T-Shirt Sales Benefit Big Island Food Bank Efforts

Three Big Island businesses have teamed up to help feed the island’s hungry.

Creative Arts Hawaii, Aloha Grown and Parker Ranch Store have been selling “MALAMA” T-shirts with proceeds going to The Food Basket, the Big Island’s food bank.

Representatives of the three recently presented Food Basket Executive Director En Young with a check for $5,000, enough to provide 12,500 meals to Big Island families.

Organizers of the effort said the word malama was selected as the theme of the shirt design because it means to nurture, preserve or protect.

“We must malama our community and make sure that our neighbors and friends do not go hungry,” they said. “The kalo (or taro) was specifically selected as the shirt’s background image because it represents family and provides sustenance, which is what the Food Basket provides for our local community in need.”

Malama shirts are still available for purchase at the Aloha Grown store in downtown Hilo, the Parker Ranch Store in Waimea or www.parkerranchstore.com. The cost is $20 with all proceeds benefiting the Food Basket.