An Innovative Program to Tackle Nutritional Poverty

This week’s blog is written by Tonja Ruth Smith , Founder/ Executive Director, Ruth’s Gleanings

What is Ruth’s Gleanings?

A local organization, Ruth’s Gleanings, has launched an innovative program to tackle nutritional poverty. Ruth’s Gleanings has been rescuing and distributing healthy excess food for three years. Through their work they have provided increasing healthy options for partner organizations that are already serving and feeding people in our community. Now with funding from Mary Black Foundation, Ruth’s Gleanings celebrates the launch of FoodShare Spartanburg. This innovative approach plans to tackle the problems of access and affordability of fresh, healthy food at the household level.

The FoodShare Program

Nutritional poverty is having limited access to nutrition and limited access to nutritionally dense foods. While Ruth’s Gleanings bridges the gap between healthy food waste and nutritional poverty, FoodShare brings good, healthy food for all by increasing access with grade A produce boxes.  Each fresh food box is filled with 9 to 12 varieties of top-quality fruits and vegetables, along with recipes supplied by Clemson SNAP-Ed. The cost is $15 per box cash, or only $5 when utilizing SNAP and a $10 Healthy Bucks coupon. There are no qualifications to participate  in the FoodShare program. The only requirement is to pre-order the box. Boxes are distributed every other Wednesday from 147 Chapel Street in the Northside.

Partnerships

In addition to individual distribution, Ruth’s Gleanings has partner sites that take orders and distribute FoodShare boxes to their clientele. At Spartanburg Medical Center of Pediatrics, at-risk patients are identified and encouraged to purchase FoodShare boxes by their doctor to combat health issues such as obesity, diabetes, and various nutrition related illnesses.  The patients pick up their FoodShare boxes from their doctor’s office. Other partners include Upstate Family Resource Center and TOTAL Ministries, both of which contain food pantries and allow for further reach into the county for FoodShare Spartanburg. FoodShare is a sustainable solution towards affordable access to healthy food, empowering people for a healthier Spartanburg! Interested in becoming a partner site, pre-ordering a FoodShare box, or volunteering? Ruth’s Gleanings needs groups of 10 to 20 people to pack FoodShare boxes bi-weekly! Call 864-586-2840 or email tonja@ruthsgleanings.com. For more information on Ruth’s Gleanings and their FoodShare program, visit: https://www.facebook.com/FoodShareSpartanburg/