Fresh-4-All  
     

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, Maui Food Bank and Maui County Farm Bureau announce Fresh-4-All Partnership
Program to provide locally grown produce to those in need on Maui

Wailuku, Maui– To support the health of those in need on Maui by providing nutritious locally grown produce, Kaiser Permanente, in partnership with Maui Food Bank, Maui County Farm Bureau and the County of Maui, will be launching Fresh-4-All this fall. In support of its community giving and health education efforts, Kaiser Permanente has made a one-time $50,000 grant to Maui Food Bank which will be used to source locally grown fresh produce from Maui farmers for distribution to indigent, homeless and at risk population on the island, with priority given to those with diabetes.

“Like other parts of the state, we’ve seen a 20 percent increase in the need for our services. At the same time, our agency partners who work with us to serve over 10,000 men, women and children on the island, have asked if more fresh produce can be provided as a way to improve the nutrition needs of their clients, many of whom are diabetic,” said Richard Yust, Executive Director of Maui Food

 
Bank. “We know that good nutrition is a critical factor in preventive care, with five servings of fruits and vegetables every day recommended as part of a varied and healthful diet. But until <em>Fresh-4-All</em> began to take shape, the Food Bank had access, primarily, to donations in the form of canned and packaged foods. Thanks to this program, anyone, regardless of socio-economic class or situation, is encouraged to make smart choices by eating well." The program will also provide information on healthy eating habits and nutrition, and educational materials specific to those who are diabetic to those who are served by Maui Food Bank.

“The Maui Food Bank serves such an important need in our community – feeding the hungry. By making fresh produce available, we are closing that nutritional gap for an already vulnerable segment of our community, said Mary Hew, Kaiser Permanente’s Clinic Operations Manager Neighbor Island Clinics. “By partnering with the Maui Food Bank and the Maui County Farm Bureau, Fresh-4-All impacts the community on several levels. In addition to providing more nutritious and fresh food to those in need, Fresh-4-All supports the farming community, jobs and the local economy, promotes sustainability, and helps meet the growing needs of our community during these economically challenging times.”

The County of Maui supports the “Fresh-4-All” partnership through grants that help fund both the Maui Food Bank and the Maui County Farm Bureau.

“With so many families impacted by the recent layoffs, furloughs and the global economic downturn, it is even more gratifying to work together to meet the needs of those who need the help the most,” Mayor Charmaine Tavares said. “As a community, we are all interconnected—especially in island economies such as Maui County’s—and our joint efforts will reap the maximum benefit from a fresh, local harvest.”

As a partner, the Maui County Farm Bureau will work with the Maui Food Bank and Kaiser Permanente, providing guidance and a link to the farm community. “Kaiser Permanente is taking ‘Grown on Maui’ to an unprecedented level," says Warren Watanabe, Executive Director of Maui County Farm Bureau. “For farmers county-wide, Fresh-4-All is a huge step forward. It represents a new, stable, and very worthy market for our farmers."

The nonprofit Maui Food Bank’s mission is to help the hungry in Maui County by collecting and distributing food through community partnerships. Numerous individuals and families on Maui, even those with household members having full or part-time jobs or the elderly relying on fixed incomes, need food assistance. With insufficient funds, many in the community must constantly make difficult choices. And when the choice is between rent, utilities, health insurance, or food, food is the first to go. “Fresh produce is too expensive for many low income households. Many sacrifice proper nutrition for a cost savings eating processed and packaged foods. And no one should have to sacrifice to eat a healthy diet,” Yust said.

Fresh-4-All keeps Maui's communities robust and the ‘aina green, fosters sustainability, and provides a niche market for local farmers. A grand mahalo to Kaiser Permanente for making farm-fresh, Grown on Maui produce available to those served by the Maui Food Bank.