Farm Fresh Food Pantry Opens

MCHC News Release

Molokai Community Health Center (MCHC) is pleased to announce the opening of our Community Farm Fresh Food Pantry in partnership with Maui Food Bank. Designated under Maui Food Banks’ Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), this program helps to provide food immediately to those who need it the most. Open five days a week, one can get fresh fruits, vegetables, and protein, as well as food commodities at no cost. MCHC’s Farm Fresh Food pantry is also the only Food Bank based pantry on Molokai now offering qualifying residents chilled and frozen food items, at any time of the month they need it; upcoming refrigeration expansion with MCHC’s certified kitchen will make it the largest and most accessible Food Bank site on island.

This is an income-based program open to all Molokai residents and accessible during regular MCHC business hours.

This program is an extension of MCHC’s Project Farm Fresh Food Distribution and has been made possible in partnership with The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, AlohaCare, Maui Food Bank and Sustainable Molokai. The financial and food security burden realized by the COVID-19 pandemic has made the ability to access food or make healthy eating choices for many Molokai families difficult throughout the last year and MCHC is pleased to offer a long-term solution for our residents and our local partners in response. We look forward to continuing to serve and promote comprehensive health care to the people of Molokai.

“Nearly one year after the pandemic hit our shores and upended our lives, we found ourselves standing in lines at the airport waiting for our groceries to be flown in by family and friends by airplane,” said Helen Kekalia Wescoatt, MCHC Chief Executive Officer. “For those most in need, we need an equitable and long-term solution that is right here, healthy and local, with no cost barriers.”

For additional information about the Community Farm Fresh Food Pantry and Project Farm Fresh Distributions, please call MCHC’s Farm Fresh Food hotline at 808-658-6379.