‘Every little bit helps’

Early figures indicate postal collection may set a record

By EDWIN TANJI, City Editor
WAILUKU — While food donations still are coming in, the Maui Food Bank on Monday applauded the community and mail carriers for the 67,947 pounds of food collected in the “Stamp Out Hunger” campaign Saturday.

“It’s so incredible. We’re ecstatic,” said Marlene Rice, development director for the Maui Food Bank.

“There were 74 volunteers who came to sort the food pallets, and everybody was working. Nobody was sitting around. It was great.”

From Maui mail carriers, there was also appreciation to all of the residents who put out bags of food to be picked up Saturday.

“It went very well,” said Maui Stamp Out Hunger coordinator Jan Ishizu, a Kahului letter carrier. “It more than doubled last year. We brought in 26,206 last year, and this year we might go to 67,000 when it’s all in.

“I’d like to thank the community for their participation to make this possible,” she said. “We not only hit our goal of 30,000 pounds, we more than doubled it, and it’s thanks to everyone donating and thanks to our rural offices for their hard work. Without them, we couldn’t have done it.”

Final tallies on the food donations may take another week, according to Postal Service information officer Duke Gonzales, but he said the preliminary observations indicate there will be a very high total if not a record collection.

“I was at the Pearl City Post Office that traditionally brings in the most food in the state. They were overwhelmed. There was much more than they ever had before,” he said.

“It certainly looks like we will top last year, more than 311,000 pounds. We are all very appreciative of the community’s support.”

The annual food drive held by the National Association of Letter Carriers is aimed at resupplying food banks before the summer break when children are out of school.

Demand for food assistance increases during the summer breaks from families whose children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school.

Gonzales said the Hawaii drive was boosted by the donation of plastic bags that mail carriers passed out to households to make their donations.

“That was a huge thing, as a reminder, and making it easy for people to use to make their donation,” he said.

At the Maui Food Bank in the Wailuku industrial park, Rice said the Stamp Out Hunger response will make a difference in the agency’s ability to supply agencies that provide meals and food assistance on Maui, Molokai and Lanai.

“We put out 5,000 pounds a week, so 66,000 pounds is like 13 weeks — four months. What’s great about this food drive is it’s the best way to get food to helping the hungry, because it’s fresh and it’s a great variety.

“Now when the agencies come in, they don’t just ask what do we have, they have a choice.”

The Food Bank never stops collecting donations, she added. The Hawaii Bankers Association also is conducting a food drive through Friday. Branches of American Savings, Bank of Hawaii, Central Pacific, First Hawaiian, Hawaii National, Homestreet Bank and Territorial Savings are accepting food as well as cash donations for the Maui Food Bank. Donations also can be dropped off at any fire station or at the Food Bank.

“Every little bit helps,” Rice said. “We never stop collecting food because there’s always a need. And especially with the layoffs, with Aloha Airlines and on Molokai, there is even more of a need.”

• Edwin Tanji can be reached at citydesk@mauinews.com.