Mount Pleasant Magazine Sept/Oct 2021

93 www.MountPl easantPodcas t . com | www. ReadMPM. com | www. I LoveMountPl easant . com T he ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have touched nearly every aspect of life – health, jobs, supply and demand and the global economy, to name just a few. In short, life has not been easy for many people this past year, and getting back on their feet is even harder when they fall behind a few steps. Luckily, East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO) has been steadfast for decades in extending a helping hand to local families experiencing hardships, and with the help of a recent $5,000 grant from Publix Super Markets Charities, the community reach is even greater. The grant, according to ECCO’s press release, will “support healthy families in the wake of COVID-19 – to recognize that each client ECCO serves has an individual experience with financial hardship; to meet those individuals where they are with compassion and efficiency; and to help them recover, manage or begin again.” ECCO’s many programs include a wellness food pantry, financial assistance, medical and dental clinics and more. In the past year, ECCO has assisted over 3,500 neighbors – 850 of which were first-time clients. Being widely known for its community food pantry, ECCO provided 1,800 households with emergency prepackaged food and distributed over one million pounds of ECCO and Publix Charities Big Support for a BigNeed BY ANNE SHULER TOOLE