PUHI — There will be a pop-up food distribution, Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish in Kapa‘a as part of the Hunger Action Day observance, the Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i announced, Friday.
“This is on a first come, first served basis,” said Wes Perreira, director of the Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i. “A huge mahalo to the Kaua‘i United Way for the EFSP Phase 39 grant that enables the food bank to expand its services to those who need it most here on the island.”
September is Hunger Action Month, the Feeding America network’s annual nationwide campaign designed to inspire people to take action and raise awareness of hunger across the states. Sept. 23 is Hunger Action Day, a day where collective efforts across the country are focused for greater impact, and on Kaua‘i the staff of the Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i was joined by its Advisory Board members — garbed in orange, the color of hunger relief — as the container of food generated by the Safeway Nourishing Neighbor Summer campaign rolled up for unloading, generating cheer from the orange-clad body to welcome Hunger Action Day.
The Safeway Nourishing Neighbors Summer campaign raised more than $16,000 during the campaign period that started June 29 and continued through July 26. With the support of Lesah Merritt, the Hokulei Village store manager, the staff and the community was able to provide 11,784 pounds of canned tuna, green beans, pears, peanut butter, oatmeal, corn, and brown rice for distribution through the Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i’s 34 partner agencies directly to those in need.
“I’d like to thank the community for always being so supportive and responsive to our community needs,” said Merritt. “Safeway will always be here to care for our community that always care for us.”
“During Hunger Action Month, we at the Hawai‘i Foodbank join together by wearing orange and raising our voices all across the state on behalf of the thousands of people facing hunger in Hawai‘i,” states a release from the Hawai‘i Foodbank.
“We want to thank everyone for the ongoing efforts to increase food access — helping our neighbors in need,” Perreira said. “For thousands of people in Hawai‘i, a daily meal isn’t a choice between different dishes. It’s a choice between food and other basic needs like medicine, electricity, or childcare. We ask everyone to join the fight to end hunger at www.hawaiifoodbank/Kauai.
