Hawai’i Island’s Food Bank’s annual “Feed-A-Thon” collected over 38,000 pounds of food at five KTA Super Stores locations island-wide during its 10-day span.
Tommy “Kahikina” Ching, longtime ambassador of The Food Basket, collected non-perishable food and monetary donations from Aug. 24 through Sept. 2 at five participating KTA locations, including Kailua-Kona, Waikoloa, Waimea, Puainako and Keauhou.
Some of the donations that were received outside KTA Waikoloa. Courtesy photo.
In addition to in-person donations, community members provided monetary donations online and participated in a silent auction with items including rounds of golf at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai and Waikoloa Kings’ Course, and adventure items from Flumin’ Kohala, Paradise Helicopters, Body Glove Hawai`i and Hawai`i Forest & Trail.
Along with donated food items, funds raised translated into purchase poundage with a total combination of food and monetary donations totaling 38,348 pounds.
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“It is always great when we can take a serious and pervasive issue like hunger and attack it with a positive attitude and positive methods,” said En Young, executive director of The Food Basket. “Being with Kahikina for the 10-day stretch reaffirms that we are one community and that the solution for hunger is aloha.”
The annual fundraising event ended on a high note in a celebration of Ching’s birthday on Friday at KTA Keauhou. Cakes, balloons and birthday surprises provided a festive atmosphere while fundraising activities continued.
“No hurricane, storm, or lava flow could stop people on Hawai`i Island from making sure there is food when and where it is needed most,” said Ching.
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One in five Hawai`i Island residents are served by The Food Basket through a network of nearly 100 partnering agencies islandwide. With one in three children in Hawai`i County eligible for free or reduced school meals, and many families and kupuna facing high levels of food-insecurity, The Food Basket is in need of community support on a yearly basis.
For more information on ways to help feed the hungry on Hawai`i Island year-round, contact The Food Basket at (808) 933-6030 or go online.
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