Foodland, customers raise $50,000 for Kaua‘i charities

LIHU‘E — At the end of October, 26 Kaua‘i charities will receive a portion of $50,118 in Foodland customer contributions and corporate donations, all part of the supermarket’s annual Give Aloha community matching-gifts program.

“This is the most money that has been raised for the community through Give Aloha since the annual program began in 1999,” said Sheryl Toda, Foodland director of corporate communications, in a press release.

In September, the retail grocery chain with Kaua‘i stores at Waipouli Town Center and Princeville Center invited customers to make donations of up to $249 to their favorite Hawai‘i nonprofit organization at any Foodland checkout stand. Foodland then matched a portion of the donations.

The top five charity recipients are Lihu‘e Missionary Church, Kapa‘a Missionary Church, Calvary Chapel Kaua‘i, Kapa‘a United Church of Christ and the YMCA of Kaua‘i.

Kaua‘i customers increased their donations slightly over last year’s $49,932.

For charities statewide, customers gave more that $1.5 million, and Foodland and Western Union Foundation contributed a total of approximately $329,000.

“Each year during our Give Aloha program, we are overwhelmed by the generosity of our customers, and we were amazed to see that in this challenging time our customers donated the largest amount since our program began in 1999,” said Jenai Wall, Foodland chairman and chief executive officer.

“We are proud to support their efforts and feel good knowing that the more than $1.868 million we raised together will help build a better Hawai‘i and make a difference in our community.”

Give Aloha was created in 1999 in honor of the late Maurice J. “Sully” Sullivan, founder of Foodland.