Pasha Hawai‘i Donates $30K to Boys & Girls Club
Pasha Hawaii has recently donated $30,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island (BGCBI) to support the organization’s much needed Nutritional Supplementation “hot meal” program for Hawaii Island’s youth. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, BGCBI delivered a record-breaking 275,000 individual free hot meals over a one-year period to families and keiki in rural communities who were severely impacted by the pandemic, averaging 800-900 meals a day.
According to Chad Cabral, Chief Executive Officer of the Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island, BGCBI will continue to distribute individual free hot meals and snacks after school for youth under its Nutritional Supplementation program, which currently averages 400-500 meals a day.
“As we embark on this new year, the generous contribution made by Pasha Hawaii couldn’t have come at a better time,“ said Cabral. “Many of the youth we see are going to school not just for the learning and academics, they are going to school to eat. And for some, lunch at school will be their last meal of the day until breakfast the following school day.”
Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island continues to support many homeless youth and children that are living in poverty throughout the Island.
“Our meals provided after school have been an essential resource for children, in helping them to fulfil their nutritional needs for the day,” said Cabral.
At 26%, the Big Island continues to have the highest rate of childhood poverty in the State of Hawaii.
“It is through partnerships established with community minded businesses, like Pasha Hawaii, who shares in a common vision, to help meet the needs of our most in-need and vulnerable youth,” added Cabral.
In addition to Pasha Hawaii’s cash donation, the company recently underwrote the shipping costs to bring in specialized food serving containers, allowing BGCBI to “hot seal” food items as soon as they are placed in the individual containers, and then delivered by BGCBI staff to keiki and families in need.
“The pandemic has certainly had an impact on food security with many losing their employment income through no fault of their own,” said George Pasha, IV, president and CEO of Pasha Hawaii. “No one should have to worry about not having enough food or not having access to nutritional meals for themselves or their family. The dedicated staff at the Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island continue to do a phenomenal job helping thousands of families and children in need, and we are honored to support them in their humanitarian efforts.”
For over 72 years, the Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island has been supporting families with critical needs resources and key youth development programming throughout the Island of Hawaii, servicing the mostly rural area communities located in Hilo, Kea'au, Pahoa, Ka'u, Ocean View, and the greater Kona region.
Concluded Cabral, “We now have nine (9) out-of-school youth development programs stationed throughout the Island. Over 1,400 community youth participate in our programs each year and over 90% of youth are from underserved minority populations.”
“Thank you to Pasha Hawaii for the continued support and partnership that helps to keep all of our current after school programming free for kids to participate in. It takes a community to raise a child on Hawaii Island and let’s continue to partner together for a brighter future.”