NAWILIWILI — The 400 pounds of rice brought over on a Banyan Harbor utility cart Thursday was gladly accepted by Kelvin Moniz, the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank food resources director, and Frank Ranger, KIFB executive director. Lyle Otsuka, general manager
NAWILIWILI — The 400 pounds of rice brought over on a Banyan Harbor utility cart Thursday was gladly accepted by Kelvin Moniz, the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank food resources director, and Frank Ranger, KIFB executive director.
Lyle Otsuka, general manager for Banyan Harbor, said the rice was bought using proceeds from the condominium’s recycling program.
“We can use the rice,” Moniz said. “Rice is one of the most sought after commodities and right now, we are having problems trying to keep an inventory because everything is moving out so fast.”
He said the food bank buys items, using funds raised during the food drives, to try and keep items available for the partner agencies, but despite contributions from community businesses, the food appears to go out faster than it arrives.
The latest food statistics on the KIFB website cites the rise in demand for food from 58,000 requests in 2008 to nearly 120,000 in 2010. Food distribution has increased from 483,679 pounds in 2008 to more than 730,000 pounds in 2010, based on the Hunger Study.
“We at Banyan Harbor are proud to be of help and a part of the solution for Kaua‘i,” Otsuka said.
He said about a year and a half ago, one of the Banyan Harbor owners, Pu‘uloa Teves, approached him and asked where money from recyclables goes.
Otsuka explained that the Banyan team uses the proceeds for employee birthday parties, family funerals, annual gatherings and other events.
Teves asked if the Banyan team could donate to the KIFB, which is located across the street from the complex, and after discussion with the employee quality committee, everyone thought it was a great idea.
“Now, each year, the quality committee sets aside a portion of the proceeds from recycling to help fellow Kauaians,” Otsuka said. “This is our second donation of 400 pounds of rice and since the funds come from our recycling program, the term ‘Ricycle’ seems to be a perfect descriptive word.”
Banyan Harbor is managed by OLS Hotels & Resorts. Their contribution comes on the same day KIFB celebrates its 5th annual Dine Out for Hunger where people are encouraged to dine out at some of the island’s most popular eateries with a portion of the diner’s bill, excluding alcohol, is donated to the KIFB.
Visit www.kauaifoodbank.org for more information.
∫ Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
