Abundance FoodRx

09/02/2026

Food banks and pantries are lifelines for millions of people—and demand is rising.

This season, we’re asking our community to help fill shelves with foods that nourish.

We’ve created a Plant-Based Donation List featuring affordable, versatile items that help families prepare satisfying meals built on compassion and health.

Developed with real-world insights from Food For Life by Physicians Committee instructor Jill Erickson from her time running a vegan food pantry, Flourish Food Market, this list highlights some of the most in-demand items—and often the ones hardest to keep in stock.

Even small contributions—like a few cans of beans, a bag of oats, or a carton of shelf-stable plant milk—can make a real difference.

Ways you can help:

• Donate items from the list to your local food bank or pantry.
• Share this post to help spread the word.
• Tag friends or co-workers who might want to join the effort.
• If you donate, share photos of your items in the comments and/or tag us in any photos you post so we can celebrate our collective effort.

Together, we can help make healthy, plant-based eating more accessible. 💚

For more information, read the following from Physicians Committee Dietitian Xavier: https://www.pcrm.org/news/lets-fill-food-banks-healthy-compassionate-choices

08/22/2026

Each year, American Farmland Trust awards the nation's favorite farmers markets with--$2,500 for first, $2,000 for second, $1,500 for third, $1,250 for fourth, $1,000 for fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and $875 for ninth, and tenth place. These funds will be awarded to markets for marketing, communications, and other needs that help expand the market’s reach and impact.

Voting runs through September 30th.

Do you love all the good things happening in Food is Medicine? Vote for the Abundance FoodRx healthy farmers market by visiting, https://markets.farmland.org/markets/315054 today and make an impact for our community.

Send a message to learn more

08/20/2026

Class 4: How Foods Fight Heart Disease begins Tuesday, August 25th, 5:30pm at the Allendale County Hospital cafeteria as part of the Food For Life by Physicians Committee series made possible at no charge to the community by The Good Fruit Foundation, a certified Food For Life by Physicians Committee institution locally.

In this class, participants are armed with the knowledge and practical skills to take action to bolster heart health through simple diet and lifestyle changes. Topics addressed focus in on cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, with recipes and nutrition strategies for improving or reversing these conditions. The intended outcome is to guide class participants toward healthier low-fat plant-based diets that reduce incidence of cardiovascular disease. The class features a cooking demonstration of delicious, health-promoting dishes, along with handouts of easy and affordable recipes participants can prepare at home.

Featured Class Topics
• High blood pressure: A plant-based diet, rich in potassium, improves blood pressure.
• High cholesterol: Aim for high-fiber foods, which can help to lower cholesterol.
• Atherosclerosis: Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol reduce plaque build-up in the arteries and improve blood flow.

Key reminder: This content is being shared for educational purposes and is not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this material, website or culinary medicine classes.

We look forward to learning together this Tuesday, the power of food for health through 'Food is Medicine'. And why do we do all this? "Because you are loved!"

Taste and see all that is good. | AbundanceFoodRx.com by The Good Fruit Foundation

08/18/2026

So how is it possible to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans/legumes and not still feel hungry? In tonight's class we'll 'taste and see' how you don’t need to think about counting calories or watching your portion sizes when you eat from the Power Plate, amazingly!

We're also excited to welcome a local and global medical missions power couple as special guests, Dr. Neal Shealy and his wife, Sharon Shealy, FNP-retired, as they share with us facts on better understanding Nutrition Facts labels and how this knowledge empowers healthy decisions in healthy food choices.

We begin at 5:30pm, 1787 Allendale-Fairfax Hwy in Fairfax at the Allendale County Hospital cafeteria. See you soon!

Important: This content is being shared for educational purposes and is not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it
because of something you have read in this material, website or culinary medicine classes.

08/14/2026

It's a healthy market day this Saturday, August 15th in Fairfax | 9am to 1pm with 'Food is Medicine' at the Allendale County Hospital.

We're so excited to have our local library, Allendale-Hampton-Jasper Regional Library, back at the Abundance FoodRx market with 'SC Plants the Seed' which means free books and fun things on eating fruits and vegetables for children and families.

We're also excited to have Mental Health America of South Carolina joining us with a table of resources for the community. Did you know there's a connection between 'food and mood'? Our food choices actually matter for healthy minds and moods--and all the good things you can find in abundance at a local farmers market, like fruits and vegetables--are perfect in whole-person health and wellness.

