ABOUT BOARD OFFICERS Darin Shigeta Daryl Sato Kelsie N. Cajka American Savings Bank Community Volunteer Blue Zones Project – Hawaii Jeff Moken Chair Keola Siafuafu KAUAI Daniel Chun Signature Flight Support Hawaiian Electric Company ADVISORY BOARD Alaska Airlines Christina Hause Toby Tamaye Charlie King Kristina Cook Vice Chair AT Marketing LLC Lead Representative Microsoft, Store 0042 Kaiser Permanente King Auto Center Mark Tonini Loryn Guiffre James Starshak Hawaii Foodservice Bill Buley Mint Communications Secretary Alliance LLC The Garden Island Carlsmith Ball LLP Jason Haaksma Jeff Vigilla Dr. Addison Bulosan Enterprise Holdings Neill Char Chef Point of View The Specific Treasurer Chiropractic – Kauai Daniel Hee First Hawaiian Bank James Wataru Wells Fargo Advisors United Public Diane Keeler Ron Mizutani Workers Union, Walmart Inc. Michelle Hee President & CEO AFSCME Local 646 ‘Iolani Schools Hawaii Foodbank Lesah Merritt Jason Wong Safeway Inc. Nicole Kato BOARD OF DIRECTORS HFM Foodservice MidWeek Ashley Nagaoka Scott Gamble Lauren Zirbel Hawaii News Now Reena Manalo LH Gamble Company Hawaii Food Industry Rainbow Sales and Association Patrick Ono Marketing Terri Hansen-Shon Matson Inc. Terri Hansen & EXECUTIVE Del Mochizuki Associates Inc. PARTNERS BOARD Tim Takeshita UHA Health Insurance Enterprise Holdings Denise Hayashi Rick Blangiardi Jay Park Yamaguchi Hawaii News Now Beth Tokioka Park Communications Hawaii Wine & Food Kauai Island Utility Festival Chuck Cotton Cooperative Jean Pfau iHeartMedia Na Ali‘i Consulting Peter Heilmann Sonia Topenio Matson Inc. Dennis Francis Bank of Hawaii Kyle Shimoda Honolulu Star-Advertiser INPAC Wealth Solutions David Herndon ALAKA‘I Hawaii Medical Service D.K. Kodama YOUNG LEADERS Kelly Simek Association D.K. Restaurants KHON2 Toby Tamaye Charlie King EMERITUS Chair Randy Soriano King Auto Center ADVISORY BOARD AT Marketing LLC The RS Marketing Group Jennifer Lam Cindy Bauer Ryan K. Hew Natalie Spencer Bank of Hawaii Surfing the Nations Food Drive Committee Chair ProService Hawaii Hew and Bordenave LLP Reggie Maldonado Jade Moon Jason Thune Pasha Hawaii Community Volunteer Hannah Hyun Hawaiian Telcom Marketing Committee Chair Michael Miller Ali Nikkhoo Good Swell Inc. Colonel Toma Tiki’s Grill & Bar Waikiki Community Volunteer Young’s Market Company Christina Morisato Greg Sato Sheri Rolf Events Committee Chair Avery Yoo Kobayashi Sugita & Goda Rolf Advertising Current Affairs Salvatore Ferragamo STAFF: Ron Mizutani, Malcolm Inamine, Laura Kay Rand, Lillian Rodolfich, Kim Bartenstein, Connie Bennett, Tom Luiz, Teri Luna, Wesley Perreira, Beverly Santos, Marielle Terbio, Carol Abejuela, David Avei, Chyenne Beach, Amanda Blyth, Leighton Bright, Tammi Byerly-Zahn, Lauren Choy, Kerian Clemente, Magi Dabis, Julene Davis, Larry Duran, Alapati Fale, Joanie Faleiva, David Fujiyama, Durran Graycochea, James Hughes, Glen Inouye, Will Irebaria, Keone Kaleikula-Kele, Jared Kawatani, Rob Kay, Lisa Nakano, Alan Nohara, Johnny Pagtulingan, Michelle Panoke, Archie Pascual, Brian Roldan, Michael Salsedo, Douglas Save, Naomi Save, Jennifer Schantz, Danny Schlag, Lillian Shiraki, Tiana Teves, Numia Toese, Kimo Venne, Wendy Vergara, Kirsten Yale, James Yamanoha OAHU: KAUAI: QUESTIONS? CONNECT WITH US! 2611 Kilihau St., Honolulu, HI 96819 4241 Hanahao Pl., Ste. 101, Lihue, HI 96766 808-954-7858 808-836-3600 808-482-2224 [email protected] WELCOME If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant. If we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” – Anne Bradstreet No doubt, living in Hawaii brings many blessings. Among them, we are graced with nearly 365 days of sunshine a year. While we may not always encounter the seasonal climate changes that other parts of the country endure, that is not to say we are unfamiliar with change altogether. As poet Anne Bradstreet poignantly reminds us – adversity makes us stronger. We recently experienced this firsthand as we entered 2019 amidst thel ongest partial government shutdown in U.S. history. The 35-day shutdown created a ripple effect, triggering an influx in food needs across the entire state. While Hawaii Foodbank continued to take care of the 1 in 8 residents who already count on us every day, we were also called upon to support thousands of others who were being impacted by the shutdown. For many of them, it was the first time their families faced hunger. Ron Mizutani, President and CEO I will never forget the day dozens of men and women arrived at our warehouse in Mapunapuna – all still in uniform, some with tears in their eyes – to humbly ask for food to feed their families. Our team quickly responded, efficiently building emergency food boxes for each family. We provided emotional and physical support in hopes to help these families preserve their dignity and independence. To me, it was teamwork – and humanity – at its finest. It was a priceless moment and