Food Lion feeds partners with Lowcountry Food Bank (LCFB) to nourish neighbors with food distribution at Myrtle Beach Convention Center

More than 400 people attended the food distribution on September 16 to access no-cost, healthy food

September is Hunger Action Month, and with a food insecurity rate of more than 14% in Horry County according to Feeding America’s most recent Map the Meal Gap figures, Food Lion Feeds and Lowcountry Food Bank (LCFB) partnered last week to host a large-scale food distribution event to support neighbors who face hunger.

Attendees had the opportunity to hand-select fresh produce, shelf-stable grocery items, and cleaning products, including diapers, hygiene products and household supplies, guided by a Food Lion associate volunteer serving as a personal shopper.

Food Lion and Lowcountry Food Bank leadership were in attendance, directly engaging with neighbors. The event’s goal was to provide immediate food assistance relief and raise awareness about hunger in the community.

At the same time, Food Lion associates were packing 1,500 disaster relief boxes, backpacks, and care kits for individuals who experience homelessness, which supports future food distributions by Lowcountry Food Bank. The items packed by Food Lion volunteers were picked up by Lowcountry Food Bank partner agencies/food pantries that distribute food directly to neighbors who need food assistance.

In addition to 335 Food Lion associates who volunteered their time at the event, more than 400 neighbors attended to obtain food assistance. 26,000 pounds of food, which equates to more than 21,000 meals, were distributed.

Food Lion also organized fun activities during the event for the neighbors who attended, along with children’s activities. Representative from Food Lion’s Guiding Star program highlighted healthy food options for attendees.

Food was distributed farmer’s market-style to enable neighbors to choose the foods they wished to take home. All the food that Food Lion brought to the event was distributed.

Since 2014, Food Lion Feeds has partnered with local feeding organizations, customers and communities through grants and annual campaigns to combat food insecurity and nourish the neighbors in the communities they serve. The organization fills program gaps and boosts their ability to sustainably handle, store and distribute fresh, healthy food.

Since it began, the foundation has donated more than $17.5 million across its communities.

“We are incredibly grateful to Food Lion for their work to implement this large-scale food distribution in Myrtle Beach and their long-standing commitment to ensure our communities have access to healthy food alongside us. Their generosity makes a meaningful difference in the lives of the neighbors we serve,” said Nick Osborne, President and CEO, Lowcountry Food Bank. “Our partnership with Food Lion continues to be a cornerstone of our mission. We deeply appreciate all they do to support our communities with compassion and care.”

In the three northern-most counties that Lowcountry Food Bank serves, (Georgetown, Horry, and Williamsburg) 15% of the population experiences food insecurity every day, which equates to more than 67,000 neighbors in these counties alone, which means they may not know how they will put food the table. Of this food-insecure population, more than 22% of children experience food insecurity, which equates to more than 15,000 children in these counties.

For more information about Food Lion Feeds’ work in the communities it serves, visit this link. For more information about Lowcountry Food Bank’s work, visit their website at lowcountryfoodbank.org.

About Food Lion

Food Lion is an omnichannel grocery retailer committed to nourishing its neighbors. More than 82,000 associates across 1,100+ stores deliver an easy, fresh and affordable shopping experience throughout 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. With a focus on hunger relief, Food Lion is a pioneer in food rescue. Since 2014, the company’s hunger relief platform Food Lion Feeds has donated more than 1.5 billion meals to those who are food insecure. The retailer has committed to donate 3 billion meals by 2032. Founded and based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit foodlion.com.

About 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, visit the Lowcountry Food Bank website.