Our Programs
SIHAF runs three programs of its own on Johns and Wadmalaw Islands; feeding families, delivering clean water, and teaching the next generation to cook healthy meals.
Sea Islands Blessing Basket
The Blessing Basket is a volunteer outreach program of the Sea Islands Hunger Awareness Foundation, serving low-income individuals and families on Johns and Wadmalaw Islands.
Its mission is simple but vital: to provide healthy, quality, nourishing groceries to neighbors in need. Each Blessing Basket is filled with fresh produce, quality meat, eggs, butter, bread, and nutritious pantry staples with enough food to help nourish a family for approximately two weeks.
But what our guests receive is more than groceries. They receive dignity, compassion, and the reassurance that their community has not forgotten them.
Baskets are distributed on the second Saturday of each month. For more information, contact Dave Berry at blessingbasket@sihaf.org.
Water Wellness Mission
For most of us, household water is so readily available that we barely think about it. Sadly, for many people on Johns and Wadmalaw Islands, that has not always been the case — many homes have had to purchase clean bottled water or go without it every day.
In March 2016, SIHAF founder Shirley Salvo asked Bill Britton to organize an effort to help island families who lacked clean water at home, and the Water Wellness Mission was officially founded in 2017.
300+ wells have been installed to date, and thanks to the generosity of our donors, hundreds of island neighbors now have a well providing clean water to their home. Today, the focus of the Water Wellness Mission has evolved to maintaining the wells previously installed.
For more information, contact John Carpenter at waterwellness@sihaf.org or via the contact form at waterwellnessmission.org.
Crockpot Cooking
Since 2014, the Sea Islands Hunger Awareness Foundation has helped Johns Island children, adults, and seniors gain the knowledge and confidence to prepare healthy, affordable meals through its Crockpot Cooking Program.
Founded by Dr. Barbara Griffin, the program has served more than 650 participants through hands-on nutrition education and practical cooking instruction. In 2025, under the leadership of Program Director Melanie Jangro, the curriculum was redesigned with updated nutrition lessons, interactive activities, bilingual (English/Spanish) materials, and engaging games.
Today, SIHAF offers five-week adult workshops in partnership with Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach while expanding children’s programming through local churches and community organizations. Participants learn healthy meal planning, budget-friendly grocery shopping, food safety, and how to prepare simple, nutritious slow-cooker meals. Each graduate receives a crockpot, measuring cups and spoons, basic kitchen utensils, and spices to continue cooking healthy meals at home.
More than a cooking class, the Crockpot Cooking Program empowers families to make healthier food choices, stretch their grocery budgets, and build lifelong habits that promote better health, greater independence, and a stronger community.
To volunteer or learn more, contact Program Director Melanie Jangro at crockpot@sihaf.org.
