Hawaii Food Basket distributes nearly 1M pounds of aid following Hurricane Lala

HILO, Hawaiʻi Island (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Hawaiʻi Food Basket moved nearly 1 million pounds of food and water across Hawaiʻi Island to support communities impacted by Hurricane Lala.

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More than two weeks ago, Hurricane Lala brought severe rains, flooding and heavy winds, battering communities.

The nonprofit food bank said it also distributed 103,680 ready-to-eat meals and grocery vouchers valued at $300,000 from Kaʻū to Kohala and Puna to Kona.

Food Basket said its response began on Aug. 14 and delivered Humanitarian Daily Rations to Vibrant Hawaiʻi for emergency shelters. On Aug. 16, alongside the Hawaiʻi National Guard and The Salvation Army, it delivered five pallets of rations, water, snacks and drinks to Nāʻālehu and food to HOPE Services Hawaii.

Since Lala’s impact, deliveries have reached affected communities in all nine districts of Hawaiʻi Island.

“We keep coming back to something very simple: meet our community where they are, with what they need,” said Kristin Frost Albrecht, executive director of The Food Basket. “Sometimes that is a box of food. Sometimes it is water, a grocery voucher or a tarp. And some needs are only now becoming visible.”

The organization said food, water and supplies continue to arrive through various donors and fundraisers.

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The food bank said disaster response runs alongside its regular programs and served approximately 60,000 people in August, while Lala response reached over 30,000 people.

“Hurricane Lala created new food insecurity, but it did not erase the hunger that existed before the storm,” Albrecht said. “Our staff has mounted a major disaster response while continuing the everyday work our communities depend on.”

For those who need help, the current distribution schedule is online at hawaiifoodbasket.org/lala-relief and on the Food Basket’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

E-Box distributions at the Hilo warehouse, 40 Holomua St., and the Kona warehouse, 73-4161 Ulu Wini Pl. in Kailua-Kona, are open to everyone, no preregistration.

Donations can also be made online.

Related post: How to help Hawaii after Lala: Where to donate to support relief efforts

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