Conversation with Hawaii Foodbank President and CEO Ron Mizutani
Aloha, this is Senator Mazie Hirono. Welcome to my Medium account. I will be using this space to communicate with you about the conversations I’ve been having with stakeholders in Hawaii and across the country. I will also be sharing ideas about how Congress can help families, businesses, and vulnerable communities during these not normal times.
Yesterday, I spoke with my friend Ron Mizutani. I’ve known Ron for decades — first when he was a reporter and anchor at KHON2 and now in his work as the President and CEO of the Hawaii Foodbank. Serving residents on Oahu and Kauai, the Hawaii Foodbank is there to provide a safety net to individuals and families so they do not go hungry. The Foodbank also steps up during times of crisis — most recently during the 2018–19 month-long federal government shutdown.
Ron and the Hawaii Foodbank team have stepped up again in the face of unprecedented and growing demand as result of the global pandemic — the face of those who need support has rapidly changed. Previously, people who utilized social safety net programs such as SNAP and TEFAP tended to be low income individuals and families. Recently, we’ve seen a significant increase in demand for these programs among people who previously worked full time but are now unemployed and following stay at home orders due to COVID-19. It was meaningful to connect with Ron to discuss the challenges the Hawaii Foodbank is facing and the work they are doing to support our community and Hawaii families.
On our call, we discussed a number of notable challenges the Foodbank faces, including:
- How demand for food assistance has skyrocketed during this global pandemic. In an average month, the Hawaii Foodbank distributes nearly 1.1 million pounds of food. In March, the Hawaii Foodbank distributed 1.5 million pounds of food and is on track to distribute 2.1 million pounds in April and an astonishing 2.75 million in May. Foodbanks on Maui and Hawaii Island have seen similarly large spikes in demand as well.
- How the pandemic has strained Hawaii Foodbank’s usual supply mechanisms, forcing them to purchase more food. Ron told me how the Hawaii Foodbank usually relies on donations from the community and unsold or end-of-life inventory from retailers, distributors, grocery stores and local farmers to fill their shelves.
Because many restaurants and hotels have shut down across the state, and because the unprecedented demand for groceries has left store shelves bare, the Hawaii Foodbank is increasingly resorting to purchasing food to support families in need. In an average month, the Hawaii Foodbank usually spends $33,000 to supplement food donations. Their annual budget for these purposes is $400,000. In the first four weeks of its COVID-19 response, the Hawaii Foodbank spent more than $715,000 and projects they will spend $600,000 in April and $700,000 in May. - How the Foodbank is responding to a huge increase in demand while also adhering to safe workplace practices for its staff and volunteers. Foodbank distributions can be challenging in normal times. Ron shared how the Hawaii Foodbank team has implemented social distancing in the warehouse and is modeling safe practices at food distribution sites throughout the state.
After our call, I also wanted to share some of the initiatives Ron and the Foodbank have implemented to support our state. Hawaii Foodbank team members and volunteers do their jobs with aloha, and their can-do problem solving is really making a difference for thousands of Hawaii families right now. In particular, I was struck by:
- How the Foodbank has committed to purchasing $250,000 in local meat, fish, and produce to distribute to needy families. To me, this initiative is a great example of how stakeholders across Hawaii can work together to support one another. Hawaii farmers, ranchers, and fisherman are experiencing a precipitous drop in demand and revenue from their restaurant and hotel customers. By forging new partnerships with the Hawaii Farm Bureau and the Hawaii Longline Association, the Foodbank will be able to support our local producers wh tile also providing Hawaii families with nutritious food. If you’re interested in learning more about these initiatives, please read more from Hawaii News Now.
- How the Foodbank is making it easier for Hawaii residents in need to find a food assistance program closer to them. The Foodbank has launched a new interactive map to make it as easy as possible for families on Oahu to find food assistance near their homes. If you or someone you know would find this resource useful, please visit http://www.hawaiifoodbank.org/emergency-assistance.
During our call, Ron shared with me how the community, local businesses and foundations, quickly and generously responded to support Hawaii Foodbank. But we also have to work to ensure that state and federal governments support local food banks in this moment of crisis. Some federal resources that may soon provide relief include $3 billion in assistance through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and additional disaster reimbursements from FEMA.
As we work to provide more food assistance to families, I will remember an observation Ron made during our call. It is absolutely crucial that programs and assistance we establish reflect the unique challenges found in every state, county, and community across our country. For us in Hawaii, this includes our geographic isolation from the mainland which lengthens the time it takes for assistance to arrive and the need to address the issues of food security and sustainability in our state. I will be paying close attention to these issues as Congress returns to session next week.
I hope you will all join me in thanking Ron Mizutani and his team at the Hawaii Foodbank for the absolutely essential service they are providing to thousands of Hawaii individuals and families every day. If you would like to learn more about how the Hawaii Foodbank is feeding hungry individuals and families on Oahu and Kauai, please visit their website at http://www.hawaiifoodbank.org.
