Meals on Wheels of Horry and Georgetown County gets $75K challenge grant

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — Meals on Wheels of Horry and Georgetown County received a $75,000 challenge grant from an anonymous donor.

In just the past year, Meals on Wheels has gone from serving 300 meals per week to 2,500, an 800% increase.

That’s why the group is asking the community to help them match the grant and continue making a difference.

The challenge grant will be paid if and when Meals on Wheels is able to raise sufficient funds from other sources.

The urgency needing to raise money to purchase land and build a new facility comes from the 100% rent increase imposed on Meals on Wheels.

They want to build a “forever home” that will be used for generations. The CEO, Michael Snuggs, talked about how life-changing the challenge grant is, as it will allow them to continue serving grandparents in the Grand Strand.

The announcement of the challenge grant came just hours before the Meals on Wheels 2nd Annual Gala for Grandparents, where they raised $20,000 that just went towards the grant.

“Well, so we only raised about $20,000 towards that $75,000 match. So, if we raise that, then obviously we’d have $150,000,” Snuggs said. “I think total though, we’re about at $115,000 right now, as far as the building fund goes. And our goal is $350,000-$400,000. So, we can at least have a down payment for a loan or purchase the land that we’re looking at, which is about two acres, and time is running out for us here.”

Snuggs shared how the phone call went when he learned they were getting the $75,000 grant.

“A phone that I never answer, and it’s ‘Michael, we have an anonymous donor who wants to give you a $75,000 matching grant,'” Snuggs said. “So I was emotional. He was emotional. We were all — emotionally, you know, I was teared up because it just showed me the goodness of Jesus and that he’s faithful and still speaks to us today.”

Meals on Wheels has until December to find a new home and is urging the community to help.