Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi awards grants to strengthen food security

Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi has awarded grants totaling $263,000 to four local nonprofits dedicated to improving food security and health equity across the islands.

The Hawaiʻi Food Bank was awarded a $95,000 grant for its Kūpuna Fresh – Produce Distribution Program, an initiative that purchases fresh, culturally relevant produce for 1,500 low-income kūpuna in Kauaʻi and Oʻahu.

The grant also partially funds the Farm to Family program, which offsets costs for local farmers who grow and distribute produce donated to the Food Bank.

Through a network of 275 hunger relief partners and direct service programs, Hawaiʻi Food Bank works to eliminate barriers to food access and strengthen local agriculture while meeting the nutritional needs of Hawaiʻi’s most vulnerable residents.

Along with the Hawaiʻi Food Bank, Kaiser Permanente awarded the Hawaiʻi Island Food Basket $75,000, the Hawaiʻi Good Food Alliance received $50,000, and Aloha Harvest received $43,000.

According to the medical provider, the grants are part of Kaiser Permanente’s ongoing efforts to address the social determinants of health, both within and outside of the health care system. When communities have consistent access to healthy food and other essentials, everyone in Hawaiʻi has a better chance to thrive and achieve good health.

About 30 percent of Hawaiʻi households and 48 percent of Hawaiʻi families with children are experiencing food insecurity. The investments aim to expand access to healthy, locally sourced foods for thousands of families statewide leading up to the holiday season.

The Food Basket helps families afford locally grown fruits and vegetables while supporting area farmers through its DA BUX SNAP Nutrition Incentives for Community Supported Agriculture Produce program. The $75,000 grant will subsidize the cost of DA BUX produce subscriptions for SNAP participants, matching SNAP dollars to provide a 50 percent discount on each subscription.

This initiative directly increases access to fresh, locally grown produce for low-income households, improves food security in underserved rural communities, and strengthens local agriculture across Hawaiʻi County.

The Hawaiʻi Good Food Alliance is a coalition of community-based organizations working to build sustainable food systems and strengthen local agriculture. Its ʻAi Pono: Advancing Health Equity Through Culturally Relevant Food is Medicine Programs in Hawaiʻi initiative focuses on improving health outcomes for Medicaid members with chronic diseases through access to culturally relevant, locally sourced foods.

Most of the $50,000 grant funding will go toward distributing 720 nutrition “prescription” boxes filled with locally grown produce to Medicaid patients at Waimānalo Health Center, and the personnel costs associated with the program.

Aloha Harvest is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing access to healthy food on Oʻahu by rescuing and redistributing surplus food to people in need. The organization collects and delivers fresh, nutritious food to food pantries and community partners serving low-income individuals and families.

The $43,000 grant will be used to partially support three staff positions, cover vehicle costs including leasing, repairs, insurance, and supplies, and fund program implementation to expand deliveries to partner agencies across the island.

“Access to healthy, affordable food is essential to total health,” said Ed Chan, president of Hawaiʻi Market Kaiser Foundation Health Plan & Hospitals. “By partnering with trusted community organizations across the state, we’re helping families put nutritious meals on the table, supporting local farmers, and improving long-term health outcomes.”

Kaiser Permanente is committed to providing high-quality, affordable health care services and improving the health of the communities it serves. These grants are the latest in a series of contributions from Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi to help residents throughout the state receive vital support services that impact their overall well-being.

In 2024, Kaiser Permanente invested more than $38 million to expand access to care, increase affordable housing, support health care workforce development, and provide nutritious food to vulnerable people in Hawaiʻi—including $6.1 million in community grants and scholarships.