School Food Services Branch’s
‘Aina Pono Food Truck
The ‘Aina Pono food truck was an idea that started in School Food Services Branch as a way to mitigate a gap period between the school year, when many students do not have access to healthy and nutritious meals during summer vacation.
The pilot program kicked off during the summer of 2019, and was a popular success on the Waianae coast on Oahu. More than 9,400 meals were served and distributed to children from June 12 to July 19, 2019.
‘Aina Pono Truck Feeds Thousands of Children, Impacts Community
Click on the images below to access the photo galleries.
Photos courtesy of School Food Services Branch (SFSB), Mākeke Farmers and Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC).
From Monday to Friday, Waianae High School Cafeteria Manager Kelly Santana, her staff and community volunteers prepare fresh and healthy student lunches for the ‘Aina Pono food truck. The student lunches are wheeled onto the truck and kept hot in the warmers.
The same food that is cooked and served in Waianae High School’s cafeteria is also served by the ‘Aina Pono food truck. Instead of the normal cafeteria lunch plates, the meals are individually packaged in grab-and-go containers.
During the summer 2019 pilot program, some of the lunches that were offered to children included pizza, tuna sandwiches, chili, beef stew, kalua pig, chicken Florentine, spaghetti, nachos, pork sandwiches and popcorn chicken. To compliment the main entrée, children were also provided with fresh fruits and vegetables, and regular or chocolate milk.
School Food Services Branch deployed its ‘Aina Pono food truck to help distribute free healthy lunches to children at five locations on the Waianae coast, including Hale Wai Vista, Pokai Bay Beach, Ohana Ola O Kahumana, Ulu Wehi and Makaha Beach. The truck starts and ends its route at Waianae High School.
A special event was held at the WCCHC to celebrate the successful completion of the ‘Aina Pono food truck pilot program. Volunteers shared their experiences about participating in SFSB’s pilot program during a heartfelt presentation to WCCHC executives, Hawaii State Department of Education leaders, parents and community partners. Not a single eye was dry in the room.
Hawaii’s Keiki and the Community Say ‘Mahalo’ to ‘Aina Pono
The following photos on Instagram were posted by Mākeke Farmers on July 19, 2019, as School Food Services Branch’s ‘Aina Pono food truck pilot program wrapped up its summer meals.
Children of all ages, as well as parents and guardians, shared their appreciation and gratitude for the program by creating thank you posters and giving flower lei to volunteers.
Hitting the Road to Stem Summer Hunger
This story appeared on Honolulu Civil Beat on July 17, 2019.
On the Waianae coast, the state DOE deploys a food truck to distribute free, freshly packaged meals to kids in need.
For the last month and a half, a small white truck with a cheerful green logo stamped on the side has parked by the Hale Wai Vista, an affordable housing complex in Waianae, under a canopied awning in a parking lot near City Mill.
The vehicle is a welcome fixture, a way to pass out fresh school meals to area youth, many of whom wear a wide grin and say “thank you” to the adult helpers before picking up their food and a carton of milk.
Every weekday morning since June 10, volunteers and Hawaii Department of Education cafeteria staffers have set up a long collapsible table and covered it with a green floral tablecloth, stacking it with hot meals individually packaged in reusable plastic containers for neighborhood kids.
Dozens of Schools and Even a Food Truck are Feeding Hawaii Kids for Free This Summer
This article appeared on Hawaii News Now on June 28, 2019.
Summer can be the “hungriest time of the year” for low-income kids in the islands, advocates say.
But a federally-funded program is trying to change that.
It’s called the Seamless Summer Option, and it provides free breakfast and lunch to students. This year, a record 71 schools across the islands are participating.
And for the first time this summer, a food truck is delivering fresh meals to students across the Leeward Coast who don’t have reliable access to transportation.
Volunteers from the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center partnered with the Hawaii Department of Education to run the ‘Aina Pono food delivery truck.
The truck makes five stops in low-income areas during the weekdays, serving about 600 meals a day.
They try to reach children who live at shelters or who don’t have the transportation to get to schools or community centers, where free meals are being served.
Food Delivery Truck Serving Free Meals to Children on Summer Break from Waianae to Makaha
This article appeared on KHON 2 News on June 22, 2019.
The Hawaii State Department of Education has an innovative way for school-aged children on the Waianae Coast continue to eat regular, nutritious meals during the summer break.
Staffed by volunteers from the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, the new ʻAina Pono food delivery truck is serving free meals as part of the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) program.
Free Hot Grab-and-Go Meals Available at the ‘Aina Pono Food Truck
On today’s menu at the ‘Aina Pono food truck: kalua pig and cabbage, brown rice, lomi tomato, pineapple, strawberries, and white or chocolate milk!
