FoodShare South Carolina

What FoodShare South Carolina does

FoodShare South Carolina is a nonprofit food access organization founded in 2015 and operating as a program of the University of South Carolina Floyd School of Medicine, headquartered at 201 Columbia Mall Blvd., Columbia, SC. Its mission is to improve access to, awareness of, and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables through community-led projects, primarily serving SNAP/EBT recipients, low-income individuals, and rural food-desert communities across South Carolina. The organization runs a hub-and-spoke network of 25+ community-based partner organizations across 25 of the state's 46 counties (with a stated goal of statewide coverage), and has cumulatively sold nearly 9 million pounds of affordable fresh produce since inception.

Its core offering is the Fresh Food Box — an 18-20 pound box of 9-15 varieties of produce, priced at $5 for SNAP/EBT customers (supplemented by South Carolina Healthy Bucks matching funds) or $20 cash. Underpinning operations is the SNAPonline platform, an in-house developed online ordering system built with Carolina Software as a Service (since 2017) and integrated with Forage Technology Corporation for USDA-approved EBT payment processing. Supporting programs include VeggieRx (a produce-prescription intervention for prediabetes/diabetes patients funded by a $500K USDA grant via SCHA Foundation), Culinary Medicine (delivered to USC School of Medicine students), Community Cooks classes, the Teaching Kitchen facility (opened February 2024), Good Food Market retail points, and NeighborShare volunteer delivery. Wholesale bulk purchasing at the South Carolina Farmers Market is the structural cost lever that enables below-market pricing.

The business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than revenue-driven. Substantial funding comes from Duke Energy (over $600,000 in 2025), USDA, the SCHA Foundation, and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation / Diabetes Free SC. Box sales generate modest program revenue, and the Teaching Kitchen is available for commercial rental. The organization has expanded from 19 counties in 2023 to 25 in 2025, with the Calhoun County hub launching in April 2026; it is led by interim Executive Director Omme-Salma Rahemtullah following the August 2023 departure of co-founder Beverly Wilson.

Name

FoodShare South Carolina

Legal name

FoodShare South Carolina

Website

https://foodsharesc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FoodShare South Carolina is a nonprofit, USC Floyd School of Medicine program that runs a 25-county hub-and-spoke network distributing affordable Fresh Food Boxes to SNAP recipients and rural food-insecure communities, with proprietary SNAPonline ordering, VeggieRx produce prescriptions, and Culinary Medicine education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Food Access Services

NAICS

Fruit and Vegetable Retailers (445230), Community Food Services (62421)

akta.pro primary industry

Fresh Food Subscription/CSA & Produce Box Retail (CRAHAHAG)

Keywords

• Fresh produce distribution
• Community food access
• SNAP online ordering
• Produce prescription programs
• Culinary medicine education

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fresh Food Box Sales: Revenue from the sale of Fresh Food Boxes to individuals and families. Boxes are sold at subsidized prices — $20 cash for a ~20-lb box (small), $25 for a large box, with SNAP/EBT customers paying $5 (small) or $10 (large) supplemented by Healthy Bucks matching funds. Revenue is modest and covers program costs, with the model designed to maximize access rather than profit.
2. Corporate & Foundation Grants: FoodShare South Carolina relies heavily on grant funding from utilities (Duke Energy), health system foundations (BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation, Diabetes Free SC), government agencies (USDA), and healthcare organizations (SCHA Foundation). Duke Energy alone provided nearly $400,000 in 2023 and over $600,000 in 2025 to support food insecurity programs across the state.
3. Donations: Individual donations and community giving campaigns including Midlands Gives and #GivingTuesday support FoodShare's operations and capital projects such as the Teaching Kitchen & Training Center renovation.
4. Facility Rental: FoodShare's Teaching Kitchen is available for commercial rental, generating revenue while serving community culinary programming and USC medical student education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FoodShare South Carolina distributes affordable fresh produce boxes (Fresh Food Boxes) at $20 cash or $5 via SNAP/EBT through a hub-and-spoke network of 25+ community-based partner organizations across South Carolina counties. The program also operates the SNAPonline online ordering platform for SNAP recipients, the VeggieRx produce prescription program for prediabetes/diabetes patients, Culinary Medicine courses for USC medical students, community cooking classes, NeighborShare delivery assistance, and Good Food Market retail locations.

