NEWS RELEASE

HONOLULU, May 12, 2020 – First Hawaiian Bank (FHB) today announced that the “Aloha for Hawaii” campaign is donating $100,000 to Aloha Harvest which has been working to ensure that Hawaii’s food resources are never wasted and are instead being redistributed to people who need it the most during this pandemic. This gift is the result of another 100,000 restaurant takeout and delivery purchases made by FHB cardholders in the past week through this initiative that also support Hawaii’s restaurant industry. 

Aloha Harvest joins the previously announced non-profit recipients Hawaii Meals on Wheels, The Food Basket – Hawaii Island’s Food Basket, Maui Food Bank, Kauai Independent Food Bank, The Pantry by Feeding Hawaii Together and Child and Family Service, bringing the First Hawaii Bank Foundation’s total contributions to $425,000 since the Aloha for Hawaii’s campaign began in mid-April. 

With the $100,000 donation from First Hawaiian Bank’s Aloha for Hawaii fund, Aloha Harvest estimates that in the next three months, they will produce 30,000 meals for approximately 5,000 Hawaii households. Within the first eight weeks of their COVID-19 response, the Aloha Harvest team and their partners have been able to rescue 450,000 pounds (or 225 tons) of excess food from going to waste -- more than double their normal production. Aloha Harvest worked closely with over 300 donors and social service agencies to turn the potential waste of food resources into 375,000 meals to date.

“With nearly 40% of our workforce suddenly becoming unemployed and numerous businesses that remain closed or at limited capacity, we are working to expand our food rescue operations in response to the needs of our community. With this generous donation from First Hawaiian, we can also establish purchasing power which in turn, helps to create our own stimulus to Hawaii's economy,” said Phil Acosta, Aloha Harvest Executive Director. “We are committed to showing our Aloha for Hawaii's local agriculture and fishing industries, restaurants, hotels, grocers, wholesalers and distributors who have long supported our efforts. On behalf of the Aloha Harvest `Ohana, we are truly grateful for the tremendous support and longstanding relationship we have with First Hawaiian Bank.”

First Hawaiian Bank’s “Aloha for Hawaii” initiative, which launched earlier in April, is a special program that offers support to Hawaii restaurants and provides up to $1 million in donations to the Aloha for Hawaii Fund, which has been established to support non-profits with food supply and health and human service programs for those impacted by COVID-19. FHB’s goal is to generate one million takeout or delivery purchases at restaurants across Hawaii, and it plans to donate up to $1 million to local nonprofits that are standing up food supply and health and human service programs that support those most at risk as a part of this initiative. FHB customers can participate by using any FHB debit or credit card to purchase a takeout or delivery meal in Hawaii, and the Bank will automatically make a donation to the Aloha for Hawaii Fund. For more information, visit fhb.com/aloha.
 
“We are pleased that in just a few short weeks, we are nearly half-way to our $1 million goal in donations to non-profits helping those impacted by COVID-19,” said Cameron Nekota, First Hawaiian Bank Foundation President. “We are especially grateful to everyone doing their part to help the restaurant industry, simply by using their FHB cards to purchase meals.”

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