a life-changing experience. I understand that moments like this cannot happen without our community’s generosity and support. We couldn’t have responded the way we did without your help. In the face of crisis – donors, volunteers and community members like you kept our shelves stocked to meet the demand. We are grateful. On Saturday, April 13, Hawaii Foodbank will lean on all of you once again as we celebrate our 30th Annual Food Drive. We invite you to join us on Food Drive Day and help us reach our goal of raising one million meals to feed our hungry ‘ohana. Spring is here, and – thankfully – the turbulence in Washington D.C. has calmed. We have overcome adversity, and we are now faced with the opportunity to make positive changes. It is a time of rebirth, renewal and reinvigoration for Hawaii Foodbank. I humbly ask you to help us in our mission to end hunger and provide sustained nourishment to everyone in Hawaii. With much appreciation and respect, James Yamanoha and Archie Pascual, members of our operations team, work diligently to unload donations during the partial government shutdown. The people of Hawaii are one ‘ohana. Hawaii Foodbank provides food so that no one in our family goes hungry. We work to gather food and support from our communities. We then distribute food through charitable agencies to those in need. Our mission is from the heart, and we will fulfill our mission with integrity, humanity and aloha. Nourish Our ‘Ohana is the official newsletter of Hawaii Foodbank. This publication serves to thank our donors and inform the public about Hawaii Foodbank events, volunteer opportunities, community partnerships and more. If you do not wish to receive a copy, please email: [email protected] or call 808-954-7853 to have your name removed from our mailing list. www.hawaiifoodbank.org NOURISH OUR ‘OHANA NEWSLETTER 1 community HARRY C. & Giving by necessity NEE CHANG c. WONG How Charmane Belleza’s childhood inspires her to give FOUNDATION by Amanda Blyth, I learned FOOD DROP OFF Donor Relations Specialist A common notion is that to give, giving is a luxury; people not because I can only give when they have excess to spare. Hawaii have something Foodbank donor Charmane Belleza doesn’t subscribe “to give, but to this notion. She gives differently. She gives by because I know necessity. “I learned to give, not how it feels to because I have something have nothing. to give, but because I know ” Safeway Feed the Need how it feels to have nothing” says Charmane. – Charmane Safeway’s Feed the Need campaign converts shoppers’ Charmane learned Belleza, donations to bags of food for local families in need. Each bag this resourcefulness at a Hawaii Foodbank donor contains items like pasta, canned vegetables, canned fruits, young age. The daughter soup, peanut butter, canned chicken breast and more. of a farmer and a teacher, and sadness. Seeing her with This year’s Feed the Need campaign, which ran from Oct. 3 to Charmane grew up in a small so much emotion brought Dec. 25., accumulated more than 130,000 pounds of food. village in the Philippines. Her tears into my eyes, and I Hawaii Foodbank is grateful for the generous support of home – built out of bamboo wept as she wept. I promised Safeway, its staff and its loyal customers. leaves and branches from myself that one day this “Safeway is honored to partner with Hawaii Foodbank for the her family’s farm – was would never happen again.” Feed the Need campaign,” said George Glukfeld, general humbly held together by her While crippling at the manager of Safeway Hawaii. “We understand the importance parents’ love and resolve. moment, this experience of a family meal and the need to support our community. This collaborative effort provides an opportunity to help connect “It was a struggle to put ultimately instilled Charmane people with food in the communities we serve.” food on the table,” recalls with a sense of hope and Charmane. “We grew up perseverance. “This is the poor and always struggled day I vowed that I would to find food – especially rice. never see anyone else My parents worked hard, but starve.” food was still scarce in our It’s a vow that Charmane village.” continues today. Because of this scarcity, Now living on Oahu Charmane’s mother would with her husband and two travel to other towns every children, Charmane works weekend, selling tobacco locally as a middle school Honpa Hongwanji and leaves in order to make more teacher. She strives to give Lihu‘e Hongwanji Mission money. When this wasn’t whenever someone needs In March, Honpa Hongwanji and Lihu‘e Hongwanji Mission enough, Charmane’s parents help or food, honoring her donated $5,000 and 130 pounds of food to Hawaii Foodbank would borrow rice from mother in the process. “She Kauai Branch. Combined, these donations help to provide food neighbors and relatives. taught us to be generous for more than 12,600 meals for Kauai’s hungry.