items like plastic cups and utensils. Using real plates, napkins, forks and cups can help avoid most Fourth of July waste. Don’t have enough of your own? Consider renting items from a party rental company. If using real items isn’t an option, seek out compostable utensils and...

Nelson Mullins associates CANNED by Loaves & Fishes.

in Canned Food Drive, Press Release

GREENVILLE, SC: June 12, 2018 Loaves & Fishes food rescue challenged Greenville County law firms to help feed children in Greenville County this summer. 1 in 5 households with children struggles to afford enough food for their families. With over 49% of Greenville County students eligible for free and reduced lunch during the school year, Loaves & Fishes recognizes that in the summer they are not receiving at least those 2 meals regularly. The Feeding Frenzy Food Drive fills a vital summer need and 12 local law firms stepped up to help! Participating firms included the attorneys at 522 Church Street; Christophillis & Gallivan; Dority Manning; Holder, Padget, Littlejohn; McNair Law Firm; Nelson Mullins; Nexsen Pruet; Turner, Padget; Wilson, Jones & Carter; Womble, Bond, Dickinson; Wyche, P.A. and the U.S. Attorney’s office....

Hunger Doesn’t Take a Summer Break

in Hunger

Over 200,000 children in South Carolina struggle with hunger, according to Feeding America, and summer is often the most difficult time for them. The nearly 35,000 children in Greenville County who rely on free and reduced-price school meals lose access to regular meals during the summer months. In addition, summer is particularly challenging for food pantries and summer feeding programs. Donations typically decline following the holidays and reach a near standstill during the summer months. This summer lull is why it’s extremely important for us to work together and be vigilant in preventing hunger. Food rescue organizations, like ours, play a key role during the summertime. Community food programs host summer meal sites at places such as parks, recreation centers and houses of worship — and those programs rely on food rescue...