HECO & Pacific Biodiesel Launch holiday Recipe Contest, Support Local Food Banks
HONOLULU - Hawaiian Electric (HECO) and Pacific Biodiesel are spreading holiday cheer with a recipe contest celebrating locally sourced ingredients, while simultaneously bolstering food banks across the islands. The initiative, dubbed ”Kakou for the Holidays,” aims to support communities facing increased food insecurity, especially during a time of heightened need.
The partnership builds on an existing collaboration between the two companies, utilizing Pacific BiodieselS locally sourced biofuel for HECO’s electric grid. ”We’re collaborating with Pacific Biodiesel over the holidays to celebrate our ongoing partnership… Kakou for the Holidays is a way for us to come together to support our communities and honor our companies working together for clean energy in Hawaii,” explained Mike DeCaprio, HECO’s vice president of power supply.
The contest, running from November 18 to December 15, encourages participants to submit recipes incorporating ingredients grown in Hawaii. Five winners will be randomly selected to receive a HECO tumbler and a gift set featuring Kuleana Hawaii Grown Sunflower Oil and Macadamia Oil (8.5 oz bottles).
Alongside the recipe contest, HECO and Pacific Biodiesel employees are conducting a rice drive, collecting donations for local food banks. Rice is a consistently high-demand item, and the drive is particularly timely given increased need due to the recent government shutdown. Last year, Pacific Biodiesel employees alone donated nearly 600 pounds of rice to food banks statewide, according to Jenna Long, Pacific Biodiesel’s director of operations. “The holiday season is a critical time for food banks, and the government shutdown has increased food needs across our communities,” Long stated.
Those interested in participating in the recipe contest or learning more about the initiative can visit HECO’s website at https://www.hawaiianelectric.com/community-and-education/kakou-for-the-holidays-recipe-contest or Pacific Biodiesel’s website at https://biodiesel.com/hawaiian-electric-and-pacific-biodiesel-partner-for-holiday-rice-drive-recipe-contest/.
