Community organizations respond to delayed start of public school year by keeping keiki feeding sites open.

HONOLULU, Hawaiʻi – In response to the recently-announced delayed opening of Hawaiʻi public schools, a partnership of nonprofit and government organizations that has been providing free, healthy grab-and-go meals to keiki has decided to keep 16 of their distribution sites on Oʻahu and Molokai open through August 14.

The summer food sponsors that have decided to keep their sites open are Kamaʻāina Kids, Waiʻanae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, Hoʻokakoʻo Schools, YMCA of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi Literacy, Palama Settlement, and Parents And Children Together.

These meals are prepared according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) safety and nutrition standards. The sponsors are partnering with Aloha Harvest, Lanakila Pacific, Alternative Structures International, Hawaiʻi Appleseed, and Hawaiʻi Child Nutrition Programs to get the meals prepared and delivered.

Before the pandemic, it was projected that about 20 sponsoring organizations would serve about 583,000 total meals this summer. Despite the loss of some regular sponsors, the remaining ones stepped up their capacity, and three new sponsors came on board. As a result, this community partnership is on track to serve 1.5 million meals in 2020.

On a typical school day, nearly 65,000 economically disadvantaged Hawaiʻi students benefit from free or reduced-price school meals. For many, these are the only nutritious meals that they eat regularly. For their families, these meals help relieve financial stress by reducing their food budgets.

During the summer, when students are not able to eat free or reduced-price meals at school, community partners work together to provide food to children and youth in low-income areas via the federal Summer Food Service Program.

The following 16 community sites will provide free healthy grab-and-go meals to children and youth up to age 18 through August 14, unless otherwise indicated:

CALVARY PRESCHOOL
Tues.–Fri., 10– 11:30 AM 
45-435 Aumoku St., Kāneʻohe, HI 96744

EWA PRESCHOOL @CFS 
Tues.–Fri., 10– 11:30 AM
91-1841 Fort Weaver Rd, ʻEwa, HI 96706 

HONOLULU PRESCHOOL 
Tues.–Fri., 10– 11:30 AM
930 Lunalilo St., Honolulu, HI 96822

KALIHI VALLEY INSTRUCTIONAL BIKE EXCHANGE (K-VIBE)  
Mon.–Fri., 10 AM–Noon, Through Aug. 7 
1638 Kamehameha IV Rd., Honolulu, HI 96819

KAMAILE ACADEMY PCS 
Mon.–Fri., 10–11 AM 
85-180 Ala ʻĀkau St., Waiʻanae, HI 96792

KAUPUNI PARK
Mon.–Fri., 10 AM–Noon 
85-1280 Kāneʻaki St., Waiʻanae, HI 96792

KUALAPUʻU ELEMENTARY PCS 
Mon.–Fri., 7:30–8 AM; 11:30 AM–Noon, Through Aug. 12 
260 Farrington Ave., Hoʻolehua, HI 96757 

KUHIO PARK TERRACE  RESOURCE CENTER  
Mon.–Fri., Noon–12:30 PM 
1485 Linapuni St., Honolulu, HI 96819  

MAILI PRESCHOOL 
Tues.–Fri., 10– 11:30 AM
87-227 St. Johns Rd., Waiʻanae, HI 96792

MAYOR WRIGHT HOMES
Tues.–Fri., 11:30 AM–12:30 PM 
566 N. Kukui St., Bldg. 25A Honolulu, HI 9681 

Mililani Tech Park Preschool 
Tues.–Fri., 10– 11:30 AM
345 Kahelu Ave., Mililani, HI 96789 

MOANALUA PRESCHOOL 
Tues.–Fri., 10– 11:30 AM 
4857 Bougainville Dr., Honolulu, HI 96818

PALAMA SETTLEMENT 
Mon.–Fri., 3:30–4:30 PM 
810 N. Vineyard Blvd. Honolulu, HI 96817 

PUʻU HELEAKALĀ RECREATION CENTER
Mon.–Fri., 10 AM–Noon
87-169 Helelua St., Waiʻanae, HI 96792

QUEEN LILIʻUOKALANI CHILDREN’S CENTER 
Mon.–Fri., 10 AM–Noon
87-1876 Farrington Hwy., Waiʻanae, HI 96792

ST. MARK’S PRESCHOOL 
Tues.–Fri., 10– 11:30 AM 
539 Kapahulu St., Honolulu, HI 96815

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Hawaiʻi Appleseed is working to build a more socially just Hawaiʻi, where everyone has genuine opportunities to achieve economic security and fulfill their potential. We change systems that perpetuate inequality and injustice through policy development, coalition building and advocacy.