Overarching Themes

Planning is a shared responsibility. We can proactively plan for the unexpected and this moment is an opportunity. It’s complex and involves many, but there is value in gathering, building relationships and planning together.

Leadership in coordination. Coordination and partnerships were so important over this past year. How can we create clear roles and lanes for ongoing coordination? Can we identify leads from each county who can coordinate with each other?

County level responsibility for coordination. Each county has its own unique ways of doing things. How do we connect county plans to a cohesive statewide effort?

Ahupua‘a or community level responsibility for implementation. Communities need flexibility and control to set up systems and responses that draw on their own assets and meet their own needs. How do we build strong and meaningful relationships before crises to ensure we are ready to respond?

Breakout Sessions Topic - Lessons and Opportunities

(1) Infrastructure

Volume of supply and demand were simultaneously overwhelming. There were times when food went unused at distribution sites, because of logistics pressures rather than lack of need.
Storage limitations were a key barrier to managing supply. Cold storage needs felt most acute.
Transportation - both to Hawai’i and within our islands - dramatically increase costs and logistical needs.
Nonprofits and government couldn’t have done it alone. Private sector partnerships (e.g., restaurants, distributors) were key for providing capacity to support needs for storage, transportation and distribution.
How can we build shared responsibility and coordination of key infrastructure pieces - storage, volunteers, traffic control, distribution - for future emergencies?

(2) Connections to ag and farmers

This period elevated and expanded connections to local food suppliers; raised public awareness of the “food system”.
Partnerships with food distributors provided infrastructure and logistical support that allowed food banks and other feeding programs to purchase and distribute from small farmers