LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Food Bank was the only Kaua‘i organization to make the finalists level at the Hawai‘i 2010 Better Business Bureau Award luncheon, Wednesday at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel. The Hawai‘i BBB honored businesses, public charities and
LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Food Bank was the only Kaua‘i organization to make the finalists level at the Hawai‘i 2010 Better Business Bureau Award luncheon, Wednesday at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel.
The Hawai‘i BBB honored businesses, public charities and individuals for their outstanding commitment to fair, honest and ethical marketplace practices.
The Kaua‘i Food Bank was one of three finalists in the Public Charity category which saw Lanakila Pacific being awarded the top award. Hospice Hawai‘i was the third finalist in that category.
“I was like a Girl Scout,” said Judy Lenthall, executive director of the Kaua‘i Food Bank.
“When I saw those words on the plaque — ‘Trust, Performance, Integrity’ — these are things we do every day.”
Lenthall said in reviewing the bullet points for “BBB Standards For Trust,” she could not help but feel a sense of pride for her Kaua‘i Food Bank group because they carry these traits with them daily.
“Build trust. Advertise honestly. Tell the truth. Be transparent. Honor promises. Be responsive. Safeguard privacy. Embody integrity. We can honestly say we do these things every day,” Lenthall said.
“It just gives me chills to know that our people embody these in their daily duties.”
The Kaua‘i Food Bank’s mission is to provide food for the hungry, respond to emergencies, and eliminate hunger on Kaua‘i, states the 2010 BBB Torch Awards program.
Over the past 16 years the Kaua‘i Food Bank has earned the reputation of being the most innovative food bank in the state, earning the World Hunger Year Award, the Peter Drucker Award for Non-Profit Innovation, and the Hawai‘i Business Non-Profit Leadership Award.
The Kaua‘i Food Bank is the only food bank in the state with BBB accreditation and currently serves almost 20 percent of Kaua‘i’s total population each year.
“It is extremely rewarding for Hawai‘i’s BBB to recognize businesses, charities and individuals for their dedication to running honest, ethical organizations,” said Dwight Kealoha, chief executive officer of Hawai‘i’s BBB, in a press release.
“Consumers should be proud that companies like these put standards for ethics and integrity at the top of their priority lists. All of the BBB Torch Awards recipients and finalists are shining examples of BBB’s vision of a trustworthy marketplace.”
In addition to the Public Charity category, the 2010 BBB Torch Award recipients include Loomis-ISC in the Small Business category, Lex Brodie’s Tire Company in the Medium Business category, and Servco Pacific in the Large Business category.
Robbie Dingeman, a writer with The Honolulu Advertiser, and June Watanabe, consumer columnist for The Honolulu Star-Bulletin, were presented the BBB Ka Mea O Kako‘o award which honors individuals who have significantly advanced marketplace trust by their demonstrated commitment to consumer advocacy, protection or education.
Both writers were recognized for their work to provide their readers with information, resources and answers that help them become smarter shoppers and better consumers.
The Hawai‘i BBB was established in 1945 and is the local authority on trust in the marketplace.
The BBB is an unbiased, nonprofit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior.
Only businesses and charities that meet and adhere to BBB standards can receive BBB accreditation.
Visit www.bbb.org for more information on the Hawai‘i Better Business Bureau. Visit www.kauaifoodbank.org for more information on the Kaua‘i Food Bank.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
