Stock The Market Saturday

39 Sheridan Park Circle,Bluffton SC 29910

13 May, 2023

Description

Help us stock The Market shelves during the month of May. Over the past few years Bluffton Self Help has experienced and witnessed a community coming together in the face of inflation, rising grocery prices and declining government support. Together, we provided groceries to to more than 850 families last year. We can and must do more. Beaufort County is now the most expensive place to live in South Carolina. The average household grocery bill has gone up $395 a month compared to last year. Paychecks are not stretching as far, and for many Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) emergency allotments are no longer filling the gap, leaving them with impossible choices. As the cost of living continues to rise so does the need. Neighbors are turning to The Market for help, 10% more than last year. Bluffton Self Help is also not immune to the rising costs of eggs, milk, and meat to provide our neighbors with the food they need. Worse yet, summer is right around the corner- a challenging time for The Market, the donations slow down, and with school out, the need soars. The shelves are bare, our warehouse inventory is low and Lowcountry households will rely on The Market to shop for bags filled with groceries, diapers, and hygiene items this summer. And we are relying on you, our community, to help fill the need. Like last year, due to staffing issues locally, it is uncertain if the National Association of Letter Carrier’s “Stamp Out Hunger" food drive is happening once again. In the past, this event would typically stock The Market shelves with groceries that Bluffton Self Help and our neighbors depend on to get through the difficult summer months. On May 13th Bluffton Self Help will host "Stock The Market Saturday” in place of the postal food drive, to provide our community with a convenient, weekend time slot to drive through and drop off food donations from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Please help ensure all neighbors have fresh, healthy food on the table this summer. Our community has continued to step up to help fill the need and we are hoping you will be able to help once more.