Product overview

FoodShare South Carolina is a program of the USC Floyd School of Medicine operating a statewide food access network. The core offering is the Fresh Food Box program providing affordable fresh produce through county hub partners. The online SNAPonline platform enables SNAP recipients to order boxes digitally with integrated USDA-approved payment processing. Supporting programs include VeggieRx (prescription produce for diabetes/prediabetes patients), Culinary Medicine (medical student nutrition education), Community Cooks classes, the Teaching Kitchen facility, physical Good Food Markets, and NeighborShare delivery assistance. The organization operates hub partners in 25+ counties and aims to expand to all 46 SC counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fresh Food Box: Primary program providing affordable fresh fruits and vegetables (18-20 pound boxes) to South Carolina communities. Available for $20 cash or $5 with SNAP/EBT through the Healthy Bucks program.
• SNAPonline
• VeggieRx
• Good Food Market
• NeighborShare
• Culinary Medicine
• No Cook Box

Products and services

• Fresh Food Box Affordable fresh produce boxes in small (18-20 lbs, 9-11 varieties) and large formats plus a No Cook Box variant. Sold to South Carolina SNAP/EBT recipients at $5 per box (subsidized by Healthy Bucks) or to cash customers at $20-$25. Contents change monthly and are sourced via wholesale bulk buying from the SC Farmers Market. Distribution occurs through a network of 25+ county hub partners and pickup sites.
• FoodShareSC SNAPonline Proprietary online ordering platform enabling SNAP/EBT recipients to order Fresh Food Boxes from home. Developed in-house with Carolina Software as a Service and integrated with Forage Technology Corporation for USDA-approved EBT payment processing. Available across FoodShare's hub network with state-wide expansion underway.
• VeggieRx Prescription produce program providing free fresh food boxes twice monthly for six months to patients diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes. Patients are referred by medical providers to local FoodShare hubs with clinical labs taken at months one and six. Funded by a $500K USDA grant through the SCHA Foundation.
• Culinary Medicine Evidence-based nutrition education combining nutrition science with food preparation. Teaches USC School of Medicine Columbia medical students using a nationally accredited curriculum, including a first-year lecture on food security/social determinants of health and a fourth-year intensive elective focused on chronic disease prevention (diabetes and heart disease).
• Good Food Market Physical fresh produce market providing retail-style access to fresh fruits and vegetables in food desert/food swamp communities. Partner retailers purchase wholesale produce arranged by FoodShare from the SC Farmers Market, then sell directly to community residents.
• Community Cooks Community cooking classes for Fresh Food Box participants and interested community members. Classes cover behavior change, recipe understanding, and home replication, with topics including safe food storage, cooking for one, limited equipment cooking, and chronic disease management through food.
• Teaching Kitchen Facility Rental Commercial teaching kitchen facility available for rental at the Richland County Distribution Hub (201 Columbia Mall Blvd., Suite 109, Columbia, SC). Used for Community Cooks classes, Culinary Medicine courses, and external rental clients.
• NeighborShare Volunteer-based delivery assistance program pairing community volunteers with individuals facing transportation barriers or physical limitations. Volunteers help participants place orders and/or deliver Fresh Food Boxes on pickup days.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 9 million pounds of affordable, fresh produce sold across 25 South Carolina counties since 2015
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Calhoun CommuniTcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2026FoodShare South Carolina, in partnership with Calhoun CommuniT (founded by Terri Williams Parker), launched a new hub in Calhoun County in April 2026, bringing affordable fresh produce access to a rural community where the only grocery store in Saint Matthews is a Piggly Wiggly. The hub offers 16 lbs of fresh produce for $5 per box.
• Forage Technology CorporationcoreTechnology or Integration · 18 December 2023Forage is a USDA-Approved EBT processor that enables FoodShare's SNAPonline platform to accept SNAP benefits for online produce purchases. Forage delivers the seamless payment processing infrastructure required for FoodShare's online ordering system, making it compliant with federal SNAP regulations.
• Prisma Health Accountable CommunitiesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 August 2023Beverly Wilson, FoodShare's co-founder and former Executive Director, transitioned to a new role at Prisma Health Accountable Communities in August 2023, maintaining a connection between FoodShare and one of South Carolina's largest health systems. Prisma Health represents a key health system partner for future programming.
• SCHA Foundation / South Carolina Hospital AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 September 2022The SCHA Foundation received a $500K USDA grant to support expansion of FoodShare's VeggieRx 'prescription produce' program for patients with prediabetes or diabetes. SCHA Foundation partners with FoodShare, University of South Carolina, Diabetes Free SC, and the SC Office of Rural Health on this Food is Medicine initiative.
