Lemont Glasgow, John Glasgow, Ernestine Ratliff and Lillie Bates prepare to distribute meats to the community by the old Piggly Wiggly in Whitmire.
Andy Husk | The Newberry Observer
Cars lined up around the lot, and sometimes onto the highway, waiting in line Saturday for food distributions from The Living Hope Foundation.
Andy Husk | The Newberry Observer
WHITMIRE — With the absence of a grocery store, some in the town of Whitmire are utilizing local food pantries to get fresh items in town.
On Saturday, March 12, The Living Hope Foundation, based in Newberry, was able to help with around 5,000 pounds of frozen meat. The foundation set up outside the old Piggly Wiggly with a truckload of ground beef, beef roasts, chicken breasts and hot dogs to distribute.
John Glasgow, executive director of Living Hope, said they were able to get around 10,000 pounds of meat donated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to give out in the Newberry County area. Roughly half of the donation was given away in Newberry on Friday at the Oakland Community Center.
In total, six full pallets, of frozen meat, were given out in the community.
In Whitmire, estimates were around 380 families served in the two hours Living Hope was working Saturday morning. Cars wrapped around the parking lot and at times lined up onto the highway waiting their turn.
A handful of volunteers showed up to assist with the distribution; one of them, Geneva Ware of Shiloh Outreach Church, 6413 Whitmire Highway, Whitmire, took the lead directing folks to the pick-up and helping tally numbers of recipients.
“Thank you to the Living Hope Foundation for helping Whitmire,” she said.
A couple of college students also gave up their Saturday morning to help out, Keonte Singleton, of Alpha Delta Chi chapter of Omega Psi Phi and Mia Rogers of Nu Chi chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho said helping out was a great experience.
To find out about upcoming food distributions, follow The Living Hope Foundation on Facebook.
Andy Husk is the publisher of The Newberry Observer and a member of the board of The Living Hope Foundation. You may reach him at 803-768-3117.