Residents of the Big Island once again shared Aloha Friday by donating food and money at the 3rd annual “Fill a Cruiser Food Drive” for the Food Basket at the Kona Costco.
A collaborative effort between the Hawaii Police Department’s Kona Community Policing Section, Costco of Kona, the Food Basket Inc., and KAPA Radio personality Tommy Ching, the “Fill A Cruiser Food Drive” helped provide food to island residents in need.
Police had a marked police cruiser parked in front of Costco where members and the general public donated nonperishable food items and cash.
All donated food items were distributed to the Food Basket, who in turn will distribute it to residents in need.
This year, due to the tragic Lahaina Fires, all monies donated will go directly to the Maui Food Bank to assist in their efforts to help stem the increasing need for food assistance.
In just four hours, over 2,000 pounds of food were donated and $4,784 collected in cash donations.
“We were thrilled to help the Maui Food Bank out,” said Kristin Frost Albrecht, Food Basket executive director. “People really came out and helped Maui. We had so many $100 bills, it was amazing. It was heartwarming.”
Frost Albrecht said the Hawaii Island food bank has been seeing the need all over the island.
“We have had really long lines for emergency food. We are extremely grateful to the Kona Police Department and Costco. And of course, Tommy “Kahikina” Ching, our hunger angel came out and MC’d for us the day before his 70th birthday,” she added.
Officer Dwayne Sluss of the Kona Community Policing Section said the need for food in the community has been on the rise.
“During the COVID lockdown we really saw the increased need for food assistance for our local community and kupuna, so we conducted the first Fill a Cruiser Food Drive with the ever so thankful assistance from the management and staff of the Kona Costco, who also realized the major need for this event and how it will positively help our community,” he said. “HPD’s Kona Community Policing Section would like to express its sincere gratitude to Costco of Kona and its employees for their participation and to the Food Basket Inc. for all their hard work providing food to Hawaii Island residents.”
He said even though it’s the post COVID lockdown era and restrictions have been lifted, the demand for nonperishable food has not diminished.
“This event was a great opportunity for our island community to step up and assist the food bank organization that has helped so many people in our community,” he said.
For more information about the Food Basket, locations, dates and times of food pantries and soup kitchens or to make a donation, visit hawaiifoodbasket.org