GOOD NEWS: Host an Oct. 4 civic discussion as part of community effort

Staff reports  |  You’re encouraged to host a small-group discussion in your home, at your church, in a local restaurant or in a library anytime on Oct. 4 to take part in Lowcountry On The Table, a citizen-driven process to identify issues and suggest solutions.

Organizers of the tri-county event, the Library Foundation of the Lowcountry, are hoping to engage thousands of area residents in what could be considered a huge local focus group to provide input to local nonprofits and governments on what people believe really matters in the Lowcountry.

Open to the public, the day-long event invites thousands of residents and “table hosts” to break bread while discussing and recording ways to make the Lowcountry a better place. Top ideas and recommendations from Oct. 4 will be awarded Spark grants to enact change, made possible from the Library Foundation of the Lowcountry.

“With no preordained agenda, this listening event is out to prove that every voice in the Lowcountry matters,” said Library Foundation President George Stevens. “To grow the movement, we’re calling on residents from all walks of life to recruit neighbors, friends, family and colleagues to participate in cozy conversations around a dinner table, a kitchen table, a picnic table, or wherever people gather. Anyone with interest and ideas has a seat at the table.”

How to host a Lowcountry On the Table event

Here are the easy steps to participate as a host:

• Determine a location for friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors to meet for a mealtime conversation on Thursday, Oct. 4. This could be at a restaurant, over a home-cooked meal, a potluck, cups of coffee or whatever works for a (recommended) group of 8-12 people.
• Visit www.lowcountryonthetable.org/hosting to register as a host, subscribing for weekly updates on how to deliver a meaningful experience. Hosts will be encouraged to gently guide their table’s discussion to wherever their guests want to go, while providing materials to record key topics. In addition, those who register to host by Sept. 12 will enter the chance to have their table covered at Charleston Grill.
• At the conclusion of the gathering, every participant (hosts and guests) will receive a short email survey to capture their experience which will then be compiled with hundreds of others to make our community stronger.
• For more information visit lowcountryonthetable.org, call (843) 608-1223 and follow updates on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. The official hashtag for the event is #OnTheTableSC.

The Library Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public nonprofit organization that supports libraries in Dorchester, Berkeley and Charleston counties. Lowcountry On the Table is a public service of The Library Foundation of the Lowcountry that will shape grantmaking and assist governments, businesses, and charities throughout the Lowcountry, set strategy and better understand the needs of the region.

In other Good News:

Expanded service area.  Congratulations to the Lowcountry Food Bank, which last week unveiled a new 20,000 square-foot facility in Myrtle Beach to handle a growing volume of requests for food in Horry and Georgetown counties.  Food Lion is providing a $300,000 gift to support the Lowcountry Food Bank’s new food distribution center.

“At a time when we have experienced yet another historic number of pounds of food and meals distributed to people across the region, it is critical that we continue to evolve our operations to be increasingly responsive to meet the ever-growing need of people who are food insecure,” said Pat Walker, Lowcountry Food Bank president and CEO. “We are so thankful to Food Lion for their continued partnership and significant generosity in the critical fight against hunger in the Lowcountry.”

The new Myrtle Beach Regional Food Distribution Center’s location is more convenient for the Lowcountry Food Bank’s community partners and volunteers, and will enable better distribution of fresh produce to those in the community who are food insecure. It will include an expanded cooler space to store fresh, healthy food and an enlarged freezer space to hold more frozen food items.  Additionally, Food Lion Feeds is generously donating 25 pallets of food to the new center, which will be distributed to the community.

“Food Lion understands that far too many of our neighbors are fighting hunger, unsure of where their next meal will come from,” said Meg Ham, Food Lion CEO. “We are very excited to know that this investment will allow the Food Bank to expand their capacity to accept and deliver food items right here in Myrtle Beach and surrounding communities. It’s a long-term investment in feeding the community here, and that is something Food Lion takes very seriously. We’re proud to partner on this initiative with the Food Bank to bring fresh, nutritious food to those who need it most.”

In 2017, the Lowcountry Food Bank served more than 23 million meals to 200,000 people who struggle with hunger. Nearly 50 percent of the people served are seniors and children, and one in five children is food insecure in South Carolina.

Second half kickoff for Charleston Jazz Orchestra. The Charleston Jazz Orchestra (CJO) led by Music Director Charlton Singleton kicks off the second half of its Season 10 by welcoming Grammy nominated vocalist René Marie to the stage on September 15 at the Charleston Music Hall, 37 John Street.  There are shows at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Charleston Music Hall with tickets between $25 and $60.  Click for more.

Commemorating 9/11:  Trident Technical College’s Palmer Campus in downtown Charleston will commemorate the events of 9/11 with special screenings of the film “In Our Son’s Name” on Sept. 11, in the amphitheater at the downtown Charleston Campus. The Palmer Campus will host two screenings of the film at 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Both are free and open to the public. Additional information on the film can be found at www.inoursonsname.com. For more information on the screenings at Palmer Campus, contact Regina Smart at 843.722.5562.