State Employees Food Drive a Success

The State Employees Food Drive celebrated its 20th year this season.

Launched in 1999, the drive has been successful since the beginning, bringing in 265,820 meals in its inaugural year. This year, the State Employees’ Food Drive collected 65,632 pounds of food and raised $139,622 for a grand total of 400,736 meals, according to a press release from the office of Lieutenant Governor Josh Green.

In the 20 years of helping to raise support for Hawai‘i’s friends and neighbors in need, state employees have brought in donations of 1,634,653 pounds of food and $2,720,668 to support Hawai‘i residents who struggle with hunger, the release continued.

One of every eight people in Hawai‘i depends on food from Hawai‘i Foodbank, including over 54,000 keiki.

Lt. Gov. Green and his wife Jaime headed this year’s State Employee’s Food Drive efforts.

“Working with the Hawai‘i Foodbank has been an incredible experience,” Lt. Gov. Green said. “Their dedication, passion and organization are truly remarkable. For too many people the reality is a missed paycheck or an accident or an illness can leave them in a situation of food insecurity. It’s comforting and reassuring to know that this incredible organization is here to provide for anyone in Hawai‘i who finds themselves facing a difficult time with no judgments and no barriers—just aloha.”