Posted on: Friday, December 21, 2001

Food banks get $500,000

Advertiser Staff

Hawai'i's four food banks received a $500,000 donation from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.

The gift was given to the Hawai'i Foodbank on O'ahu ($200,000), Hawai'i Island Food Bank ($100,000), Kaua'i Food Bank ($100,000) and the Maui Community Food Bank ($100,000).

The county food banks provide emergency food assistance to those in need and have been faced with problems since the Sept. 11 attacks.

"Prior to Sept. 11, we were already experiencing a decrease in local donations," said Hawai'i Island executive director Carol Ignacio. "Yet we continued to serve a steady average of 12,000 requests for emergency food assistance per month."

Kaua'i Food Bank executive director Judy Lenthall said the donation will be used to purchase locally grown produce and other items that will be distributed to senior citizens centers.

"Food continues to go out faster than it comes in," she said.

Foodbank president Dick Grimm said he expects the problem to continue into next year.

"We therefore appreciate the sensitivity of the Weinberg Foundation to the problems that we are experiencing in our community," Grimm said.

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation was created in 1959 to provide contributions to charitable organizations that help the poor and others.