Matson Commits Another $5 million For Food Banks In Hawaii, Guam and Alaska
Lower shipping costs have freed up funds for more food supplies, Hawaii Foodbank said.
Shipping company Matson is recommitting to a partnership with Hawaii Foodbank worth millions of dollars.
Matson previously pledged $5 million in support for food banks in Hawaii, Guam and Alaska in 2021, which was used to transport nearly 200 containers of food to Hawaii from the U.S. mainland.
On Thursday, it announced it would double its $5 million pledge to the three regions to help meet the demand on food banks following changes to federal funding for anti-hunger initiatives.
The money will come in the form of cash and in-kind services from the Honolulu-based shipping company over the next three years.
Hawaii Foodbank is the state’s largest hunger relief organization, with a roughly $50 million operating budget.
Hawaii Foodbank CEO and President Amy Miller Marvin said Matson’s support had so far been “transformational” for the food bank, as lower shipping costs freed up funds to pay for food for the community.
The initial pledge of in-kind services resulted in an additional four million meals being delivered to the community through Hawaii Foodbank’s Oahu and Kauai facilities over the past two years, Marvin said.
“On top of that, their partnership has opened up new channels to bring in fresh, nutritious foods from our partners on the continent that we never would have been able to contemplate prior to this partnership,” Marvin said in a press release.
“Hawaii Grown” is funded in part by grants from the Stupski Foundation, Ulupono Fund at the Hawaii Community Foundation and the Frost Family Foundation.
