Posted on: Monday, August 9, 2004

Foodbank drive gets 256 tons

Advertiser Staff

The annual drive for Hawai'i Foodbank collected more than 500,000 pounds of groceries and $400,000, falling short on its food goal but exceeding its monetary target.

The event, which ran from Jan. 7 to April 24, involved thousands of volunteers and hundreds of businesses and military and government agencies that collected canned goods across the state.

A total of 512,041 pounds of goods was collected, just shy of the 525,000-pound goal.

"The quality of food donated will provide nutritious meals to feed Hawai'i's hungry," said Lori Kaya, with Foodbank.

Some $402,835 was also donated, surpassing the $400,000 goal, Kaya said.

The amounts were greater than last year, when 509,573 pounds of food were gathered and $385,401 was contributed to the program, she said.

This year the drive added Change Angels, who went out dressed with halos and wings and carrying fishing nets to collect dollars to "change the face of hunger" and "change a life" of someone hungry in Hawai'i, Kaya said.

Change Angels, sponsored by Foodland at Market City, collected $5,977 and The Pampered Chef at Kapolei collected $3,062.