• Carolina Software as a ServicecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2017A minority-owned technology firm based in South Carolina, Carolina Software as a Service began working with FoodShare in 2017 to develop a customer/order management software platform serving all FoodShare hubs across the state. This proprietary platform underpins the entire FoodShare hub network operations.
• University of South Carolina Floyd School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015FoodShare South Carolina is a formal program of the USC Floyd School of Medicine. This institutional affiliation provides academic credibility, a pipeline for medical student involvement in Culinary Medicine programming, and access to university infrastructure. FoodShare's headquarters and teaching kitchen are located within the USC medical campus ecosystem.
• Anderson Interfaith Ministries (AIM)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAIM Interfaith Ministries is a nonprofit organization that partnered with FoodShare and AnMed Health to open the AIM FoodShare hub in Anderson, South Carolina. The hub has been operating since February 2024 and Joy Tucker serves as the FoodShare Coordinator for AIM Interfaith Ministries.
• Feed & SeedcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeed & Seed provides healthy Fresh Food Boxes at low rates in Pickens, Oconee, and Abbeville counties through the FoodShare network. They also partner with Clemson Cooperative Extension to offer free virtual healthy cooking classes with diabetic-friendly recipes.
• Trident United WaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTrident United Way partners with FoodShare Berkeley in Moncks Corner, serving Berkeley County through the FoodShare network. FoodShare Berkeley helps fight food insecurity across the South Carolina Lowcountry.
• Mill Village FarmscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMill Village Farms serves as the FoodShare hub for Greenville County, helping to fight food insecurity in the Greenville area through Fresh Food Box distribution.
• Ruth's Gleanings (Foodshare Spartanburg)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRuth's Gleanings serves as the FoodShare hub for Spartanburg County, utilizing Foodshare Spartanburg to increase access to fresh and healthy food. They launched SNAPonline online ordering for residents in Spartanburg in May 2024.
• South Carolina Office of Rural HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SC Office of Rural Health is a partner in the USDA-funded VeggieRx expansion project alongside FoodShare, USC, Diabetes Free SC, and SCHA Foundation, bringing produce prescription programs to rural communities.
• Clemson Cooperative ExtensionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClemson Cooperative Extension partners with FoodShare Pickens to offer free virtual healthy cooking classes, with all recipes designed to be diabetic-friendly. They also co-developed the SC Food Access Map with DHEC.
• The Dollar Sto'minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Dollar Sto' collaborated with FoodShare South Carolina to open the Good Food Market on Farrow Road in the Booker Washington Heights neighborhood. Owner Brian Thomas purchases fresh produce at wholesale prices (arranged by FoodShare) from the South Carolina Farmers Market.
• AnMed HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnMed Health partnered with FoodShare and Anderson Interfaith Ministries to open the AIM FoodShare hub in Anderson, contributing healthcare system resources to the fight against food insecurity.
• National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNACDD's Public Health AmeriCorps program recruits service members for three FoodShare South Carolina hub locations (Anderson, Moncks Corner/Berkeley, Clinton/Laurens). Service opportunities run from February 2025 to February 2026, building the next generation of public health leaders.
• Clemson Rural Health / MUSC Health-OrangeburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClemson Rural Health, in collaboration with MUSC Health-Orangeburg and FoodShare Orangeburg, hosts a program providing health coaching, nutrition education, remote patient monitoring, and assistance from nurse practitioners, community health workers, and registered dieticians for women in Orangeburg.
• SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDHEC partners with FoodShare Bamberg County to deliver fresh produce boxes every other Thursday with SNAP-Ed Nutritional Education recipe cards. DHEC and Clemson University also developed an interactive food access map for South Carolina.
• Richland LibraryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRichland Library has established community food fridges with free produce at multiple locations (Northeast, North Main, Eastover, St. Andrews branches) as part of FoodShare's broader resource network. Chef Floyd Eugene Jeffcoat manages culinary programming for Richland Library through the partnership.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: Feeding America is the largest U.S. hunger-relief nonprofit, operating a national network of 200+ food banks that distribute food to communities facing hunger. While broader in scope (multi-category food distribution rather than fresh produce focus), Feeding America affiliates in South Carolina overlap with FoodShare SC's service population and compete for the same USDA, foundation, and corporate grant funding.
• Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina: The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is one of the largest U.S. food banks, distributing food across a multi-county region including produce and healthy food access programs. While not a subscription box operator, it competes with FoodShare SC for USDA, foundation, and corporate hunger-relief funding in the adjacent Carolinas region.

