Many Hilton Head workers have a 4-hour commute. This new program helps feed them

Second Helpings and Palmetto Breeze — were awarded Outstanding Organizations of the Year for their development of the Fill the Need program by the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce during its annual ball Saturday.

The program helps more than 300 workers bring food home to their families, according to a release by the chamber.

Fill the Need started in 2017 when Palmetto Breeze staff realized many of their passengers were unable to visit local food banks during working hours. The passengers often commuted about two hours each way for work on Hilton Head Island, the release states.

A solution of bringing food to the Palmetto Breeze’s substation in Bluffton every Thursday was created. Local grocery stores and other food donors came together to make the program work.

Second Helpings was founded in 1992 to relive hunger in the Lowcountry. The non-profit delivers surplus food from grocery stores to 65 distribution partners throughout Beaufort, Jasper and Hamptom Counties.

Palmetto Breeze offers daily regional public transportation between Allendale, Colleton, Hampton, Jasper and Beaufort Counties.

Other awards given during the ball include:

▪  Al Stokes — Alice Glenn Doughtie Good Citizenship Award

▪  Tom Reilley — John Curry Tourism Award

▪  Don Ryan Center for Innovation — Bluffton Regional Business Council Member of the Year Award

▪  Aunt Laurie’s — Small Business of the Year

▪  Kate Clark — Hilton Head Preparatory School Upper School Math Teacher

▪  Alex Jospeh — Zonta Woman of the Year Award

▪  Emory Campbell — Hilton Head St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshal

This story was originally published January 28, 2018 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Many Hilton Head workers have a 4-hour commute. This new program helps feed them."