Our Lady of Good Counsel, community helping those with food insecurity
from Staff Reports
On Sunday, May 23 after the 9 a.m. mass, several church families joined Father Bryan Babick in the garden of Our Lady of Good Counsel (OLGC) Catholic church, located at 106 W Erie Ave. They were there to bless and fill the newest addition to the Lowcountry Blessing Boxes. Father Babick’s pup, Able, helped as well. The box is located in the garden area of the church, right behind the Fred Holland Realty offices on Folly Beach.
The children who attend OLGC’s Parish School of Religion will be working to keep this box filled as a community service project, but we welcome all to donate when they can.
According to the Lowcountry Blessing Box website (www.chsblessingbox.org):
Blessing Boxes are anonymous donations sites stocked with non-perishable food items, basic toiletries, baby supplies, and anything else that might be considered a blessing to someone who finds themselves in need. A simple rule applies — Leave what you can, take what you need.
Modeled after Little Free Libraries, this effort began in the Spring of 2017 and has grown into a movement that covers South Carolina’s Lowcountry and beyond.
Studies show adults with food insecurity will skip meals or reduce their portions to provide for children in their homes as they wait for pay day. Many food insecure families do not qualify for the assistance of food banks, or are hesitant to turn to food banks for assistance due to the stigma.
One “bad month” can be enough to plunge a household into food insecurity. Lay-offs at work, unexpected car maintenance, unforeseen medical bills, or an accident on the job can suddenly force a family to choose between buying food and paying bills. This is the purpose of the project, to bridge this gap.