Want to learn more? Come out and visit us - it's always fun - and you are loved!

08/11/2026

Learn about the power of food in medicine. Every Tuesday, 5:30pm in the Allendale County Hospital cafeteria.

'Taste and see all that is good!' | Psalm 34:8

08/03/2026

The first class in this series, we will focus on general concepts behind healthful eating habits by providing the knowledge and resources for trying out a new 'oldschool' way of eating. The Power Plate, developed by Food For Life by Physicians Committee, is a diagram that illustrates four essential food groups: vegetables, grains, legumes, and fruits in lowering our risk of heart disease, diabetes, and even some forms of cancer. From these four groups, participants will be able to think about foods and meals in ways to best promote their own health and the health of their family.

Each class includes an active healthy cooking demonstration and tastings! You'll find us in the Allendale County Hospital cafeteria beginning at 5:30pm EVERY Tuesday in August in the Food For Life by Physicians Committee Healthy Basics series.

No preregistration required. The classes are FREE to all in our community and to all health system employees. 'Taste and see all that is good.' We'll see you soon!

07/31/2026

Yes, that's Fairfax, South Carolina on August 4th as part of Food For Life by Physicians Committee! Come see us every Tuesday in the Allendale County Hospital cafeteria beginning at 5:30pm for culinary medicine, healthy cooking and nutrition education, free to our community (because it's THAT important to share).

For more information, email [email protected], visit Abundance FoodRx or call us at (803) 632-3311 ext 214.

See you soon!

🌿 Looking for practical ways to eat healthier?

Food for Life classes make plant-based eating approachable with evidence-based nutrition education, cooking demonstrations, and simple strategies you can use every day. Whether you're interested in preventing disease, managing a health condition, or simply adding more plant-based meals to your routine, there's a class for you.

Our August classes are now open for registration, with in-person and online options in communities across the U.S. and internationally.

Take a look at this month's schedule and find a class near you (or join online): https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/plant-based-diets/ffl/classes

07/31/2026

We are so grateful for a recent gift of pears to the healthy food pharmacy, Abundance FoodRx, as part of 'Food is Medicine' at the Allendale County Hospital's Outpatient Retail Pharmacy. Want to learn more about this program? Stop by the pharmacy Monday through Friday 9am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm, or contact the pharmacy (1787 Allendale-Fairfax Hwy in Fairfax).

"Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.” | Ezekiel 47:12

Do you have a local abundance you would like to share with the food pharmacy in 'Food is Medicine'? Email us, [email protected] or call (803) 632-3311 ext 214 today!

07/22/2026

It's 🍉🌱📚SC Plants the Seed 📚 🌱🍉 at the Abundance FoodRx healthy farmers market this Summer! 🌱 Did you know young, growing diets packed with 🥕 'plant-iful' foods 🥦 are directly linked to higher reading scores, sharper memory, and a happier mood in growing kids? 🌱 Peer-reviewed research is demonstrating the micronutrients and antioxidants found in fresh produce actively protect children from brain fatigue, lower attention deficits, and significantly reduce adolescent anxiety and depression (Frontiers in Psychology, 2018; Journal of Affective Disorders, 2025).

🌱Through the SC Plants the Seed program—a partnership with the South Carolina State Library, the Allendale-Hampton-Jasper Regional Library, and Good Fruit, we’re working hard to help make it a little easier for our local families to access these healthy brain-boosting foods together in collective impact!

🌱Exciting benefits at SC Plants the Seed - Abundance FoodRx market days - June 20th, July 18th, and August 15th from 9am to 1pm at the Allendale County Hospital include,
• 📖 FREE books for kids and families on planting seeds, growing gardens and eating a variety of delicious produce!
• 🍓 Fresh, affordable produce grown by local farms
• 🥗 Nutrition tips, recipe ideas, and delicious samples to taste!
• 💗 Supportive access options including WIC & Senior nutrition vouchers & FoodRx gift certificates

🌱Curious for more on the Power of Plants in Young Diets?
Lowering Youth Depression | A decade of clinical data tracking adolescents revealed that higher consumption of phytonutrient-rich plant foods is associated with nearly 50% lower odds of depressive symptoms (Tsiampalis, T. et al., 2025 | Children / PMC).

Maximizing Cognitive Scores | Increased whole fruit and vegetable consumption high in fiber and polyphenols is consistently linked to improved psychomotor speed, memory, attention, and mood in youth (O'Connor, S. et al., 2025 | Journal of Nutritional Science).