Hawaiʻi Foodbank is the Feeding America member food bank serving Oʻahu and Kauaʻi, and a coordinating hub for hunger relief across the islands. Through more than 250 hunger-relief partners and 59 school pantries it provides food assistance to one in six Hawaiʻi residents, distributing 22.2 million pounds of food, about 19.5 million meals, including 7 million pounds of fresh produce, in a recent year. Amy Miller serves as President and CEO. After the August 2023 Lahaina wildfire, Hawaiʻi Foodbank coordinated emergency food shipments to Maui.
Hawaiʻi Foodbank sources food at scale and distributes it across Oʻahu and Kauaʻi through more than 250 partner agencies and 59 school pantries, and it helps coordinate a statewide hui, or network, of food bank affiliates. Hawaiʻi's geographic isolation makes food costs among the highest in the country, since most food is imported, which is a core reason one in six residents needs food assistance. The Foodbank emphasizes fresh produce, distributing about 7 million pounds in a recent year.
Amy Miller serves as President and CEO of Hawaiʻi Foodbank, the state’s largest hunger-relief organization. She brings more than 20 years of leadership in operations, finance, and fund development, having previously served as chief operating officer of the Bishop Museum. She leads the organization’s work across Oʻahu and Kauaʻi and its coordination with affiliates statewide.
Hawaiʻi Foodbank directly serves Oʻahu, home to most of the state's population, and Kauaʻi. Hawaiʻi's food insecurity is shaped by extreme cost of living: housing and groceries are among the most expensive in the nation, and because the islands import the large majority of their food, even working families can struggle to afford enough. One in six residents turns to the Foodbank's network.
Yes. Hawaiʻi Foodbank is a registered 501(c)(3) and a Feeding America member, the largest hunger-relief organization in the state. Donors can review its financials through Charity Navigator and GuideStar. Bulk buying and donated food mean a gift produces many meals.
Donations and volunteer shifts run through hawaiifoodbank.org. Volunteers sort and pack food and help at distributions, and cash gifts go furthest because of the food bank’s purchasing power, which matters even more in a high-cost island economy.
Hawaiʻi Foodbank serves Oʻahu and Kauaʻi and coordinates statewide, while the Maui Food Bank serves Maui County. The two work together, as they did during the Lahaina wildfire response. For anyone on Oʻahu or Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi Foodbank is the lead organization.
250+ hunger-relief partners on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi.
59 school-based pantries reaching children directly.
About 7 million pounds of fresh produce in a recent year.
A hui of food bank affiliates across the islands.
Sources: Hawaiʻi Foodbank website (hawaiifoodbank.org), and Hawaii Business Magazine and Hawaii News Now coverage of CEO Amy Miller and the organization. We are not affiliated with Hawaiʻi Foodbank and receive no compensation for this listing. Spotted an error? [email protected]
More Hawaiʻi and food-bank resources