The statistics are startling and heartbreaking, per the Friends Committee On National Legislation, one out of every ten people in South Carolina do not have enough food to eat. For children, it is even worse, one out of every seven. Overall, South Carolina is number eight out of the 10 hungriest states in the USA where people struggle to have enough food. One South Carolina native, Gregg Marcel Dixon, a local teacher, activist, and more recently, a candidate for South Carolina’s Sixth US Congressional District, has decided to do something about it. “As a teacher for nearly 20 years, my fellow teachers and I would have to use our own money to buy students food,” Dixon continues, “We would keep a stash of snacks since we knew that until a person’s basic needs are met, they cannot focus on the more systemic needs such as quality education and quality political representation.” Operation FEEDS, where the acronym "FEEDS" stands for Feeding, Empowering, and Enriching District Six will have Dixon sponsoring a series of food drives throughout South Carolina District Six which includes the counties of Richland, Calhoun, Clarendon, Sumter, Orangeburg, Williamsburg, Charleston, Dorchester, Bamberg, Allendale, Hampton, Colleton, and Jasper counties. The first of such food drives was held in Ridgeland, Dixon’s hometown, at B&T Food Fresh Market where Dixon and two volunteers from his campaign spoke with members of the community about their needs and concerns, and handed out over 500 lbs of Cornish Hens and hams to a little over 100 individuals, mostly elderly, who spoke of how the rising cost of food has been a major issue for them. “I am getting me a ham because I can feed myself and my grandbabies for at least a week from one ham,” one elderly lady, who wished not to be identified, remarked.

Dixon’s campaign slogan is “Repair Black America To SAVE America” and includes policies such as a car buyers assistance program to address the need for transportation in Rural America, equitably funding schools, reparations for Black Americans who are Descendants Of American Slaves, protecting all unborn lives, partnering with small businesses, stopping illegal immigration, dealing with the issue of heirs property, fighting against gun violence, and more. “What helps Black America helps all of America,” said Sherrice Lisbon, one of the two volunteers from Dixon’s campaign, also the head of Rural Coalition Of The Lowcountry, an organization that advocates for the needs of residents of Hampton, Colleton, Jasper, and Beaufort counties, “I support Gregg Marcel Dixon because he has the attitude that if my neighbor is hurting, we are all hurting. That is shown here, he is feeding all people, black, white, all colors”. Dixon’s current seat has been held by James Clyburn for the past 30 years. “South Carolina District Six is the sixth poorest district out of 435 districts total,” Dixon shared, “We deserve better than to be the sixth poorest district out of 435 US districts total. We deserve better than to be the number eight out of the 50 states where people do not have enough to eat but if we keep doing what we have been doing, voting to put the same people back in office, we will keep getting what we have been getting.

To find out the dates, times, and locations Dixon’s future food drives and more about his campaign, please visit his website at www.marcelforcongress.com or email [email protected] or call or send a message to 843-940-8983.