COLUMBIA, S.C. — Since Harvest Hope closed its Cayce location back in November of 2018, people in Lexington County have been finding out different ways they can provide the meals they need for their family.
Mission Lexington is one of the places people have been able to come to for food.
WLTX Street Squad has been listening to folks and they say they like this organization but their main problem is getting out to this location in the town of Lexington.
With there being no form of public transportation to get out to Lexington, we talked to Mission Lexington to find out how your family can get the food you need.
Marett Bishop, the director of Social Services of Mission Lexington, says the organization has a mobile food pantry which travels around the county.
Once a month, the mobile food pantry travels to the South Congaree-Pineridge area, Pelion, Gilbert, Batesburg-Leesville, and Swansea. All locations except Batesburg-Leesville is at their respective senior centers. Olive Branch Church is where Mission Lexington sets up in Batesburg-Leesville.
Mission Lexington says they’re planning on seeing a lot more people come out to the South Congaree area with the Harvest Hope Cayce Location closing its doors.
Instead of having to find a ride all the way to Lexington, this might make it easier for your family to get the things you need.
"We just ask that you pick one of the locations because it is a once a month pickup. We're definitely out there. You just have to bring that paperwork with you and we can register you onsite if transportation is an issue which is a huge barrier," said Bishop.
The paperwork you will need to bring to the mobile food pantry will be your monthly stipend from the federal government, your South Carolina ID, and your social security card.
It’s been over a month since Harvest Hope closed its Cayce location.
Since that time, Mission Lexington says they’ve seen a lot more people come through their doors.
WLTX Street Squad wanted to find out how this crisis ministry has been feeling the impacts.
The group that’s been around for forty years says the need is great in this community because the poverty in the county is 13.7 percent.
While they have their own food bank, they also have a thrift shop and a financial assistance department.
Due to the amount of new people coming to Mission Lexington, they say they’re social service department is slammed.
"We just can't keep up with the volume. It's been non-stop. We've had people line up as early as 6:45 in the morning and we don't even open until nine," explained Bishop.
What this department does is help families get out of the financial crisis they’re in and have long-term stability.
Mission Lexington says they haven’t seen anything like it before.
"There used to not be such a sense of urgency because (people) could come to both locations. Paperwork was required differently but now people are making sure that they're either renewing their food program so that they can get their monthly food pickup here or that they haven't been here before and heard about us through Harvest Hope and are coming to get those food resources," said Bishop.
Right now, Mission Lexington needs volunteers to help out in the social services department.
They say they’re more than willing to help those interested learn how everything works.
Their hope is that with more volunteers, they will be able to help more families efficiently moving into the future.