As many as half a million people face hunger and food insecurity in South Carolina. Now a new tool from Clemson University and the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control aims to direct resources to address the problem within local communities. The Food Access Map can direct people to food pantries, community organizations and social-service offices, giving them access to safe, reliable and healthy food. Users can search the map by zip code, address and city. Organizations show up as various colored dots on the map, and clicking on the dot will yield info, such what’s available, what services are offered and hours of operation. Results can be filtered by a few parameters, such as organizations that do not require a photo ID or groups that offer senior-focused resources. “This was a big initiative,” said Leslie Hossfeld, dean with the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences. At first, the Clemson-led project was focused solely in the Upstate, but it wasn’t long before DHEC asked if it would work within the whole state. The two partnered up and expanded the project to South Carolina. The effort saw a number of community organizations like Ten at the Top, United Way, Low Country Food Bank and Goodwill Greenville join with the university and DHEC.
