The Church at LifePark has partnered with East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO) to offer hope and help to our local community. Throughout the month of August LifePark will be hosting a food drive to assist residents and families in need.

“ECCO’s secret sauce has always been the community involvement,” said Stephanie Kelley, Executive Director at ECCO. “In this time of increased need, we are incredibly grateful for organizations like The Church at LifePark coming alongside us to provide help and hope to local families struggling to make ends meet.”

Kelley said ECCO’s outreach program supported about 400 requests per month prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. In April, with the pandemic intensifying, ECCO requests doubled (894 “unduplicated” requests including 28% new requests, or people who have not made a request for assistance).

By July, the need had spiked again in our local community and ECCO stepped up to serve 690 households; 43% are new clients to ECCO (a new client is a person who has not asked for ECCO assistance over the last three-year period).

“At the beginning of the pandemic, a member of our board commented that COVID-19 would be the Hurricane Hugo of ECCO’s next thirty years,” Kelley wrote in a letter to her team and volunteers this summer. “There is no doubt this crisis will shape the trajectory of the organization’s mission and solidify ECCO as an essential service and anchor in the community.”

Thirty years ago, ECCO was created because of men and women who wanted to be part of the solution in addressing the devastation and need following the hurricane. Little did they know that their sacrifices and hard work would help our community be ready to respond when an unprecedented “storm” hit our country thirty years later. Their selfless acts of love for their neighbor laid the groundwork to ensure Mount Pleasant was ready to provide help and hope during the current health and financial crisis caused by the coronavirus.

In response to the recent spike for assistance, ECCO and LifePark is encouraging the community to drop off non-perishable food items at LifePark during regular business hours (Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) or on Sunday during our services (8:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.). Donations can also be dropped off at ECCO Monday-Friday between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Highway 17 N, 1145 Six Mile Road, Mt Pleasant).

LifePark is asking our congregation to prayerfully consider giving in this challenging time. Look for the large blue ECCO containers located around the campus. Learn more about other ways you can give or volunteer by visiting ECCO online and exploring their wish list.

NON-PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS

• Peanut Butter/Jelly
• Canned Soup
• Rice
• Cereal
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Dry pasta and sauce
• Canned pasta
• Grits