Major Fundraiser to Support Food Access in Kaua‘i Draws National Donors

Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i will hold its first Nourish Gala on Dec. 19 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Royal Sonesta Kaua‘i Resort, bringing together community leaders and national philanthropists to raise funds for local food access programs. Title sponsors for the evening are Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, and other inaugural sponsors include Charlie and Mary Bea King, Corteva AgriScience, Grove Farm, Southwest Airlines, DraftKings and FanDuel, Airbnb, and Ally Bank. Table sponsorships are available at five thousand dollars, ten thousand dollars for seats of ten, and twenty five thousand dollars for seats of twenty. Individual tickets are two hundred fifty dollars and may be purchased at Kauai.HawaiiFoodbank.org through Dec. 9.

“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 organization says nearly one in three Kaua‘i residents face food insecurity and that funds raised at the gala will help ensure fresh, healthy, and locally grown foods reach tables through partner agencies, school pantries, and mobile pantry distributions.

The evening will feature a cocktail hour with drinks and pupus, a buffet dinner inspired by island flavors, live music by Kapena, a text to give campaign, and a short video presentation with community stories. Organizers position the gala as both a fundraiser and a public showcase of the local food system, highlighting partnerships with farmers and distributors who supply nutritious produce to distribution programs.

For residents and policymakers, the event underscores how nonprofit and private funding intersects with public efforts to address basic needs. Reliance on philanthropic events to fund essential food distributions raises questions about long term sustainability and the need for stable public support to complement private donations. Local officials and community groups will need to weigh how to translate gala proceeds into durable investments in food security infrastructure, including school pantry staffing and mobile pantry logistics.

With ticket sales closing Dec. 9, the gala represents a near term opportunity for community members and businesses to contribute financially and for leaders to demonstrate how fundraising translates into measurable improvements in food access across the Garden Isle.