By Betsy Finklea
The Dillon County News, LLC
With many families who may not receive SNAP benefits due to the government shutdown, many may wonder how many people this affects in Dillon County.
In Dillon County, 3,531 total households receive SNAP benefits with total of 7,496 clients. Of these clients, 4,531 or 60.45 percent are female and 2,965 or 39.55 percent are male, according to the SC DSS Economic Services Dashboard.
This affects 2,125 children (28.35 percent) ages 0-10; 1,444 people (19.26 percent) ages 11-18; 2,045 people (27.40 percent) ages 19-45; 772 people (10.30 percent) ages 46-59; 389 people (5.19 percent) ages 60-65; and 712 people (9.50 percent) ages 65 and over.
The average household size is 2.12. Of the 7,496 clients, 1,822 are one person-households; 1,067 are two-to-three-person households; 528 are four-to-five-person households; 103 are six-to-seven-person households; and 11 are seven-person plus households.
The racial makeup is the following: American Indian/Alaskan Native-208 (2.77 percent); Asian-4 (.05 percent); African-American-4,766 (63.58 percent); Native Hawaiian/Pacific Island-6 (.08 percent); and White 2.454 (32.74 percent).
The average benefit amount is $383.64. This includes one person receiving less than $10; 966 people receiving $10-$150; 1,104 receiving $150-$300; 694 people receiving $300-$600; and 766 receiving $600 plus.
If you are someone who needs food assistance, here are some of the places you may be able to receive help:
Faith Tabernacle Pentecostal Holiness
FOOD PANTRY
OPEN TO PUBLIC
1st & 3rd Wednesday 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
701 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd
Dillon, SC 29536
843-713-0783
*
Hamer Church of God
FOOD PANTRY
OPEN TO PUBLIC
2nd & 4th Friday; Emergency food available by appointment
2410 Hwy. 301 North
Hamer, SC 29547
864-710-7449
*
Johnson Foundation (HELPING HANDS)
FOOD PANTRY
OPEN TO PUBLIC
Monday 9 a.m.-.10 a.m.; Thursday 1 p.m.-2 p.m.
1301 U.S. 301
Dillon, SC 29536
843-841-2266
*
Manning Baptist
FOOD PANTRY
OPEN TO PUBLIC
3rd Tuesday 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; Emergency food available by appointment
308 East Calhoun Street
Dillon, SC 29536
843-841-2363
*
New Memorial Temple
FOOD PANTRY
OPEN TO PUBLIC
2nd Tuesday 1 p.m.-2 p.m.; Emergency food available by appointment
2061 Highway 301 South
Dillon, SC 29536
843-389-2044
*
Outreach Family Fellowship-Dillon
FOOD PANTRY
OPEN TO PUBLIC
3rd Tuesday 8:30 a.m.-10 a.m.
136 Pee Dee Church Road
Dillon, SC 29536
843-774-0928
*
Vision Educational Center
SOUP KITCHEN SENIOR PROGRAM
OPEN TO PUBLIC
3rd Monday 8 a.m.- 11 a.m.
207 West Main Street
Dillon, SC 29536
843-627-3482
Some churches have food pantries that are not listed here. If any church wants to be added to the list, email bf@dillonnews.org.
In addition, Boys To Men and Girls With Purpose have teamed up with Dillon County 4-H and T-Dubs Deer Processing to make deer and hog meat available to the public. Please contact Bobby Porter for more information.
“SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) provides low-income households with nutrition assistance by increasing the household’s food purchasing power,” according to the S.C. DSS website. SNAP often benefits the homeless, unemployed, low income elderly people, low income disabled people, people who are getting welfare or other public assistance, and those who work for low wages or part-time, according to the SC DSS website.
