The second annual “Fill A Cruiser Food Drive” event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday in the Kona Costco parking lot.
A collaborative effort between the Hawaii Police Department’s Kona Community Policing Section, Costco of Kona, The Food Basket Inc., and radio personality Tommy Ching, the event will help provide food to island residents in need.
Police will have a marked police cruiser parked in front of Costco where members of Costco and the general public can donate nonperishable food items. The Food Basket will distribute the donated food to Hawaii Island residents in need.
“During the COVID-19 lockdown we really saw an increased need for food assistance from our local community and kupuna,” said Kona Community Policing Officer Dwayne Sluss.
The first drive, held Sept. 3, 2021, resulted in 4,053 pounds of food and nearly $1,382 in monetary donations for The Food Basket, Hawaii Island’s lone food bank.
Sluss noted that while COVID restrictions have eased, food insecurity among island residents has not.
“I hope everyone will take a small amount of time and effort to come and donate to the food drive,” he said.