Made in Hawaiʻi presents $40K donation to Hawaiʻi Foodbank, The Food Basket following Hurricane Lala
The 32nd Annual Made in Hawai‘i Festival on O‘ahu showcased more than 800 local vendors across the state as well as support for the Ka‘ū District after being devastated by Hurricane Lala.
Lala skirted the southern portion of Hawai‘i Island as a Category I storm during the evening hours of Aug. 15, leaving mudslides, destroyed homes, blocked roads, desecrated cemeteries and two people dead in its wake.
Days later, attendees to the Made in Hawai‘i Festival discovered and supported products made by hundreds of Hawai‘i businesses, artisans, makers, food producers and entrepreneurs.
This year, festival attendees, the Hawaiʻi Food Industry Association, and Servco donated $40,000 to the Hawaiʻi Foodbank and The Food Basket on Hawaiʻi Island, which was presented during a live, on-stage check presentation Sunday afternoon.
“Every year we contribute a donation to the Hawaiʻi Foodbank and Hawaiʻi Island’s The Food Basket, and this year it is especially meaningful because of the needs that are coming in and because a lot of people are still recovering,” said Lauren Zirbel, executive director of the Hawaiʻi Food Industry Association. “We very much appreciate the community support this weekend. When you support local businesses, you also support your neighbors in times of need.”
The donation reflects the Made in Hawaiʻi Festival community’s continued commitment to supporting Hawaiʻi families, particularly during times of need.
“Every single dollar goes right back into our community and ensures that our neighbors have enough to eat, not only when we have blue skies but in times of disaster, too,” said Amy Miller, president and CEO of the Hawaiʻi Foodbank.
“In the days since Hurricane Lala hit, we have seen both the tremendous need across Hawaiʻi Island and the extraordinary generosity of people stepping forward to help their island neighbors,” said Kristin Frost Albrecht, executive director of The Hawaiʻi Island Food Basket. “This donation comes at such an important time as we move from immediate disaster response into recovery while continuing to make sure families across our island have the food they need.”
Held over the state holiday weekend, the 2026 Made in Hawaiʻi Festival marked the largest festival in its history, spanning nearly 300,000 square feet and featuring more than 800 Made in Hawaiʻi vendor booths representing local artisans, makers, entrepreneurs, and locally owned businesses from across the state.
The festival featured 63 vendors from storm-impacted Hawaiʻi Island and approximately 150 new vendors, offering attendees an opportunity to discover new products while supporting Hawaiʻi businesses.
Beyond shopping and entertainment, the festival continues to reinforce its mission of encouraging consumers to buy local, support local businesses, and strengthen Hawaiʻi’s economy.
About 70,000 people discovered and supported products made and businesses based in Hawaiʻi during this year’s festival.
