Soldiers’ Angels Provides Hunger Relief for Charleston-Area Veterans

National military and veteran charity partners with the Lowcountry Food Bank and the Ralph Johnson VA Medical Center to provide food assistance to low-income Charleston-area veterans and their families at Mobile Food Distribution event.

Charleston, South Carolina (April 10, 2018) – The Soldiers’ Angels Hunger Relief Program will host its monthly Veteran Mobile Food Distribution this Friday, April 13 from 12 noon to 2 p.m. at the Ralph Johnson VA Medical Center, 109 Bee Street in Charleston. This event provides food assistance to more than 200 low-income, at-risk, and homeless veterans in the Charleston area in partnership with the Lowcountry Food Bank and the Ralph Johnson VAMC.

“Registration for this event fills quickly, which shows us there are veterans here in Charleston who need our continued support,” said Amy Palmer, President and CEO of Soldiers’ Angels. “These families have sacrificed so much in service to our country, and many of them rely on this program in order to keep food on their table for the entire month. This is a small token of appreciation for all they have sacrificed for our freedoms, and a way we can come together and say, ‘thank you for your service.'”
“Charleston County is home to more than 29,000 veterans, and almost 2,500 live below the poverty level,” said Charleston VA Chief of Community Engagement and Veteran Experience, Edmund “Fred” Lesinski. “Hunger is a serious problem in this community, and we’re proud to support Soldiers’ Angels with Mobile Food Distributions at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center that get food right to our veterans who need it.”

The Hunger Relief Program is designed to provide monthly supplemental food assistance with up to 50 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, and non-perishables. The Mobile Food Distribution is set up drive-through style so the veterans, many of whom have injuries, don’t have to get out of their cars. Those who don’t have cars walk through with a volunteer and load their groceries in a cart or wagon.

Soldiers’ Angels Hunger Relief Program is a nationwide initiative that started in September 2015 at the Soldiers’ Angels headquarters in San Antonio, Texas. The monthly program continued in San Antonio and has expanded to other cities with high veteran populations across the country, including Atlanta, Georgia; Denver, Colorado; and Detroit, Michigan.

If you are interested in becoming a part of this monthly event in Charleston, Soldiers’ Angels is always looking for volunteers and sponsors to help continue the Hunger Relief Program. This is an amazing volunteer opportunity for anyone interested in giving back to Charleston’s military heroes. Contact Soldiers’ Angels at (210) 629-0020 to learn more about supporting this program. Also, visit SoldiersAngels.org to learn about many other programs and services Soldiers’ Angels provides for active duty service members, wounded heroes, veterans, and their families.

Learn more about how this event impacts local veterans with this video clip.

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About Soldiers’ Angels: Soldiers’ Angels is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides aid and comfort to the men and women of the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, their families, and the growing veteran population. Founded in 2003 by the mother of two American soldiers, hundreds of thousands of Soldiers’ Angels “Angel” volunteers assist veterans, wounded and deployed personnel and their families in a variety of unique and effective ways. (Tax ID# 20-058-3415). Headquarters address is 2700 NE Loop 410, Suite 310 San Antonio, TX 78217. Learn more at www.soldiersangels.org.

About The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center: Located in historic downtown Charleston, South Carolina, the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center is a tertiary care teaching hospital providing the highest level quality care from cardiology to neurology to primary and mental health care for 70,000 Veterans along the South Carolina and Georgia coast. The Ralph H. Johnson VA achieved a 5-Star rating according to VA’s Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning Value (SAIL) model. The SAIL rating ranks the Charleston VA in the top 10 percent of VA medical centers nationwide for quality of care and efficiency. The Charleston VA is also ranked in the top 10^th percentile according to the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS). HEDIS is an independent review that measures performance of 90 percent of America’s health plans and facilities in both the public and private sector on dimensions of care and service. The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center is the first VA National Tele-Mental Health Hub providing care for Veterans across the U.S. The 149-bed hospital includes six community based outpatient clinics, a 20-bed nursing home, women’s health, and the full range of inpatient and outpatient care, including medical and surgical intensive care. The VAMC provides more than 875,000 outpatient visits and approximately 4,400 inpatient stays annually. With more than 2,500 employees, Charleston VA has an annual budget of $458 million, research funding of more than $21 million, and more than 100 principle investigators participating in approximately 300 research studies. For more information, visit www.charleston.va.gov.

On-site Contact: PJ Norlander
Mobile Food Distribution Coordinator
Direct: 469-247-3437
Email: pnorlander@soldiersangels.org