Blaisdell farmers market now taking food donations

Give It Fresh Today, or G.I.F.T., the farmers market food donation program organized by Vivian Chau, has expanded to its second site, the Hawaii Farm Bureau’s Blaisdell market.

The market, which runs 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays on the lawn in front of the Concert Hall, now includes the booth for customers to drop off donations that will go to Aloha Harvest. The group then delivers the food to Safe Haven, an organization that aids Hawaii’s homeless.

The booth opened Aug. 31 and collects about 40 pounds of food weekly, Chau said.

The original G.I.F.T. booth, at Kapiolani Community College farmers market, was started last year by Chau and has provided thousands of pounds of food to the Institute for Human Services and other organizations.

Shoppers buying food buy extra vegetables or fruit that they drop off at the G.I.F.T. booth.

Farmers and other vendors also donate food regularly.

Upon request, G.I.F.T. also picks fruit from trees at private homes. Email giveitfreshtoday@gmail.com.