Bar association donates $10,000 to Harvest Hope

The S.C. Chapter of Federal Bar Association is giving back to food banks this holiday season.

S.C. Chapter President Janet Brooks Holmes and President-elect Beattie Ashmore presented Harvest Hope Food Bank with a check for more than $10,000. Board members voted unanimously December 3 to roll out the campaign to raise money for food banks, naming it, “This Season Put Your Money in the Bank – The Food Bank.”

What began as a $5,000 donation doubled within weeks with the help of board members and S.C. Federal Bar Association members as well as their friends and families.

“The coronavirus pandemic has led to rising food insecurity across the country, including in our state,” said Holmes. “These folks are our neighbors. They have lost jobs, and families and individuals are hungry. Their hearts are broken, and our hearts also break as we realize how fragile it all is. That’s why the South Carolina Chapter of the FBA decided to donate $5,000 from its funds to food banks across our state in time for the holidays. We challenged our members, families, and friends to meet our donation, as collectively we could make a huge difference in our state this holiday season by turning hunger into hope. Not only did they meet our donation, they exceeded it.”

Harvest Hope Food Bank is S. C.’s largest food bank, providing more than 22.6 million meals each year. Serving the Midlands, Pee Dee and Upstate, Harvest Hope is dedicated to eliminating hunger and food insecurity in South Carolina. Harvest Hope is partnering with Lowcountry Food Bank for this donation to ensure residents across the state can receive meals this holiday season.

Food insecurity has been on the rise due to the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing donation needs for local food banks. Harvest Hope has quadrupled its 2019 numbers.
If you are interested in donating to Harvest Hope or Lowcountry Food Bank, visit HarvestHope.org and Lowcountryfoodbank.org.