Over the second half of the fall semester, University of Hawaiʻi Maui College students and community volunteers organized about 1,600 produce boxes and distributed them to students and community members impacted by the Maui wildfires.
The students were members of the culinary arts program purchasing class. They purchased approximately 13,400 lbs. of local produce through Local Harvest funded Common Ground Collective (a non-profit that promotes food security, educational and economic opportunities in Maui County).
The students also distributed about 1,000 bags of rice sourced through Rimfire Imports and paid for by the Lions Club. UH Maui College baking and pastry students helped by producing 600 boxes of pastries as special treats on a few of the weeks.
“Some people start crying because they’re just happy people are able to help them out and understand what they’re going through,” said culinary student Jennifer Giubardo. “It’s nice to contribute after such a tragic thing that happened to Maui.”
For two months after the August fires, the culinary arts program’s Pāʻina Building was a food preparation hub where a total of 200,000 meals were prepped, cooked and sent out for delivery for members of the community who had been displaced by fires.
In October, the campus pivoted to packing and distributing about 200 produce boxes a week, utilizing a refrigerated container that Matson initially donated to use during food preparation. Matson and Tri Isle have also supported and serviced the container.
More on how to help Maui ʻohana and the Maui wildfires.
“It makes me happy to know that I’m being a part of something good and that it’s benefiting the community,” said culinary student Lily Weber, who said some of her family members lost their homes in the fire. “I’m just really grateful that the program that I’m choosing to participate in is choosing to help and share the love and aloha out there.”
UH Maui college is eager to help where needed and is currently working with the Maui Emergency Task Force to understand how best to contribute for the spring semester.
