August 24, 2022
Grant to Aloha Harvest supports food security
Grant of $50,000 will provide 1,000 healthy meals to individuals with low incomes throughout Leeward Oahu and connect them with support programs.
HONOLULU — Kaiser Permanente has awarded Aloha Harvest a $50,000 grant to expand its Meals With Aloha program, which delivers healthy meals to families with low incomes. Aloha Harvest, a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing quality food to nourish and strengthen residents of Oahu, coordinates with local food producers, farmers, distributors, and donors to purchase or recover donations of fresh local produce, meats, and other food ingredients, which are boxed and delivered to households throughout Leeward Oahu.
Throughout the grant period, Aloha Harvest and its partners will connect individuals experiencing food insecurity with support programs and resources that will provide them with a sustainable source of nutrition, and will also conduct health and wellness checks, provide counseling, and assist with enrollment in public assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The grant will also allow Aloha Harvest to engage with new donors and volunteers.
“Access to affordable, healthy food is foundational to the physical and economic health of our communities,” said John Yang, MD, president and medical director, Hawaii Permanente Medical Group. “We’re honored to support Aloha Harvest and help families get the nutrition they need to thrive.”
In Hawaii, 1 in 10 people face hunger. Studies show that people without consistent access to adequate food spend about 45% more money on medical care each year than those in food-secure households. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to addressing food insecurity in the communities it serves. Through its Food for Life program, it takes a comprehensive approach to transforming the economic, social, and policy environments connected to food so that people across the nation have access to, and can afford, healthy food. This grant is part of a larger portfolio of donations and partnerships the organization has taken on to find a sustainable end to hunger in America.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.6 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health.
