FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Curves assistant manager Lawren Kanoa, left, and fitness tech Megan Burke-O'Connor bagged food collected for the Hawaii Foodbank yesterday at the Ala Moana Pacific Center. The organization wraps up its 15th annual food drive tomorrow.
Not too late to donate
to Hawaii FoodbankFood donated to the nonprofit
organization helps feed
118,000 people each week
The Hawaii Foodbank wraps up its 15th annual food drive tomorrow with a host of activities throughout the state.
The public may drop off monetary donations and canned food at major shopping centers on Oahu tomorrow, and at other sites for the rest of the month.
The organization will provide entertainment tomorrow at Restaurant Row, Koko Marina Center, McCully Shopping Center, Pearl City Shopping Center, Mililani Town Center, Victoria Ward Centers, Windward City Shopping Center and Waiokeola Congregational Church in Kahala.
Lori Kaya, development and communications coordinator for the Hawaii Foodbank, said the nonprofit agency hopes to collect 525,000 pounds of canned goods and $400,000 in funds tomorrow. It feeds 118,000 people each week.
She said the most wanted canned foods are meats or tuna; meals such as spaghetti, chili and corned beef hash; soups; vegetables and fruits; and beans.
Kaya said that for every dollar collected, the Hawaii Foodbank is able to distribute $20 worth of food.
Kaya noted that the need for food has increased since major retailers have been following corporate mandates to become more efficient in ordering just the amount of food they need, with little or nothing to left over to give away.
As a result the Hawaii Foodbank has had to purchase more food, especially food high in protein, she added.
The need for food increases by about 500,000 pounds a year, the organization said.
For example, in 2002 the Hawaii Foodbank distributed 8.5 million pounds through its 260 member agencies; in 2003 the amount was almost 9 million pounds.
This year, it expects to need more, Kaya said.
State employees from all islands make up the largest contributors to the food drive every year, she said. Last year, they collected 61,791 pounds of food and $101,073 in monetary donations.
DROP-OFF POINTS
These Hawaii Foodbank drop-off sites for canned goods and monetary donations will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow:
Koko Marina Center>> Military locations: Barbers Point, Fort Shafter, Hickam and Schofield Commissaries; Marine Corps Base Kaneohe, Building 1; Navy Exchange
McCully Shopping Center
Pearl City Shopping Center
Restaurant Row
Town Center of Mililani
Waiokeola Congregational Church, Kahala
Windward City Shopping Center>> Monetary donations only, collected by "Change Angels" (volunteers wearing angel wings and halos) at Kapolei and Market City Shopping Centers
After Saturday, cans and cash may be dropped off through next Friday at all First Hawaiian Bank branches, all Oahu Fire Stations, all T-Mobile retail outlets statewide and King Windward Nissan.
