Donation Enables Keiki Cupboard Expansion

By Wendy Osher

Pictured (left to right): Paul Koehler (Monsanto Hawaii, community affairs director), John Anderson (Monsanto Hawaii, research associate), Bonnie Ponting (Keiki Cupboard, president), Sue Wilson (Keiki Cupboard, secretary), Nancy Rose (Monsanto Hawaii, data/seed management), and David Stoltzfus (Monsanto Hawaii, MSP Maui site lead).

The non-profit Keiki Cupboard will be able to expand to three more schools in the coming year, thanks to a $4,000 donation from Mansanto employees in Kihei on Maui.

The Keiki Cupboard acts as a safety net for students who may not have received school supplies during the early drives, and provide them with needed items throughout the school year.

“By putting distribution of the supplies into the hands of the school counselors Keiki Cupboard is able to reach the children who need help immediately without shame or red tape,” said Bonnie Ponting, president of Keiki Cupboard.

Ponting said the donation is expected to help hundreds of children.

The donation was among a variety of community outreach activities supported by Mansanto employees in 2011.

“Many of our employees are parents with children in school and understand the need to be properly equipped with the essential supplies for learning,” said John Anderson, coordinator for Monsanto’s community outreach committee.

“Our hope is that by providing students with these needed items from Keiki Cupboard, they can better focus on what’s really important – obtaining a quality education for a bright future,” he said.