It’s easy! Just fill out the form above to get started.

Once your registration is approved, you will receive an email with any requested support materials. If you are hosting a fundraiser, you will receive an additional email containing instructions on how to set up your fundraising page. You will also receive a unique URL and QR code, so that you can track your progress online. If you have any questions, contact fooddrive@hawaiifoodbank.org.

Most campaigns last about a month to allow time to promote the drive and time for your friends, family and co-workers to participate.

Personalizing your campaign is the best way to connect your co-workers, family and friends to your fundraiser. Set a narrative and inspire. Why are you getting involved? Why does Hawaiʻi Foodbank mission matter to you? Explain why food access is so important or share your personal story to inspire participation.

If you have more boxes than you can accommodate in your vehicle, email fooddrive@hawaiifoodbank.org. Donation pickups are scheduled based on driver availability and can be scheduled up to two weeks prior to the end of your food drive.

Our drivers are not authorized to collect monetary donations. To coordinate monetary donations, contact the Food Drive team at fooddrive@hawaiifoodbank.org.

Our most needed items are:

• Canned protein such as tuna or chicken
• Prepared canned meals such as soup and pasta
• Canned fruit
• Canned vegetables
• Rice in two to five pound bags (Many of our clients take public transportation and cannot carry large bags of rice.)

Download a flyer of our most needed food items.

Hawaiʻi Foodbank accepts bulk donations from retailers, manufacturers and growers. If you are a retailer or farmer or have questions regarding individual donations of perishable food, contact our Teri Luna, director of product resourcing, at teri@hawaiifoodbank.org or 808-954-7860.

• Only donate items that you would eat.
• Avoid perishable items like dairy, meat, chicken, fish, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
• We can only accept unopened items. We can accept opened packages if the internal packaging is still intact.
• We are not able to accept food without a nutrition label.
• We can accept baby food and formula as long as they adhere to the above guidelines and are not expired.
• We can accept certain food past the expiration date. Click for a detailed handout on food donation guidelines.

Hawaiʻi Foodbank can provide all of the basic materials needed for a food drive including a customized fundraising page, food drive banner, donation receipts, Hawaiʻi Foodbank logo (available upon request) and promotional poster. With the exception of the banner, which is mailed or can be picked up, everything can be sent electronically.

Depending on staff availability, you can also request a speaker to attend virtual or in-person kick-off meeting to share the impact the donations will make in the community.

All of the above can be requested when submitting your food drive registration form. Check out our Food Drive Guide for inspiration to rally your friends or colleagues.

Through our membership with Feeding America, Hawaiʻi Foodbank can leverage its bulk purchasing power to supplement food donations from retailers, manufacturers and farms. A donation of $10 helps to provide food for more than 20 meals. And, 93% of all monetary donations directly support our programs.

Food donations are inspected and sorted by our volunteers and then distributed to our network of more than 250 hunger relief partners, who use it to prepare meals for those in need or to supplement the larger deliveries they receive from us. All food donated goes directly into the community.

You bet! To assure that all donations are counted toward your team goal — provide your team’s URL to family, friends and colleagues so they can donate via credit card online.

Donations made online, by check or by cash (with donor information provided) will receive a tax acknowledgement letter from Hawaiʻi Foodbank within about 30 days of receipt of the donation. Include your food drive, company or team name. Individuals who donate online will receive an automated email instantly in addition to the letter they will receive.

Donations can be mailed to:

Hawaiʻi Foodbank
Attn: Food Drive
2611 Kilihau St.
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96819

The best way to find out how well your food drive or fundraiser is doing is by viewing your personalized team page. All donations made through clicking the “donate now” button on your team page will be reflected on your meter instantly. Cash and check donations (with donor information provided) marked for your food drive may take five to seven business days upon receipt to be processed and reflected on your virtual food drive page.

You will receive your total food weight upon dropping off to our warehouse and filling out a donation form. Note, food donations dropped at any of our year-round drop off sites are received as an anonymous donation and do not receive a receipt.

Donations made online, by check or by cash (with donor information provided) will receive a tax acknowledgement letter from Hawaiʻi Foodbank within about 30 days of receipt of the donation. Individuals who donate online will receive an automated email instantly in addition to the letter they will receive.

Thank you for considering how to best help Hawaiʻi Foodbank!

Food Drives are incredibly important because they also help raise valuable awareness and garner larger community support. Meanwhile, monetary donations can be stretched far because of Hawaiʻi Foodbank’s relationship with Feeding America and other partners. Compared to going to the grocery store, the Foodbank can acquire food at one-fifth the cost of retail. A donation of $10 helps to provide food for over 20 meals.

Monetary donations provide Hawaiʻi Foodbank with the ability to purchase the items needed at any given time. For example, if there is a shortage in donations of fresh produce, monetary donations will be used to help supplement the shortage by purchasing produce from our local farmers. Purchased food is also less resource intensive as the donations do not need to be sorted and inspected the same way food received from food drives do.

Either way you decide to support — we are equally grateful!