Direct peers

• Misfits Market: Misfits Market operates a direct-to-consumer produce subscription box model delivering surplus and 'imperfect' fresh produce to households nationwide. While for-profit rather than nonprofit, the produce subscription box format, online ordering, and home/subscription delivery mechanism closely parallel FoodShare SC's Fresh Food Box and SNAPonline platform.
• Hungry Harvest: Hungry Harvest operates a subscription produce box delivery model that addresses both food waste and food access by rescuing surplus produce and distributing it to subscribers, including SNAP-eligible customers. The produce box subscription format, low-income pricing, and food access mission directly parallel FoodShare SC's Fresh Food Box program.
• FoodShare Toronto: FoodShare Toronto is the original 'Good Food Box' / fresh produce box nonprofit model from which FoodShare South Carolina's name and hub-and-spoke approach derive. Both organizations focus on affordable fresh produce distribution through community partnerships, addressing food access in underserved populations with similar subsidy mechanics. They share the same core product (monthly produce box) and community-led distribution philosophy.
• Community Servings: Community Servings is a Boston-based nonprofit that provides medically tailored meals and food-as-medicine programming to individuals with chronic and critical illnesses. Its Food Is Medicine model, healthcare partnerships, and focus on addressing diet-related disease outcomes make it a close functional peer to FoodShare SC's VeggieRx and Culinary Medicine programs.
• Imperfect Foods: Imperfect Foods runs a subscription produce and grocery box service targeting consumers seeking affordable fresh produce while reducing food waste. Its subscription box economics, online ordering platform, and produce-first product mix are directly comparable to FoodShare SC's Fresh Food Box subscription model.
• Wholesome Wave: Wholesome Wave is a national nonprofit that pioneered 'produce prescription' (VeggieRx-style) programs that double SNAP benefits at farmers markets and healthy food retailers. Its mission, federal funding profile, and partnership-based produce access model closely mirror FoodShare SC's VeggieRx program and Healthy Bucks integration.

Regional players

• The Produce Box: The Produce Box is a North Carolina-based produce subscription box service delivering locally sourced fruits and vegetables to households via neighborhood pickup sites. While for-profit and serving a different geography, its hub-style produce subscription model, pickup-day distribution, and local produce sourcing closely mirror FoodShare SC's Fresh Food Box hub-and-spoke structure.
• Farm Fresh Rhode Island: Farm Fresh Rhode Island is a New England-based nonprofit that operates farmers markets, food access programs, and a Harvest Kitchen food hub distributing local produce. Its community-led produce distribution model, food access mission, and farm-to-community sourcing parallel FoodShare SC's wholesale procurement and hub structure in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjDmARIKhMJX5Lb0E5Z3kDA
• Facebookfacebook.com/FoodShareSC
• Instagraminstagram.com/foodsharesc
• TikToktiktok.com/@foodsharesc
• Xx.com/FoodShareSC

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FoodShare South Carolina