‘Aina Pono Food Truck Appears on Instagram Live
On the second day of the ‘Aina Pono food truck pilot program, Hawaii social media influencer Jelayne Shelton went on Instagram Live when she stopped by Makaha Beach to check out School Food Services Branch’s (SFSB) new food distribution system. SFSB’s community partner, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, organized a group of volunteers to distribute meals.
Her video has been viewed more than 26,600 times! Click below to watch the replay.
‘Aina Pono Food Truck Gives Free Meals to Keiki on Waianae Coast
This article appeared on KITV 4 Island News on June 12, 2019.
The Department of Education believes fueling keiki’s minds begins with making sure they don’t go hungry.
“We’re taking a truck out to different sites on the Waianae Coast to provide food to children 18 years and younger. If we can’t help provide these basic necessities then how can we expect them to excel in their academics,” explained Dexter Kishida, Program Specialist with the DOE’s School Food Services Branch.
It’s a part of the Department of Education’s ‘Aina Pono Program. The pilot project helping to make sure kids are fed this summer.
‘Aina Pono Food Truck: First Day of Success
School Food Services Branch (SFSB) successfully launched its new ‘Aina Pono food truck on June 12, 2019, as seen in Mākeke Farmers’ Instagram post below. [Mākeke Farmers is a nonprofit farmers market that is operated by the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC).]
SFSB has transformed its regular delivery truck into a food truck for the summer of 2019. With the help of WCCHC and other community volunteers, the ‘Aina Pono food truck pilot program is able to provide and distribute free lunches to all children at various locations outside their school cafeteria, Monday through Friday, on the west side of Oahu.
New ‘Aina Pono Food Truck Serves Free Meals in Summer 2019
The Hawaii State Department of Education’s School Food Services Branch (SFSB) has a new way to deliver meals to students in the community.
On Wednesday, June 12, 2019, a soft launch for SFSB’s new ‘Aina Pono food truck took place on the west side of Oahu, with volunteers from the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center ready to help serve free meals, as part of the Seamless Summer Option program. Other volunteer groups and community partners include Americorps Hawaii, Kamehameha Schools, Hawaii Foodbank, Aloha Harvest and HMSA.
“With the help of our ‘Aina Pono food truck, we’ll be able to expand our school food services beyond the cafeteria this summer,” said Albert Scales III, School Food Program Administrator. “We are looking at ways to bring healthy and nutritious meals for our keiki in the community, especially in at-risk areas where there is a significant need for these services.”
All children ages 18 and younger can receive a free meal from the ‘Aina Pono food truck and the 71 Hawaii public schools that are participating in this year’s SSO program, which runs throughout July. Breakfast and lunch will be served at select locations Monday through Friday, except on July 4 (Independence Day). Parents are encouraged to call their child’s school directly to find out the specific times for meal service.
Please note: The information and schedule provided here are subject to change at the discretion of the schools, without notice.
Developing an Innovative Way to Feed Hawaii’s Keiki
Here’s an overview snapshot into how and why School Food Services Branch is developing an innovative way to feed Hawaii’s keiki (children).
SFSB’s Overall Mission:
To feed our keiki healthy, nutritious, fresh food so they can achieve academic success.
The Problem:
Summer break is a gap period when many students do not have access to healthy, nutritious meals.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Seamless Summer Option (SSO) program provides free meals to all children ages 18 and younger each summer. It is an extension of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP), which provide free or reduced meals to children from low-income households during the regular school year.
Regardless of the free meals that are made available through the SSO program, many children in Hawaii are still not showing up at school cafeterias to eat during the summer break.
The Dream:
Providing free meals during the summertime for Hawaii’s keiki who don’t have access to food due to transportation issues, family financial hardships, limited food resources and distance – as the nearest restaurant/grocery store is too far away.
The Solution:
Starting the ‘Aina Pono food truck pilot program will help to bring fresh and nutritious meals to children during the summer vacation.
SFSB transforms its regular delivery truck into a food truck for the summer break. SFSB conducts its pilot program with the help of the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC) and several community partners.
Free lunches are distributed from the ‘Aina Pono food truck to children at various community locations.
The Plan:
Deliver free healthy and nutritious lunches to children at five locations along the Waianae coast: Hale Wai Vista, Pokai Bay Beach, Ohana Ola O Kahumana, Ulu Wehi and Mahaka Beach. The truck starts and ends its route at Waianae High School.
The same meals prepared and served at Waianae High School cafeteria would also be served in the ‘Aina Pono food truck.
Time Frame:
The pilot program will take place from June 12 to July 19, 2019.