A collaboration between state and community leaders will bring meals to families in rural South Kona areas.
State Sen. Dru Kanuha (D-Kona, Ka‘u) announced the Department of Education “Emergency Meals-to-You” pilot program late Thursday. The program is set up to help rural families in South Kona overcome transportation challenges associated with the department’s current pick-up sites for grab-and-go meals.
Starting on Monday, students who qualify for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Free and Reduced Price School Meal Program at Konawaena, Honaunau, and Hookena Elementary Schools will automatically begin receiving two weeks’ worth of shelf-stable breakfast and lunch meals for students.
“Due to the long commute associated with my districts’ disproportionately large distances between schools, DOE’s grab-and-go meal pick up program was insufficient in hitting the mark,” said Kanuha. “During this difficult time, we needed to do more — to think innovatively and effectively — as we continue to fulfill our obligations to the communities we serve.
The cost of the meals will be reimbursable by the USDA. The program will continue through June.