WAIMEA — Although it was not mandatory, people came and brought food and cash to help feed Kaua‘i’s growing hungry population, Saturday.
Kelvin Moniz, the food operations director for the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank, said the voluntary effort hosted by Pioneer Hi-Bred International as part of its open house, turned up about a hundred pounds of food and about $100 in cash.
The Saturday food drive was just part of a series of drives which comes on the eve of launching the KIFB Holiday Food and Fund Drive.
This Saturday, the AARP, under its Drive to End Hunger initiative, will be hosting its “Happy Times Community Picnic and Food Drive” at the Lydgate Park Pavilion from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“Help support Kaua‘i’s hungry families while having fun with your neighbors,” said Janice Bond of the AARP, Lihu‘e Chapter. “We’ll have food, music, dancing and lots of activities for young and old.”
During the food drive, canned goods, rice, or a monetary contribution helping the KIFB can be made, Bond said.
Moniz said the KIFB Holiday Food and Fund Drive has a goal of 40,000 pounds of food and $40,000, unchanged from last year’s goal despite an increase in the number of people needing food.
He suggests contributions in the eight most requested nutritious foods which includes brown, or hapa rice, canned soups, canned vegetables, canned tuna, Pediasure/Ensure, pasta, peanut butter and canned fruits.
The drive launches next week when the collection bags and remittance envelopes will be inserted into The Garden Island newspaper and comes ahead of the Food Collection Day, Oct. 15 at 10 different collection locations from Hanalei to Waimea.
“We really could use some volunteers to help man these stations,” Moniz said. “We’ve got a good corps of volunteers and could use some help at the Foodland Store in Waipouli, the Safeway Store at the Kaua‘i Village Shopping Center, and at Walmart.”
Contact Moniz ar kmoniz@kauaifoodbank.org or call 246-3809, ext 102 for more information, or to register as a volunteer for the food collection day.
