Twenty-five years ago on Maui, Chad Buck worked three jobs to put food on the table as a teenage father of three.

“;When I was hungry, I vowed, 'Never, ever again,'”; said Buck.

He also vowed one day to help others barely scraping by.

He was lauded yesterday by the state Legislature as “;an outstanding advocate for humanity,”; and his company was recognized as the largest individual donor to the Hawaii Foodbank.

With his donation of 10,000 gallons of fresh milk yesterday to the food bank, his contributions since 2002 totaled more than 200,000 pounds.

His company, Hawaii Foodservice Alliance LLC, is one of the state's largest distributors of bakery and dairy products. Buck started his business in 2002 from his basement with one laptop computer and one employee; he now employs more than 130.

State Rep. John M. Mizuno (D, Kamehameha Heights-Kalihi Valley-Fort Shafter), chairman of the House Human Services Committee, said Buck “;made the sole decision to donate over 200,000 pounds of food. He could have profited by selling it through thrift shops instead. I hope by setting this example, supermarkets will do the same.”;

Mizuno said of Buck, “;You're a hero to so many.”;

Buck said he made up his mind as a struggling young father to give a percentage of his income to the community, similar to the principle of tithing - “;It's a portion of your crop”; - in the Old Testament.

“;God sometimes puts you in a certain place so later down the road you'll be reminded to do something about it. There were no food banks around then, and I didn't take any assistance. It literally meant working three jobs. When I was hungry, I vowed, Never, ever again. I was able to work my way out of it. This is my mantle,”; he said.

Buck, named the 2005 Hawaii Small Business Administration's Business Person of the Year for Honolulu, believes successful individuals and organizations have a responsibility to give back to the community “;now more than ever that the demands are bigger,”; he said.

He has “;worked very hard to keep (his company) operations as efficient as possible,”; which allows him to spend less on trucking, refrigeration, shipping and handling, thereby passing the savings on to customers with lower prices on bakery and dairy products.