November 25, 2020 — Matson announced today that it has committed $5 million in cash and in-kind shipping services to the foodbank networks supporting families in need in Hawaii, Alaska and Guam. Already a longtime financial supporter in those communities, Matson will provide the foodbanks with ocean shipping of food supplies at no cost for the remainder of 2020 and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Ron Mizutani, president and CEO of the Hawaii Foodbank, Laura Kay Rand, Hawaii Foodbank vice president and chief impact officer, Matt Cox, Matson chairman and CEO, Malcolm Inamine, Hawaii Foodbank vice president and chief operating officer, Tom Luiz, Hawaii Foodbank director of operations, Lillian Rodolfich, Hawaii Foodbank vice president and chief financial officer and Ku‘uhaku Park, Matson vice president of government and community affairs, pose for a photo at the Hawaii Foodbank.

The new commitment follows Matson’s support earlier this year for Hawaii Foodbank and Maui Food Bank, as well as other Hawaii community food security programs, including: Hawaii Meals on Wheels; Show Aloha Challenge; St. Francis Kupuna Meals; Feed My Sheep; KUPU; Hawaii Hotel Industry Foundation food drive and The Salvation Army.

“With the pandemic affecting incomes for so many, families in all of our communities are under extraordinary strain and foodbanks are struggling to keep up with the need. This is something we can do to help foodbanks put more of their funding toward sourcing food for distribution,” said Matt Cox, Chairman and CEO of Matson. “We are committed to helping meet community needs in the way we know best – by getting much needed basic sustenance supplies delivered as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

Ron Mizutani, CEO of Hawaii Foodbank, said, “The global pandemic has changed the face of hunger in Hawaii and thousands of people are needing food assistance for the first time in their lives. This support from Matson will help us immensely in our recovery and response at a time when our community needs it most.”

Before the pandemic, Hawaii Foodbank normally purchased and imported approximately 14 container loads of food supplies annually to accommodate local needs. This year, it will import 107 container loads and estimates it could need 150 container loads in 2021 to meet local community needs.

Cox added, “While we are all hopeful that vaccines and new treatments will begin to make a difference in 2021, it’s clear that the pandemic’s effects on many local families could be long-lasting. We are committing to support our foodbanks for the next three years in order to help them maximize their capacity to help families recover.”

Matson operates three ship voyages per week from the West Coast to Honolulu with twice-weekly barge connections to Maui and the Big Island, and three weekly connections to Kauai.

Detailed service schedules and other information about Matson is available online at Matson.com.