By Theran Galisa | Staff Writer

KapCC and the Hawai‘i Foodbank joined forces to create the “Kapiʻolani ʻOhana Produce Plus Food Distribution” in an effort to give away free food goods to 200 student households on Friday, two days before Valentine’s Day. 

From 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., volunteers from KapCC and the Hawai‘i Foodbank were posted out in parking lot B by Diamond Head Theatre, handing out boxes of food to students in their cars. Students who filled out the online form were asked to select a time to come pick up the goods.

Students were asked to bring an ID, stay in their car, leave their windows down, wear a mask, and leave a door open for the volunteers to put the boxes of food into. Students who were planning to walk onto campus to pick up their goods had to able to lift at least 20 pounds and were recommended to bring a cart or more than one person.

“I lost my job due to COVID-19 so getting free boxes of food makes a huge difference,” said second-year student Max Pepe. “I am super thankful for this.”

Twenty pounds of food goods were distributed to each of the 200 students that signed up. (Photo by Theran Galisa)

The boxes of food consisted of a large variety of groceries that could fill up a Costco shopping cart. These boxes included dairy goods such as milk, cheese, and butter, water, frozen turkey meatballs, snacks, and a variety fruits and vegetables. 

“The Hawai‘i FoodBank loves working with schools in distributing food to students,” said Jared Kawatani, the Hawai‘i Foodbank community program coordinator.

These boxes of food were distributed at a first-come, first-served basis to the first 200 students who signed up through an email that was sent out by KapCC on Feb. 4. In order to sign up, you need to be currently enrolled in any University of Hawaiʻi campus on Oʻahu. 

“I was helping out with the Foodbank on campus previously,” said LaVache Scanlan, the First Year Experience counselor. “It was really neat to assist in anyway I can to distribute food.”

The Kapiʻolani ʻOhana Produce Plus Food Distribution will be hosting another free distribution on April 9. It will also be a first-come, first-served basis to 200 students that sign up. Slots will fill fast, so check the hawaii.edu email for the message with the form to fill out.