RESCUING FOOD.
FIGHTING HUNGER. DELIVERING HOPE.An estimated 31,460 Lowcountry neighbors face hunger and food insecurity.
One in eight neighbors in Beaufort, Jasper, and Hampton counties face hunger and food insecurity. They are children and their families, senior citizens, and workers whose paychecks don’t stretch far enough to cover their expenses. Many of them work in the hospitality industry that sustains our thriving economy for residents and visitors alike.
Rescuing food, fighting hunger and preventing food waste in our community
Second Helpings is a nonprofit food rescue and distribution network striving to eliminate hunger and food waste in the South Carolina Lowcountry. We collect and distribute food that would have otherwise ended up in landfills, and provide it, free of charge, to 57 food pantries. Every $1 donation enables us to rescue five pounds of food. In 2025, we rescued and distributed 3.7 million pounds of food. Since 1992, we have distributed more than 58 million pounds of food for our neighbors in need.
According to the latest data from Feeding America, there are 31,460 persons in need in our three-county area. These are the people that we and our Agency Partners serve. They are children and their families, senior citizens, and workers whose paychecks don’t stretch far enough to cover their expenses. Many of them work in the hospitality industry, making our paradise possible for local residents and visitors.
A year at Second Helpings
pounds of food collected and distributed
equivalent meals provided
dollar value of food distributed
people fed every week
how you can help
Fuel our mission and make a lasting impact by supporting Second Helpings – your contribution helps bridge the hunger gap, one meal at a time, for the well-being of our neighbors and our community
Donate
We rely on the generosity of people like you to rescue food and prevent food waste in our community.
Volunteer
Our volunteers are our most valuable asset and we could not operate without them.
Raise Awareness
Spread the word! Become an advocate for us and make sure no one in our community is left hungry.
Partner
Help us feed the hungry with a sponsorship, food drive, or fundraising event.
1 in 8 people
1 in 6 children
in South Carolina are food insecure.
THE NEED IS GREAT
An estimated 40% of food is wasted. Nearly all (97%) of wasted food ends up in landfills, becoming the single largest component of municipal solid waste and a large source of methane emissions.
At the same time, one in eight people, and one in six children in South Carolina, struggles with hunger. Approximately 80% of South Carolina’s children qualify for free or reduced-price school lunches. In some towns, this number can reach 100%.
OUR PROGRAMS
We fight hunger and food insecurity in a number of ways. Our approach is data-informed, ensuring the effectiveness and equity of our programs while avoiding service duplication.
FOOD RESCUE
Second Helpings volunteers rescue surplus food from 48 food donors, providing same day delivery to our 55 agency partners at no cost.
HEALTHY FOOD INITIATIVE
We purchase fresh, healthy food from local farmers and wholesalers to supplement the value of rescued food for our neighbors in need.
POST VACATION FOOD DONATION
During tourist season, departing Hilton Head Island vacationers are invited to donate unopened food to benefit island food pantries.
Our partners say...
“Second Helpings ensures our youth and their families have access to nutritious meals—providing not just food but also stability and care”
Ryan Wise, Boys and Girls Club of Hilton Head,
Our Agency Partners
We partner with 57 local food pantries, soup kitchens, family and senior programs throughout Beaufort, Jasper, and Hampton counties that serve people in need. All of the food we distribute is provided free of charge, so that these organizations are able to focus their resources on helping their clients break the cycle of poverty.
Thanks to our food donors
