We are a group of students studying the mental health field in the Citadel Graduate College. We are supporting the fight against hunger as a collaborative class project, to bolster resources for marginalized members of the Charleston community. One of our educational values is to fight for equitable resources and opportunities for all. We have decided to take part in the walk for hunger as one way of doing this. We hope to raise at least $500 dollars through our campaign, as well as to spread awareness of the need and fight for hunger in the Charleston area.

When you give to the Walk to Fight Hunger, you are helping to fight food insecurity for children, families, seniors and veterans. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a public health and economic crisis, the effects of which are widespread and long-lasting. In coastal South Carolina (Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, Jasper and Williamsburg counties), hunger is a daily reality for even more children, adults and seniors, and the need for food assistance is great. As a result of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall food insecurity rate in the 10 coastal counties of South Carolina has increased by 29% resulting in 185,580 individuals facing hunger every day. For children, the increase in the food insecurity rate is even more devastating at 38%, resulting in 55,260 children (18.2% of the child population) not having consistent access to the nutritious food they need to live healthy, active lives.