Lowcountry Food Bank installs food lockers at its partner food pantry, Shepherd of the Sea Lutheran Church
September 2, 2025
Food Lockers Enable Neighbors Who Seek Food Assistance to Order and Access Healthy Food During Hours Convenient to Them
Lowcountry Food Bank (LCFB) announced today that one of its partner food pantries, Shepherd of the Sea Lutheran Church, now has 28 food lockers to fill with free, healthy food for neighbors to access outside of regular food pantry operating hours.
The food locker funding comes from a generous grant from the David and Nicole Tepper Foundation, which announced more than $1.5million in donations to 10 food banks throughout North and South Carolina and Feeding the Carolinas earlier in 2025. This is a 15% increase in DNTF’s annual gifts, and does not include additional support for special projects throughout the year. Food insecurity has been a pillar of the Teppers’ philanthropic giving since acquiring the Carolina Panthers in 2018.
The lockers serve Southern Horry and Northeast Georgetown counties. Neighbors can place an online food order at orderahead.org, see food availability, and choose items they want to take home. By entering their zip code, neighbors can order food and schedule a pick-up time that is convenient for them. The lockers also serve as an emergency food access point for after-hours assistance.
“The future of food assistance lies in meeting people where they are, respecting their time, and offering support in a secure way,” said Deb Smith, Shepherd of the Sea Food Pantry Director. “Everyone deserves access to nutritious food, and these lockers provide a more convenient neighbor experience that expands their food choices and also removes some of the hurdles to food access.”
The food locker system uses Order Ahead software that is available through Feeding America-member food banks like Lowcountry Food Bank. Order Ahead is a fast, private, and easy way to order free food online.
Both frozen and refrigerated lockers accommodate fresh produce and shelf-stable food. The lockers are equipped with lighting and cameras to ensure safe pickup during evening or early morning hours. The lockers support discreet food pick-ups, are ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant, and adhere to Department of Energy efficiency ratings. Food locker software ensures that Lowcountry Food Bank can track locker usage and learn which foods neighbors are ordering most.
A testimonial from a neighbor who used the new food locker system this week, as told to Deb Smith, Shepherd of the Sea food pantry director:
“Russell B. is a local neighbor who has health issues that prevent him from shopping in a pantry or standing in line at a mobile food distribution. He is very grateful for the lockers and the option to choose the foods he wants,” said Ms. Smith. “He is able to pick up his food in a matter of minutes and not have to worry about waiting in a line or walking long distances.”
Food lockers are an innovative resource for reaching rural areas where there are fewer grocery stores, and they provide convenience for neighbors to obtain food outside of their working hours. “These wonderful food lockers help neighbors who may work and are only able to obtain food in the evening when most food pantries and grocery stores are closed,” said Kari Hanna, Lowcountry Food Bank’s Myrtle Beach Regional Facility Agency Relations Manager. “The lockers help folks access healthy food at times that are most convenient for them.”
Available food pickup times can be found on the Order Ahead website at orderahead.org. Additional pickup days will be added in the near future. Neighbors who experience food insecurity and wish to check food availability through the new lockers should visit orderahead.org.
For more information about LCFB programs, how to find food, volunteer, or make a monetary or food donation, visit lowcountryfoodbank.org.
About the Lowcountry Food Bank: Feed. Advocate. Empower.
The Lowcountry Food Bank serves the 10 coastal counties of South Carolina and distributed more than 45 million pounds of food in 2024. The Lowcountry Food Bank helps fight hunger by distributing food to more than 240 partner agencies including on-site meal programs, homeless shelters and emergency food pantries. The Lowcountry Food Bank advocates on behalf of those who experience hunger and helps empower people to make healthy and nutritious food choices. For more information, go to the Lowcountry Food Bank website at lowcountryfoodbank.org.
About the David & Nicole Tepper Foundation (DNTF)
Established in 2020, The David & Nicole Tepper Foundation invests capital and expertise to address the most pressing issues of our time through innovative, effective, and nimble solutions with a special focus on community-based projects. While the organization supports a number of initiatives, its core focus areas are food insecurity, basic needs, education, and disaster relief. As its founders and namesakes, David and Nicole Tepper remain fervently committed to addressing societal ails and inequities, both on a national and local scale.
