The numbers are staggering on how much food is being wasted everyday.

Luckily, there’s a local organization that is making impactful efforts to put a stop to it.

Aloha Harvest is building a less wasteful and more equitable food system—by collecting and redistributing food that would otherwise be discarded.

About a quarter of all food produced in this country is wasted.

And yet one in seven Americans are food insecure, meaning they don’t have reliable access to enough food to lead a healthy life.

Aloha Harvest provides a bridge between the incredible abundance in our society and those who are not able to make ends meet.

Here’s how it works. Food donors of all types contact our office and let us know that they have a donation.

We accept donations from everywhere: restaurants, caterers, bakeries, distributors, grocery stores, hospitals, schools, faith groups, as well as individual households.

Our drivers come pick up the donation anywhere on Oahu and then distribute the food, same day, to nonprofit agencies that are feeding people who are hungry.

Both the food donor and the agencies that receive the food are protected by State and Federal laws in terms of liability.

St. George Catholic Church is one of the agencies that receives donations from Aloha Harvest.

Aunty Blanche, Outreach Coordinator at St. George Catholic Church in Waimanalo, shares how this program has been such a blessing to the homeless that they serve.

“Whenever we get a delivery from Aloha Harvest, we’re able to get the food out to more people,” explained Blanche. “Normally we operate Tuesdays and Thursdays and there are times when people come on days we’re not open – we still do our best to help. We don’t shut anyone away and we’re able to do that thanks to Aloha Harvest.”

For more information on Aloha Harvest visit alohaharvest.org. They are also currently looking for an Executive Director.

To learn more about how you can help St. George Catholic Church call 259-7188.

