Grand Wailea, Ritz parent company donates $100,000

The Grand Wailea and The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, both owned by Blackstone fund, donated $100,000 to the Maui Food Bank and will be distributing about 2,000 food packages Friday at both properties.

Volunteers from the resorts will be handing out boxes filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, cereal, chicken, Spam and more. The hotels request people wear masks and practice social distancing.

The event at the Grand Wailea, 3850 Wailea Alanui Drive, is set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, event begins at 9 a.m. The resort is located at 1 Ritz-Carlton Drive.

“Caring for one another is a community effort,” said JP Oliver, managing director of Grand Wailea. “Thanks to the generosity of our owner, Blackstone, we are all able to come together to provide vitally-needed food to Maui families. We are also sincerely grateful to our employees who have stepped up to help us prepare and distribute these care packages later this week.”

“We recognize that even though the state is slowly reopening, the basic need to put food on the table for one’s family has never been greater,” said Andrew Rogers, general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. “We are pleased that these acts of aloha will provide direct and immediate relief for our local community.”

Since March, the Food Bank has distributed over 2 million pounds of food to those in need.

“The face of hunger is continually changing in our island community. The majority of people Maui Food Bank now serves have never had to ask for food assistance before,” said

Richard Yust, executive director for the Maui Food Bank. “We are grateful for the generosity of The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, and Grand Wailea for sponsoring and hosting food distributions in West and South Maui.

“The Food Bank could not fulfill its mission to help the hungry without the support of community partnerships.”