At the headquarters of the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, Samsung Electronics Home Appliances America announced a $35,000 donation to Harvest Hope Food Bank to help provide disaster-relief meals to feed people with special medical needs in South Carolina.

“We hope this donation helps stabilize families who are and will be at risk due to disasters such as hurricanes,” said Joon So, President of Samsung Electronics Home Appliances America.  “We applaud Harvest Hope Food Bank and our state leaders for their dedication to serving the South Carolina community and those who need it most.”

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control runs an emergency sheltering program for people with “special medical needs.” These are citizens who may require electricity to run their medical equipment to help them breathe or eat.  Their daily, life-saving medication may require refrigeration or they may need specific climate control measures.  For those citizens, a separate emergency shelter is established.  But the state needed a provider to feed those residents.  With Samsung’s $35,000 donation Harvest Hope Food Bank based in Columbia will provide disaster meals to “Special Medical Needs Shelters” across South Carolina.

“The start of the Atlantic hurricane season is two days away. The time is now to be prepared for the unknown. Samsung is helping us do that,” said Davis Bourne, board chairman of Harvest Hope Food Bank. We are grateful for this investment which will allow us to help families such as Christy and Roger Sears whose young son Carter suffers from a debilitating disease which requires constant care. We want to make sure all South Carolinians are getting the food they need which can be one element of calm during an otherwise tumultuous time.”

The National Hurricane Center has already predicted seven hurricanes and 14 named storms this season.

“When South Carolina is on the verge of a natural disaster, the last thing we want our people concerned about is whether they will have enough food to feed their families,” said Gov. Henry McMaster. “Harvest Hope has helped to support South Carolinians in need for over 35 years and has embodied the benevolent spirit that has defined the people of our state for generations. Samsung’s investment in Harvest Hope and its mission is exactly what we have come to expect from this tremendous company that is so committed to having a positive impact on our community, and we couldn’t be more grateful for its decision to continue to invest in the future of our great state.”

This announcement is the second time Samsung has invested in helping people in need through Harvest Hope Food Bank. Last September Samsung partnered with Harvest Hope to feed veterans. Harvest Hope serves 20 counties in South Carolina. During a disaster, Harvest Hope is the lead food bank, coordinating efforts with other food banks across the state.