Categorized | Food, Volunteering

Food Basket’s 15th Annual Feed-A-Thon interrupted by Hurricane Madeline

MEDIA RELEASE

The Food Basket, Inc. – Hawai`I Island’s Food Bank’s annual Feed-A-Thon, hosted by longtime ambassador Tommy “Kahikina” Ching, will skip its second day at the KTA Super Stores Puainako location as a result of Hurricane Madeline nearing the state.

The ten-day event began on Aug. 24 and remains scheduled to run through Sept. 2. Ching and The Food Basket crew were scheduled to complete their second day at the Hilo location on Wednesday, Aug. 31 before heading to KTA Super Stores Keauhou. The second day at the KTA Puainako location was required to be scratched as the store plans to close early.

“I’m really bummed, but we will be back at it on Thursday in Keauhou,” said Ching. “In 15 years of conducting the Feed-A-Thon, this is the first time it has ever been interrupted for any reason.”

Ching says the yearly drive is an opportunity to reconnect with the community island-wide.

“It’s disappointing that I only got to see half of Hilo during the East Hawai`i stretch of the drive.”

Non-perishable food and monetary donations have been accepted during the first seven days of the drive and will continue to be collected at KTA Keauhou on Thursday, Sept. 1 and Friday, Sept. 2.

The Food Basket’s latest statistics show that one in five Hawai`i Island residents are served by the non-profit through a network of nearly 100 partner agencies.

During the 15th annual Feed-A-Thon, it is Ching’s hope to raise enough food and monetary donations for The Food Basket to feed the most vulnerable residents on the island during the non-peak giving period, and the hope is to still meet the fundraising goal regardless of the event being shortened by a day.

With one less day of the drive, community members are invited to donate online via the non-profit fundraising platform Classy.org (https://www.classy.org/campaign/2016-kahikina-food-drive/c90130)

“This situation punctuates exactly why we need this kind of drive,” said The Food Basket’s Executive Director En Young. “In an event like a hurricane, the entire community is going through it together, so when folks are collecting what they need and giving a little bit extra it helps the entire community to weather the storm, be it a hurricane or chronic hunger.”

Feed-A-Thon Schedule:

  • KTA Kailua-Kona, August 24, 25
  • Waikoloa Village Market, August 26, 27
  • KTA Waimea, August 28, 29
  • KTA Puainako, August 30
  • KTA Keauhou, September 1, 2

For more information on ways to help feed the hungry on Hawai`i Island, please contact The Food Basket at 808-933-6030, or visit www.hawaiifoodbasket.org

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