Marie Elise Gabbard (center) loves surprises. She is always pleasantly surprised by what her ministry receives from Second Helpings deliveries every Thursday. “It’s amazing what comes off the truck, and what goes home (with clients),” she remarked. Today’s surprise was a new kind of coffee creamer, made by a favorite Greek yogurt brand.
Gabbard is the director of the Margaret F. Curtis Food Pantry, located in the old rectory of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Grahamville, Jasper County. According to the church’s website, the pantry “is a fitting tribute to Margaret Curtis and a lasting legacy of her tireless commitment to the poor and disadvantaged of our community.”
That description could just as easily apply to Gabbard herself. Prior to leading the food pantry, Gabbard was the president of the Jasper Animal Rescue Mission (JARM), a nonprofit dedicated to the stray and neglected dogs and cats of Jasper County, South Carolina. She also co-founded the Barkin’ Basement, a thrift store that benefits JARM.
Second Helpings provided more than 180,000 pounds of food to the pantry in 2021. The pantry also sources some food from the USDA, holds occasional food drives, and buys canned corn, a very popular staple, from local grocery stores. Gabbard is determined to keep food from going to waste, sending leftover produce to “the hog man” at the end of a distribution day.
The recipients are always grateful. “I’ve had people come in here and cry,” Gabbard said.
