NAWILIWILI — Food contributions to the Kauai Independent Food Bank totaled 2,072 pounds from DuPont Pioneer and 1,096 pounds from Syngenta Seeds. “We halved our contributions,” said Laurie Yoshida of Pioneer. “Earlier, we dropped off 2,141 pounds of food to
NAWILIWILI — Food contributions to the Kauai Independent Food Bank totaled 2,072 pounds from DuPont Pioneer and 1,096 pounds from Syngenta Seeds.
“We halved our contributions,” said Laurie Yoshida of Pioneer. “Earlier, we dropped off 2,141 pounds of food to the Hawaii Foodbank, Kauai Branch. We also contributed $300. Syngenta opted to bring everything to the Kauai Independent Food Bank.”
The two contributions put Kauai Independent Food Bank’s Holiday Food and Fund Drive over its goal of 45,000 pounds of food.
“We’ve never went over goal before,” said Kelvin Moniz, KIFB executive director. “Money-wise, we’re still short of the $45,000 goal. We at Kauai Independent Food Bank appreciate all the efforts from everyone who helped make it possible for us to reach our goal. The food contributions stay here on Kauai to help feed our keiki and kupuna through some of the programs we offer.”
Leona Perez, KIFB programs manager, said there have been notable contributions over the past several weeks that helped KIFB reach its goal. These include the Elsie Wilcox Elementary School, which collected 1,884 pounds of food, the Wilcox Health Center coming in with 422 pounds, the Sheraton Kauai Resort with 530 pounds and the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa collecting 3,418 pounds.
His statement could not have been more timely as two busloads of kupuna garbed in holiday finery rolled up to the KIFB Nawiliwili warehouse as the last pallets cleared the loading area.
“I knew they were coming,” said Rowena Cobb, KIFB board chair. “I had a meeting earlier and I saw them having lunch at Keoki’s Paradise. This is their annual holiday lunch and they were coming here for their monthly food.”
The KIFB staff switched modes from accepting pallets of food to distributing food to the kupuna lined up outside the Nawiliwili warehouse, their shopping bags open and ready to accept their food offering.
Cobb said the food contributions are used to supply the kupuna’s needs.
“This month, because it is Christmas, they get something special — eggs,” Cobb said. “We don’t normally get eggs. We use the money people contribute to buy them to help fill the needs for kupuna and keiki. Santa has arrived!”
As the crowd of contributors was replaced by the eager kupuna, Naty Bali who led the line chirped, “Bless the food bank. Bless the Kauai Bus, and bless Keoki’s (Paradise).”
