School of Medicine ColumbiaFoodShare South Carolina’s Advocacy and Policy program aims to foreground food security and access with the understanding that they are a result of poverty and systemic inequality.
We do this via public education and collaboration with participants, service providers, advocacy groups, anti-hunger and anti-poverty coalitions, and local/state/federal administrators and elected officials.
2023 Advocacy Highlights
The South Carolina Food Policy Committee advocated for DSS to change the rules on which vendors could be part of the Healthy Bucks program. Prior to the change, vendors included FoodShare hubs (under the FNS category of non-profit food buying coop), farmers stands and farmers markets. DSS conducted research and feasibility into including more vendor categories and in July changed the rules to include, amongst other vendor categories, small grocery stores, and convenience stores that meet certain produce availability requirements. This is a huge win for produce access across the state!
The FY23-24 State Budget included $5 million in funding to continue the Healthy Bucks program! This is a big win for produce access, increasing the accessibility of fruits and vegetables for SNAP recipients across the state.
South Carolina was one of 15 states who opted to not create the new Summer EBT program to replace P-EBT that provided school children with SNAP benefits for missed meals during the summer. In 2024 food nutrition advocates will continue to work to increase SNAP access in the summer, as well as for college students in the state. We will also be working on Farm Bill priorities that will help further strengthen the SNAP and GusNIP programs.
