Self Help officially unveiled its new refrigerated Mobile Market this week during a ribbon cutting celebration with community leaders, supporters, partners, volunteers, and staff.
The new Mobile Market has been more than a year in the making and represents a major step forward in expanding food access across Beaufort and Jasper counties.
Made possible through the support of Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, RLB Squared, and The Johnston Family Foundation, the Mobile Market will help Self Help bring fresh, healthy food directly into communities where access remains limited by transportation barriers, distance, and rising costs.
The specifically-customized truck, equipped with refrigeration capabilities, will allow Self Help to safely transport fresh produce, dairy, proteins, and other staple grocery items throughout the Lowcountry.
“This Mobile Market is more than a program…it is infrastructure on wheels,” said Courtney Hampson, CEO for Self Help. “62% of our neighbors are food insecure. This allows us to bring food to people’s homes…who are unable to get to us…and it’s also going to allow us to expand into Hardeeville and into Jasper County and really take our mission on the road. Food is not charity, it is infrastructure and we can all build that together.”
For many families, food insecurity is not simply about whether food exists. It is about whether people can physically access it. Reliable transportation, work schedules, childcare responsibilities, and geographic isolation can all create barriers that make grocery access difficult.
The Mobile Market helps close some of those gaps by bringing food directly into neighborhoods and community spaces.
“In Jasper County and in Beaufort County, there are so many that are ALICE families – Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed”, said City of Hardeeville’s Mayor Harry Williams. “This {Mobile Market} is so important to our community. We should all be so very proud that {Self Help is} adding assets to the community that needs it so desperately.”
Following the reveal and ribbon cutting, the Self Help team provided tours of the Mobile Market in addition to opportunities for guests to learn more about how the program will serve local families moving forward.
The reveal was also a reminder of what can happen when a community works together to address a growing need. Every donor, volunteer, partner, and supporter played a role in bringing this project to life.
As the Mobile Market begins serving communities across the Lowcountry, Self Help looks forward to sharing future stops, partnerships, and stories from the road.
Stop by for a tour to see the impact in action. Email Carli Anselmi at carli@blufftonselfhelp.org.
