Feeding the homeless is a very important task for every city. No matter the city, there are always those who need help finding food and nourishment. The Loaves and Fishes Ministry is an organization located in Greenville, S.C. that strives to meet the needs of those who are hungry. In fact, their slogan is, “Rescuing Food. Reducing Hunger.”

The main goal for the Fishes and Loaves ministry is “to eliminate food insecurity among our neighbors by working to ensure no food goes to waste.” It is the heartbeat of this ministry to gather as much food from businesses and use that food in places that will directly help those in need. By way of definition, food insecurity is defined as “the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe food.” Many in the city of Greenville are considered to be “food insecure,” not knowing where their next meal will come from. Just within Greenville County alone, it is estimated that 63,810 people are food insecure.

It is also estimated that about 27% of the food produced in the United States goes to waste each year. Due to that, places like Loaves and Fishes have decided to try to reverse that percentage of wasted food and give to those who desperately need it. Furthermore, 2.1 million pounds of food was rescued in 2019, including items such as prepared food, frozen meats, fresh produce, dairy products, canned goods, and prepared food. A person may ask, “Where does all that food come from?” The food that is collected comes from various locations. For instance, restaurants, grocery stores, and institutional feeders and caterers alike give to the Loaves and Fishes ministry.

Something unique about the Loaves and Fishes Ministry is that it does not have a storage space for food. All the food that is rescued on any particular day is also delivered to places that same day in order to feed the hungry. In order to get food from one place to another Loaves and Fishes have transportation, namely the Loaves and Fishes truck, that help get food to their designations.

Please pray for the Loaves and Fishes Ministry as they continue to gather food for the hungry.