FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Second Helpings Announces Inaugural Hecht Legacy Award and Celebrates 60 Million Pounds of Food Rescued and Distributed
BLUFFTON, S.C. — October 23, 2026 — Second Helpings celebrated a milestone on October 21: more than 60 million pounds of food rescued and distributed in Beaufort, Jasper, and Hampton counties since 1992. That milestone was made possible by a community of food donors, volunteers, supporters, partners, and advocates who believe good food should never go to waste while neighbors go hungry.
At its October 21 celebration at Burnt Church Distillery, Second Helpings honored several members of this community who have made some remarkable impacts. They included:
Larry Landry received the inaugural Guenther & Louise Hecht Legacy Award, created in partnership with Second Helpings Atlanta to honor our mutual founders and those who continue their legacy through service, leadership, generosity, and a deep commitment to hunger relief. A former President of the Second Helpings Board of Directors, Larry has remained a dedicated volunteer, advocate and supporter for more than six years. He has helped lead fundraising events, build meaningful relationships, and secure resources that have helped Second Helpings increase its impact.
Alongside his wife, Nancy, Larry has continually put the organization and the people it serves first. He is also a strong advocate for women in the nonprofit community, and his passion for the mission and commitment to the Lowcountry reflect the spirit of service the award was created to honor.
The Long Cove Fund was named Supporter of the Year. The first charitable endowment fund created by a residential community on Hilton Head Island, The Long Cove Fund has awarded more than $1.8 million in grants to local nonprofits over the past two decades. A longtime supporter of Second Helpings’ food rescue operations and Healthy Food Initiative, the fund also helped develop the organization’s website in 2019. This year, its generous contribution to the Truck #17 capital campaign took the effort over the top.
Mark McGilvery, Director of Food Industry Partnerships at the Lowcountry Food Bank, was named Partner of the Year in recognition of his responsive, collaborative partnership with Second Helpings. By helping build and manage relationships with national grocery chains that donate food across 10 coastal South Carolina counties, McGilvery has helped Second Helpings find solutions, rescue more food and better serve partner agencies throughout the Lowcountry.
Publix Hardeeville was honored as Food Donor of the Year after donating enough food for nearly 120,000 meals over the past 12 months. The store has grown its food rescue program by nearly 20 percent so far this year and extends its commitment beyond food donations by volunteering at Agape Family Life Center and Mercy Mission, two Second Helpings partner agencies.
“Sixty million pounds is an extraordinary milestone, but it is really a story of people,” said Amy Colin, Executive Director of Second Helpings. “It represents thousands of acts of generosity—from a food donor setting aside surplus food, to a volunteer getting behind the wheel, to supporters and partners investing in the work. Our award winners embody that generosity and have helped make this impact possible.”
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Second Helpings is a nonprofit food rescue organization striving to eliminate hunger in the South Carolina Lowcountry. We collect and distribute food which would have otherwise ended up in landfills. In 2025, our 520 volunteers distributed 3.7 million pounds of food, free of charge, to 55 agencies in Beaufort, Jasper, and Hampton counties which serve more than 14,000 people every week. Since 1992, the organization has rescued and distributed more than 60 million pounds of food. For more information, visit www.secondhelpingslc.org, find us on Facebook or call 843-689-3689.