As a business, House of Raeford in West Columbia contributes to the fiscal health of the people who work there. But the company also believes it has a corporate social responsibility. In an effort to lift others, House of Raeford donates thousands of dollars to the community around it.

FLOCK  is an arm of House Of Raeford, Columbia Farms. The goal of FLOCK is to assist, and participate with, local charities, non profits and ministries, by donating raw material and/or other resources.

Just in the last six months, local projects that FLOCK funds include a mobile food pantry for Lexington County, computer tablets for after-school mentoring sessions, and school supplies for students who have trouble affording classroom necessities. House of Raeford also donates thousands of pounds of chicken that is distributed to those in need by Harvest Hope Food Bank. Corporate-wide, House of Raeford is active with charities like March of Dimes and it is a provider of holiday meals and other feeding programs for people with not enough to eat.

Curtis Carr, House of Raeford’s Community Relations Director explained the effort to reach out.

“Through FLOCK, we endeavor to provide guidance and care for those in need,” said Carr. “We try to responsibly distribute our resources to help meet these needs with our employees as well as worthwhile local organizations with like minded objectives.”

Carr said the company is also thankful for the effort of others.

“We are constantly amazed at the number of caring people in our communities who provide aid to others who are less fortunate,” he said. “It truly blesses us to be a partner in their efforts.”

In September, House of Raeford’s FLOCK Representative Chuck Underhill was on-site at Lexington Interfaith Community Services (LICS) for a “Blessing of the Bus.” The bus is a “Mobile Food Pantry. LICS serves 4,800 people-year in its Food For Living (FFL) program. The FFL program provides food on a monthly basis for the elderly, veterans, the disabled, and their families. The Mobile Food Pantry bus is being used for that ministry.

In August, as the 2015-16 school year began in the West Columbia, Cayce and Batesburg-Leesville areas, FLOCK donated $2,000 in school supplies to Davis, Taylor and Saluda River elementary schools in Lexington School District Two. And it gave supplies for Batesburg-Leesville Elementary in Lexington School District Three.

In April, FLOCK partnered with Ezekiel Ministries to help in the ministry’s effort to mentor kids and provide after school and summer programs in the Northeast Columbia area. It is evidence of FLOCK’s commitment to helping children have access to education. To help the inner-city children,  FLOCK gave Ipad electronic tablets to be used for school work.

The idea to give is not a complex one, Underhill explained. It’s simply being thankful for, and aware of,  your blessings. “To whom much is given, much is required,” he said.