Hawaiian Airlines Donates Oodles of Noodles to Our Program for the Homeless March 20, 2015

Following a change in their in-flight menu for routes to the Orient, Hawaiian Airlines had a surplus of pre-packaged rice noodles on hand. Debbie Nakanelua-Richards, Director of Community Relations for the airline contacted Partners In Development Foundation and offered to donate the food items to our Ka Pa’alana program for the homeless.

Arrangements were made with Co-Program Manager, Jin Chang and Family Literacy Trainer, Terry Nakamura to meet w/ Debbie at the Hawaiian Airlines storage facility.

Oodles of Noodles!!!

While they were expecting some amount of food, they were surprised at the extent of the donation that was available to them. By the time they had finished, 300 hundred cases, each containing 30 packaged rice-noodle meals had been loaded into the Ka Pa’alana “Meals On Wheels” panel truck, for a total of 9000 meals! Staff member John Deliso later exclaimed, “That’s a lot of saimin!” The food donation was valued at $12,000.

At a later date, Mr. Deliso met with Ms. Nakanelua at the Hawaiian Airlines corporate offices and presented her with a mahalo poster made by program participants who had benefitted from the airlines’ contribution.

Mahalo Nui Loa Hawaiian Airlines!