LIHUE – Hawaii Foodbank asked and the community responded in a very generous and positive way. Residents and businesses across Hawaii answered the call for emergency food donations to help feed more than 287,000 local residents.

Hawaii Foodbank aims to collect one million pounds of food each month but a decrease in summer donations, providing emergency relief following two natural disasters and an approaching hurricane had left the Oahu warehouse with less than 10-days worth of food in stock. But with the local community’s tremendous support, Hawaii Foodbank received more than 128,000 pounds of food, more than 51,000 pounds of water and drinks and monetary donations equivalent to 60,257 meals.

“We are so grateful for the community’s incredible response and generosity in providing food and monetary donations,” said Ron Mizutani, President and CEO of Hawaii Foodbank. “Hawaii Foodbank distributes more than 46,000 pounds of food a day and we can’t do what we do without our community’s kokua. Thank you very much.”

Hawaii Foodbank is still accepting monetary donations and non-perishable food items. Donations of canned proteins, canned meals, canned vegetables, canned fruits and rice are in high demand.

Last year, Hawaii Foodbank distributed over 13.7 million pounds of food in Oahu and Kauai.