Fighting hunger, supporting local farmers, & promoting healthy living for the future of Hawaii

August is National Wellness Month, and peak hurricane season. Food security and access to healthy, nutritious, fresh produce plays a big factor in the wellness of our communities, and these issues only become more accentuated when disasters arise.

Growing up on Hawaii Island, I always knew of the work that The Food Basket, Hawaii Island’s Food Bank, did to help our community, providing food to those in need, and responding after large storms hit. However, I didn’t realize they have so many other programs that not only fight hunger but strengthen the well-being of Hawaii County by making healthy, local food more accessible, reducing food waste, supporting farmers, and stimulating the local economy.

For National Wellness Month, I had the opportunity to interview several employees at The Food Basket to learn more about their resources. Here are five programs you should know about:

DA BUX, Double Up Food Bucks

DA BUX is a statewide program that offers 50% off locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables at participating retailers and food hubs for those who have SNAP/EBT. On Hawaii Island, you can shop with DA BUX at KTA Super Stores, and statewide, all the Foodland stores are participating, except for Foodland Farms and specialty Foodland stores. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is one way that we can prioritize our health, however the prices of fresh produce items are not always attainable for those who are financially struggling. Discounting local produce for those with SNAP/EBT makes these fresh fruits and vegetables more attainable, building a healthier Hawaii.

“DA BUX is a triple win for Hawaii,” said Nixon, DA BUX community affairs specialist at The Food Basket. “It’s getting more locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables in the hands of more local people, it’s helping our farmers, and it’s helping our local economy.”

Sign up for DA BUX or find participating retailers near you at dabux.org.

DA BOX, Produce Box

DA BOX is The Food Basket’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Anyone can purchase this produce box through a subscription, regardless of income level. The Food Basket sources fruits and vegetables from local farmers to deliver across the island, and each produce box includes six to seven items — usually two fruits, and four to five different vegetables.

Ua, the CSA program senior associate at The Food Basket, noted that they are only allowed to include Hawaii Island grown products in these boxes.

“Everything is local, and loyal to the soil here on the Big Island,” said Ua.

DA BOX is also a way to increase access to locally grown produce for those in rural areas, who don’t have the resources to grow their own fresh produce. The wellness benefits of this CSA program go both ways, for the farmers and the community. They can purchase more from local farmers and provide easier access to fresh fruits and vegetables, rather than relying on imported goods.

“The great thing that I love about this program is that we’re able to connect local, Big Island grown food to people within our community,” shares Ua.

You can choose to do a weekly or bi-weekly subscription for DA BOX.

• Retail price is $20 per box ($80 a month for weekly boxes, and $40 a month for bi-weekly).
• If you have SNAP benefits, you can get 50% off the subscription with DA BUX.

Learn more and subscribe to DA BOX at dabox.org.

Kokua Harvest

Kokua Harvest is a project that rescues fruits and vegetables by harvesting them and giving them to those in need. Last year alone, the program saved nearly 34 tons of food that would’ve gone to waste, harvesting the produce and distributing it to locations across the island.

Michael, the Puna Harvest leader for Kokua Harvest at The Food Basket, shared the progress of some of the new share stations that the team has been building. These stations will be deployed to different areas islandwide, like senior homes, schools, and the Hilo Public Library.

“If people have extra, they can share, and if you need, you can take,” explained Michael.

Through this program, you can sign up to donate your extra crop and arrange for the Kokua Harvest volunteers to come to your property to pick fruits or vegetables. You can also volunteer to help harvest from properties across the island.

“If it grows and is edible, we will harvest it,” said Michael.

Become involved with Kokua Harvest at kokuaharvest.org.

Project Hoolako

Hoolako is a 24.5-acre multifunctional Agricultural Innovation Park and Food Systems Campus located at 505 Ponahawai Street in Hilo. This site will be the future home of The Food Basket and will host the Hoolako Farmers Market, which aims to bridge the gap between local farmers and the local families looking for fresh, nutritious food. Sen. Brian Schatz secured $2 million in federal funding to help build a permanent steel pavilion for the farmers market, and The Food Basket is awaiting authorization to accept SNAP benefits before opening. This investment in the agriculture industry will help to increase the access of healthy, locally grown food, with the innovation center providing mass aggregation that will be used to feed the community rather than importing items.

“Living on Hawaii Island poses unique challenges for our farmers, with it being one of the most expensive states to farm in,” said Justin, project director of Hoolako. “To overcome these problems, we need unique solutions. Project Hoolako will allow for more local money to stay here, with local farmers and the local economy.”

Hoolako is currently in its early stages, with several schools and organizations contributing to the farm development. Soon, the community will be able to participate in some of the programs on site.

Food is Medicine

Food is Medicine (FIM) is a collaboration between Hawaii Island Community Health Center, Hawaii Good Food Alliance, and The Food Basket. Access to fresh produce can result in improvements in diabetes, decreased hypertension, and decreased cholesterol levels. FIM has a produce box that is similar to DA BOX, but with additional protein items that are sourced locally. Like DA BOX, all items in the FIM box, including the meat, poultry, and eggs, are from farmers on Hawaii Island. FIM is currently in its pilot stage, and these boxes are only available to specific patients at Hawaii Island Community Health Center.

“Hopefully we will be able to continue to provide these nutritious, healthy boxes to our island residents,” said Kerri, Food is Medicine director at The Food Basket. “Access to fresh, locally grown produce will improve the health of our community.”

Additional resources and preparedness tips for storm season

Working at Hawaiian Electric, I see how we are always preparing for different emergencies, working to build grid resilience, and most recently, planning for an extreme hurricane season. When disaster strikes, we respond. Similarly, The Food Basket must prepare for and respond to disasters. Ultimately, we all need to work together to support the community.

“The thing about living on Hawaii Island is that it’s not a matter of if another disaster is going to come, it’s when.” said Leelen, director of communications and public relations at The Food Basket. He went on to explain that The Food Basket has continued to improve and grow their emergency response efforts, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are prepared. We have partnerships with the County and other organizations for large-scale food distribution locations and other resources. When the storm comes, we are ready.”

• Learn more or become involved with The Food Basket, Hawaii Island’s Food Bank at hawaiifoodbasket.org.
• Visit Find Food Now to see locations of food pantries, distribution hubs, and emergency food on Hawaii Island.
• For immediate food assistance, call: (808) 933–6030 for Hilo or (808) 322–1418 for Kona.
• Stay prepared for hurricane season! For emergency preparedness tips, visit: hawaiianelectric.com/stormcenter.

Watch our National Wellness Month highlight of The Food Basket, Hawaii Island’s Food Bank below.