Lowcountry Food Bank Receives Much-Needed Funds

TD Charitable Foundation gives $5000 to the local fight against hungry kids.

The funds will support enrollment of 1,200 food-insecure public school children in the Lowcountry Food Bank's (LCFB) BackPack Buddies program and distribute more than 40,000 packs of weekend food to children at risk of hunger. More than 150,000 pounds of food will be distributed through TD Charitable Foundation's donation during the 2019-2020 school year in Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester, Georgetown, Horry and Jasper counties.

According to Feeding America, an estimated 47,310 children in these counties are food insecure. Therefore, nearly 18% of the children in these counties do not receive the nutrition they need to grow and thrive.

The BackPack Buddies program alleviates weekend hunger among food-insecure public school children by distributing backpacks full of nutritious, kid-friendly food each Friday during the school year. Because free and reduced-price school breakfasts and lunches are not available over the weekend, low-income children are particularly vulnerable to hunger at this time. The LCFB relies on its community partners, including local nonprofits, businesses and faith-based organizations to help pack and deliver the backpacks. At the school sites, guidance counselors and other staff members distribute the packs to the children enrolled in the program. 

Working closely with partner schools, LCFB tries to identify the most food-insecure children. Chronic food insecurity has many adverse consequences for children, including impaired cognitive function, compromised ability to resist illness and anxiety. BackPack Buddies is a significant first step in improving both short- and long-term outcomes among children experiencing hunger. 

About the TD Charitable Foundation

The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®, one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. Since its inception in 2002, the Foundation has distributed over $199 million and more than 19,400 grants through donations to local nonprofits from Maine to Florida. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation, including the online grant application, is available at TDBank.com.

About TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank® 

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 9 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,200 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth®, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit  td.com/us. Find TD Bank on Facebook at  facebook.com/TDBank  and on Twitter at  twitter.com/TDBank_US.

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD". To learn more, visit td.com/us

About the Lowcountry Food Bank: Feed. Advocate. Empower.

The Lowcountry Food Bank (LCFB) serves the 10 coastal counties of South Carolina and distributed more than 30.5 million pounds of food in 2018. The LCFB helps fight hunger by distributing food to nearly 300 partner agencies including soup kitchens, homeless shelters and emergency food pantries. The LCFB advocates on behalf of those who experience hunger and helps empower people to make healthy and nutritious food choices. For more information, go to lowcountryfoodbank.org