RAM Virtual Food Drive Yields Thousands of Pounds of Rice for Maui Food Bank

Standing, from left: Realtors Association of Maui (RAM) public relations committee members Sarah Sorenson and Uilani Todd, Maui Food Bank Director of Operations Keith Wright and RAM public relations committee member Lydia Pedro. Kneeling, from left: Maui Food Bank staff members Siu Ako, Brandi Saragosa and Charles Heam. Photo Credit: Kelsey Daimon.

The Realtors Association of Maui concluded its two-week-long “Got Rice?” virtual food drive on Aug. 15, raising more than $7,400 to support the Maui Food Bank’s mission to provide hunger relief to food-insecure people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The organization reports that the COVID-19 pandemic has more than doubled the number of food-insecure people from 10,000 people per month to 35,000 people per month.

Spearheaded by RAM’s public relations committee, the campaign ran Aug. 1 through 15 with the goal of filling the Maui Food Bank’s shelves with bags of rice. The committee narrowed the focus to rice because the versatile grain is one of the food bank’s most-needed items alongside cereal, pasta, canned foods and financial contributions.

RAM members and non-members donated to the virtual campaign in varying amounts, and within just two weeks, their collective donations yielded more than 14,800 pounds of rice.

“I am grateful for the incredible work that the Maui Food Bank has done for our community during this challenging time,” said committee chairperson Uilani Todd. “The needs of our county have escalated to such incredible levels, but the Maui Food Bank has risen to meet those demands. I am honored to have had the chance to raise awareness and monetary donations for their efforts. Mahalo nui loa from RAM’s public relations committee.”

Organizers say the Got Rice? food drive may have come and gone, but it’s never too late to help the Maui Food Bank. Like other food banks across the nation, the nonprofit is facing an unprecedented demand for resources.