NAWILIWILI — Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank executive director Kelvin Moniz was surprised, Monday when a contributor returned with an additional three bags of feminine products.
“We normally collect these on a regular basis,” Moniz said. “We also send them out with some of our food packages. I also know that the Salvation Army also distributes feminine products on a regular basis, too.”
The Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank is one of the collections sites for the ongoing Poverty Period Drive that ends on March 26. Contributions of period supplies can be dropped off at the KIFB, the YWCA of Kaua‘i, Catholic Charities, the Kaua‘i Economic Opportunity, the Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i, and the ReStore at the Kaua‘i Habitat for Humanity.
The collections will be picked up by the Zonta Club of Kaua‘i and packed for distribution to select organizations at a later date.
The Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank is in the midst of its Spring Healthy Food and Fund Drive that was launched on March 1 and continues through April 30 with a goal of raising 50,000 pounds of food, and $50,000.
“Please join the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank in helping to feed those who are experiencing food insecurity on Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau by donating, today,” said Robyn Petterson of the KIFB. “The most needed and wanted items on the KIFB list include shelf-stable, or powdered milk, hot and cold cereal, pasta and pasta sauce, rice and grains, seed or nut butter and tahini, proteins that include fish and meats, soups and stews, no sugar-added fruits, and low sodium vegetables.”
Contributions can be dropped off at any of the fire stations on the island, or at the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank warehouse in Nawiliwili from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The Spring Healthy Food and Fund Drive is sponsored by Holo Holo Charters, Allstate, Yukimura & Associates, the First Hawaiian Bank, Earthworks Pacific, and Kaua‘i ATV.
Individuals are welcome to sponsor their own food drives by visiting www.kauaifoodbank.org for information on setting up a drive that benefits the KIFB spring drive. They can also contact Petterson, or Kawai Gampon at 808-246-3809.
The Zonta Club of Kaua‘i Period Poverty campaign is geared toward raising awareness of the inadequate access to menstrual hygiene sanitary products.
