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La’i’ōpua 2020 Food Program: 59,597 Meals Served
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One thing that makes Hawai’i so special is our spirit of generosity. We may not have much, but people on the Big Island give with a big heart. Food - sharing meals and feeding each other is one of the most basic but meaningful love languages we have.
In March 2020, when our island was hit by the COVID-19 shut-down, thousands of families in our community suddenly found themselves with no income. We realized that this was the time to put the spirit of generosity into action - and quick! Within a few weeks, La’i’ōpua was able to secure funding and hui together with dozens of local businesses and organizations to bring meals to families in need in West Hawaii.
From March to November, the La’i’ōpua 2020 Food Program cooked and served 59,597 to-go meals to families in North, Central, South Kona and Kāʻu. We were supported by 150 volunteers - including some talented local chefs who put our on-site commercial kitchen to good use. Auwe! Those meals were so ono! Shoyu chicken, beef stew, fresh fish, pork and peas, korean pancakes...were just a few of the delicious meals on the menu.
The community response was so overwhelming that in July we expanded our service. We began offering “meals in a bag” - including all the ingredients to cook a meal that feeds 6-8 people and “produce bags” with fresh fruits and veggies for 4-6 people. From July to November, we handed out 3,750 “meals in a bag” and 2,875 “produce bags.”
We are so grateful to be able to serve our community in this way! We want to take this opportunity to recognize the generosity of our partners who helped make the La’i’ōpua Food Program possible:
The Feeding Leaf, Huggoʻs, Ippyʻs Hawaiian BBQ, Chef Chris Dampskey, Chef Kalani Garcia, Prep Chef Bonson Miner, Kohanaiki, Killer Tacos, Randyʻs Huli Chicken & Ribs, Chubbyʻs Diner, Na Leo TV, Westside Irrigation & Landscaping, Mokulele Airlines, Armstrong Produce, EM Rivera & Sons, Kona Athletic Paddling Club, Kona Fish Co., M The Writer, Donna Kimura, Honaunau Market, Councilmember Karen Eoff, Councilmember Rebecca Villegas, Councilmember Maile David, Premier Restoration Services, VP Electric, Wahine Toa-Nita Pilago, Heidi Teves & ʻOhana, Hawaii Island United Way, Hawaii Community Foundation, County of Hawaii, Suisan, and Kealaʻola Farms.
“You don’t have to give people things or money, but you should always feed them.”
This is what Tracey Apoliona, co-owner of The Feeding Leaf remembers her Grandmother telling her while growing up on Moloka’i.
Tracey and her husband Les founded The Feeding Leaf Kitchen and Okazuya in 2014. Their aim is to support local farmers, ranchers, and food producers by using their power as a restaurant “at the end of the food chain”. The name of the restaurant in Hawaiian is he lau ma`ona, which means “the leaves that feed”. Go check them out at 74-5563 Kaiwi St Kailua Kona, HI 96740, Hours: MONDAY thru FRIDAY 630am - 100pm (or until they run out). Follow them on Instagram @thefeedingleaf and Facebook @thefeedingleaf.
We encourage you to follow and support our other local business partners listed above. We couldn’t have done this without them, or our amazing volunteers!
What’s next for La’i’ōpua 2020? As of November 30th 2020, the Food Program will be ending. We are currently cooking up new programs and working with our amazing grant writer to secure more funding to support our community in West Hawaii. Follow us on Facebook @La’i’ōpua2020 and on Instagram @laiopua_2020 and subscribe to our blog for updates!
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