Jermaine Husser, Executive Director of the Lowcountry Food Bank

LowcountryBizSC:
How did you enter the food bank industry?

Jermaine Husser:
When I was growing up, I used to go with my grandmother to the local food bank in Ladson, South Carolina, the Food Trust as it was known then, to pick up groceries and help deliver them to seniors.  Seeing the smile on their faces really left an impression on my heart.  I think the seniors appreciated the visit, the human contact, as much as the food.

After I got out of the military in 1996, I went to work in sales for a national car rental company.   It was not a great fit for me.  One day, I saw an ad for a job opening at this local food bank.  I went through a rigorous series of interviews and thought that I had impressed the hiring committee, but they told me that they had decided to go in another direction.  Six months later, they called me up and said that they had made a mistake and would I still consider taking the job.  I accepted and came into the organization as a food bank coordinator.  Six years ago, I became the executive director.

LowcountryBizSC:
What is the ownership or business structure of the food bank?

Jermaine Husser:
We are a non-profit.  As the Executive Director, I report to a board of directors.

LowcountryBizSC:
How are you funded?

Jermaine Husser:
We are funded entirely through donations by individuals.  We also write grants to foundations.

LowcountryBizSC:
Talk about the origins of this new building for the food bank.

Jermaine Husser:
We were busting at the seams at our old 37,000 square foot facility on the old naval base and were in search of a new home.  We needed to raise $5.5M to purchase and renovate this new facility. After receiving recognition as one of the local 20 under 40 people to watch in Charleston, I wrote a letter of introduction to my fellow award winners to let them know that I would be in touch to see how we could partner to fight hunger in the community.  I am grateful to all of the people who helped out with our successful capital campaign, in particular, the leadership of Shawn Jenkins of Benefitfocus.  

LowcountryBizSC:
What is the main business activity that takes place in this facility?

Jermaine Husser:
Our main business functions are distribution, transportation and logistics.  This facility is the hub of our distribution system to get food out to where it is needed in the community. First, we pick up damaged and close dated items and inspect them to make sure that they are fit for human consumption.  Then, agencies or partners that we work with either pick up their pre-order items or they utilize our open system, that is, they shop the floor of our distribution center. 

LowcountryBizSC:
What is your company culture?

Jermaine Husser:
We have tried to make our physical space reflect our culture of openness and transparency.   If you walk through our building, you will see a lot of glass and no doors on any of the offices, including my office which is located right in the front lobby.  In an organization that serves the public such as ours, people should not have to go through layers to find out who is in charge. 

LowcountryBizSC:
How have you been affected by the economy?

Jermaine Husser:
Food supply does ebb and flow, but our procurement team has done a great job of sourcing.  We are fortunate that donors and philanthropists have generally been changing their patterns of giving and are making food and shelter more of a priority.  

LowcountryBizSC:
Do you have food drives to stock up on food?

Jermaine Husser:
We used to have food drives in the holiday season, but we have been successful at communicating the message that the need for food is year round.  We have also become more effective at establishing new channels of giving, particularly direct pick up from retail stores.    

LowcountryBizSC:
What are you most proud of?

Jermaine Husser:
For the integrity of the donor and the clients we serve, we need to get the food to where it’s needed in a timely and efficient manner.  Our goal is to be transparent about what we are doing with people’s donations, to constantly strive to be better stewards of people’s money.   One of the many ways that we are improving efficiencies is by bringing in more items such as vegetables, rice and cereals in bulk and repackaging them into smaller items. 

I am especially proud of our twelve week culinary apprenticeship program that we house in this facility.  It serves a dual purpose.  First, it is a way of providing nutritious meals to our young families and through the East Cooper River Meals on Wheels program, seniors in the community.  Second, it serves as a training program so that people can learn a skill, get a job and become self-sufficient.  We have an incredible restaurant community in the Lowcountry where our graduates can work.  Our older adult population is growing by leaps and bounds so there is also a real business opportunity providing catering to seniors. 

I envision a region where we no longer need food banks, where we can eventually shut this place down.  If we can help give people a hand up and not a hand out, we will move towards this goal.