YORK COUNTY, S.C. — The past three years have seen a significant increase in hunger and food insecurity, and a soup kitchen is relying on donations and local restaurant partnerships to meet demand.

According to the World Food Programme, over 345 million people worldwide are facing high levels of food insecurity in 2023. That’s more than double the number from 2020.

The Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen in York County is seeing the impact of those numbers locally. The director, Jan Stephenson, said before to the pandemic they would feed upwards of 65 people a day. Now, that number can get up to 140. 

“Everybody’s struggling, less people are giving,” Stephenson said. “We are in partnership with Second Harvest, but when we shop there, they don’t always have what we need to feed this many people and so, honestly, our partnership with these restaurants is imperative.”

Blue Bar & Smokehouse donates mac and cheese to the soup kitchen. Olive Garden donates soups. Chick-Fil-A donates chicken filets, strips, salads, biscuits and fruit. 

Stephenson said protein is the hardest thing to come by, and right now donations from Chick-Fil-A make up a third of the protein they serve. 

“We try to get creative and we have to use the items that we get,” Stephenson said. “It takes a little bit of time to get that creative menu down, but we’ve learned what the guests like and what they need.”

Michael Crosby is a Chick-Fil-A franchisee in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Crosby said his restaurant has been involved in the Shared Table program for over five years. He said his store has donated over 31,000 meals. 

“We have a corporate mission, a restaurant mission, of being the most caring company. That includes not just the folks that dine with us in the restaurant, but with the surrounding communities,” Crosby said.

This summer, 300,000 meals from Chick-Fil-A were given to Charlotte area soup kitchens and nonprofits, according to a spokesperson. 

“Sometimes our supplier sources nuggets that are too small or chicken breast that are too small for us to serve to the guest. At that point, the only other option would be to throw it in the trash. It’s such a waste of resources when it can be used in so many different ways,” Crosby said. 

Crosby said the stores package the food and twice a week organizations like the Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen come pick it up.

Chick-Fil-A’s corporate goal is to divert over 25 million pounds in food waste from entering landfills by 2025, according to the company.