Hawaiʻi Foodbank Kauaʻi to host gala in hopes of raising funds for food security

Hawaiʻi Foodbank Kauaʻi will host its first Nourish Gala in a couple of weeks, where the community will come together to raise funds to ensure Garden Isle residents have dependable access to fresh, locally grown foods.

The event will take place on Dec. 19 at the Royal Sonesta Kauaʻi Resort from 5 to 9 p.m. Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, now known as Meta, and his wife, Priscilla Chan, are title sponsors for the evening.

“We are deeply grateful to Priscilla and Mark and all of our partners, sponsors, and community whose aloha makes this work possible,” said Amy Miller, president and CEO of Hawai‘i Foodbank. “The Nourish Gala reflects what Kaua‘i does best — coming together to lift each other up. With nearly one in three of our neighbors facing food insecurity, your support ensures we can continue delivering healthy, nourishing food with dignity and compassion.”

Funds raised at the gala will help Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i continue its work to provide fresh, healthy, and locally grown foods to tables through its partner agencies, school pantries, and mobile pantry distributions.

Table sponsorships are available at $5,000, $10,000 (seats 10 attendees) and $25,000 (seats 20 attendees). To sponsor a table, contact Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i Director Wes Perreira at wes@hawaiifoodbankkauai.org. Individual tickets are $250 and may be purchased at Kauai.HawaiiFoodbank.org until Dec. 9.

Other inaugural sponsors include Charlie and Mary Bea King, Corteva AgriScience, Grove Farm, Southwest Airlines, DraftKings and FanDuel, Airbnb, and Ally Bank.

The event will feature a cocktail hour with drinks and pupus. A buffet dinner inspired by island flavors will be served as guests listen to live entertainment by Kapena, a Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winning group. A text-to-give effort and a short video presentation will feature stories of resilience, aloha, and the enduring spirit of Kaua‘i.