The Food Basket creates unique programs to meet food demands

By HI Now Staff

October 26, 2022 at 4:26 pm EDT

HONOLULU (HI Now) - With continued cancellations and delayed shipments of federal food products, as well as wholesale food purchases, channels that typically assist The Food Basket, Hawaii island’s Food Bank, their mission to end hunger on Hawaii island and beyond are being tested.

In normal years, the shelves of The Food Basket have been fully stocked with fresh, chilled, and non-perishable goods from a variety of sources, but with pandemic recovery efforts and supply chain issues, not only has private industry been hurting, but the usual Federal Emergency Food program, TEFAP, that supplies procured food to communities around Hawaii island through The Food Basket’s distribution avenues, is also experiencing unprecedented challenges.

While The Food Basket provides emergency food programs similar to other organizations, it has also innovated several unique programs over the years to help fill in the gaps, like DA BUX Double Up Food Bucks, which operates statewide at over 100 retail outlets, including grocery stores, CSAs, farmers markets, and food hubs and provides a 50% discount on Hawaii grown produce to SNAP (food stamps).

Utilizing their history, The Food Basket has a plan for a sustainable food system campus to benefit Hawaii island. The development of the Agricultural Innovation Park and Food Systems Campus has begun with The Food Basket’s acquisition of 24.5-acres in Hilo and initial input on the uses of the community complex. The plans include agroforestry crop production, aquaponics, commercial kitchens, state-of-the-art processing facilities, technical assistance programs, streamlined food distribution, consolidated food storage for dry, refrigerated, and frozen items, educational programs, retail, and more.

The need for monetary donations is also essential, The Food Basket’s shelves can continue to be replenished and funds allocated to the Agricultural Innovation Campus project.

For more information, visit www.hawaiifoodbasket.org.

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