FAQs
What is the Food Basket?
The Food Basket, Inc. is a clearinghouse for food and non-food items that retailers, wholesalers, and farmers normally discard (reasons for discarding food include surplus product, discontinued product, near pull date product, ripped labeling, off-grade produce), and for food donated by individuals and community groups through various food drives.
The Food Basket is an island wide, supplemental food network that collects and distributes nutritious, high quality food to low income households, the working poor, the disabled, the ill, senior citizens, children’s programs and other charitable organizations that serve this population. Supplemental food is provided regardless of religious beliefs, gender or ethnicity.
How do you get the food?
On a daily basis, Food Basket staff drive to donor sites to pick-up these items and to deliver them to warehouses, one in East Hawaii and one in West Hawaii. We also receive food through community food drives and from individual donors. Once the food is at our warehouses, staff and volunteers receive and weigh the incoming food, inspect, sort and stock usable products for distribution to non-profit member agencies.
What are other sources of food?
The Food Basket also receives food from the Hawaii Foodbank on Oahu. USDA foods are now being shipped directly to The Food Basket for distribution as well.
How do you get food to the hungry?
We work with partner agencies, which include child and adult programs, programs that serve the chronically ill, programs that serve the homeless, abuse shelters, senior living facilities, and substance abuse recovery programs and faith based agencies with emergency food pantries. Partner agencies then distribute goods directly to the public either by serving meals, providing food boxes, or providing snacks to adults and children in various programs.
How much food is given out?
In 2008, almost 1.2 million pounds of food were distributed via this network of approved nonprofit member agencies. Over 100 non-profits are involved in The Food Basket member agency network and they serve approximately 3,500 unduplicated individuals each month. We distribute more than 100,000 pounds of food per month.
How did this organization start?
The Food Basket Inc., Hawaii Island’s Food Bank started as a program under the auspices of the Office for Social Ministry, a department of the Roman Catholic Church in the State of Hawaii. The first food donation was made by Barry Taniguchi, the CEO of KTA. Mr. Taniguchi carried the first food donation out to Carol Ignacio’s Toyota Tercel and) placed it in the trun of the car in 1989. That first delivery of food to Hilo’s Salvation Army via Ignacio’s Toyota Tercel led to 19 years of island-wide food bank activity, two warehouses, tens of millions of pounds of food collected and distributed by hundreds of community partners. Thousands of volunteers throughout the years have participated in the operation and outreach of the Big Island‚Äôs only food bank.
What is the current status of The Food Basket?
The Food Basket is a 501 (c) (3) organization. On July 31, 2008, The Food Basket received it’s Letter of Determination from the IRS retroactive to May 2, 2007. Contributions to The Food Basket are deductible under Section 170 of the IRC. The Food Basket is qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transers or gifts under Section 2055, 2106 or 2522 of the IRC.
Who do we serve?
The Food Basket is an Island wide network that collects and distributes nutritious, high-quality food to help feed people who cannot afford to buy groceries. We welcome low-income people of all ages. The Hawaii Island Food Bank serves low income people, regardless of religious beliefs, age, sex, ethnicity, or ability. Our program provides supplemental food to low-income households, working poor, handicapped, disabled, ill, senior citizens, children’s programs and other charitable organizations.
Who is Feeding America?
Feeding America is the nation’s largest charitable hunger relief organization. Feeding America supports a network of 206 food banks in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Before September 2008, Feeding America was named America’s Second Harvest The Nation’s Food Bank Network. The organization adopted a rebranding effort in order to help better educate and engage the public about our role in the fight against hunger.
Good Samaritan Law
HRS 663-10.6
TITLE 36. CIVIL REMEDIES AND DEFENSES AND SPECIAL PROCEEDINGS
CHAPTER 663 TORT ACTIONS
§663-10.6 Exemption for providing shelter and subsistence to the needy.
How did the organization start?
We started under the auspices of the Office for Social Ministry, a department of the Roman Catholic Church in the State of Hawai`i. The first food donation was made by Barry Taniguchi, the CEO of KTA Superstores. Mr. Taniguchi carried the first food donation out to Carol Ignacio’s Toyota Tercel, and placed it in the trunk of the car in 1989. That first delivery of food to Hilo’s Salvation Army led to 20 years of island wide food bank activity, two warehouses, tens of millions of pounds of food collected and distributed by hundreds of community partners
Who Donates Food?
On a daily basis, Food Basket Staff drive to donor sites to pick up items to deliver, either to our East or West Hawai`i warehouses. We also receive food through community food drives and from individual donors. Once at the warehouse, staff and volunteers receive and weigh the incoming food, and inspect, sort and stock usable products for distribution to non-profit member agencies.
How does the food reach the hungry?
We work with over 100 non-profit partner agencies, which include children and adult programs serving the chronically ill, the homeless, abuse shelters, senior living facilities, substance abuse recovery programs, and faith-based agencies with emergency food pantries. Partner agencies distribute food directly to the public either by serving meals, providing food boxes, or providing snacks to adults and children in various programs. We distribute more than 120, 000 lbs of food a month, which feeds approximately 3,700 unduplicated individuals per month.
Our Goals Prevent the waste of all edible food in Hawai`i County. Feed the hungry with this food. Educate the community about local hunger and what can be done to solve this social problem. Collaborate with organizations of partnering missions to eradicate the root causes of hunger and other social ills: poverty.
How Can I Help?
When you donate food, money or time to The Food Basket Inc, you ensure a single mother can feed her child, a senior citizen is able to receive a bag of groceries, or that a child can enjoy a nutritious meal.
To donate please call: (808) 933-6030, or go to http://www.foodbasketHI.org Your help makes a difference!
“The Food Basket is VERY important…it is a bridge. On this island we have the food, we have the means to feed everyone that needs a meal, we just have to connect the food to hungry people.” Tommy “Kahikina” Ching - Food Basket fundraiser KONA FM & KHBC, Radio DJ
What do you mean by “hunger”?
Hunger is a consistent lack of enough food to meet nutritional requirements. It can mean fewer meals each day and poor-quality food that is calorie-rich but nutrient-poor.
