Loris Methodist Church reopens food pantry to help families losing SNAP benefits

WMBF News reports that LORIS, SC (WMBF) - The Loris Methodist Church reopened its food pantry and blessing box program in November after a six-year pause that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is now feeding dozens of people each week.

Church secretary Amy Palomares, a former teacher in the Loris community, said she saw firsthand how students struggled with food insecurity while living on SNAP benefits.

When she realized in November that many families would be losing those benefits, she approached Pastor Bruce Adams about restarting the program.

“I saw children that were getting full benefits, but they still were struggling,” Palomares said.

“And I was like, it’s fixing to be frozen.

I said, they’re fixing, a lot of children are fixing to suffer.” The church has provided food to neighbors on and off for years, but the program has not been sustained long-term until now.