Dole Food Co. has named the recipient of its inaugural “Spirit of ‘Ohana” honor: Evan Ehlers, the founder and CEO of Sharing Excess.
This recognition is bestowed upon those who embody the hospitality and community-service themes of the Hawaiian concept of extended family.
Dole’s “Spirit of ‘Ohana” initiative aims to encourage others to acknowledge those who practice this spirit within their families, neighborhoods and communities. The program features themed recipes, digital downloads, family activities and in-store merchandising, all inspired by Disney’s Stitch and the themes of hospitality associated with pineapples and other tropical fruits.
“Spirit of ‘Ohana” honorees, like Ehlers, receive acknowledgment on Dole.com and a one-year supply of DOLE Tropical Gold Pineapples, celebrating June 26 on International Stitch Day and June 27 on International Pineapple Day.
Dole and Disney customers can participate by honoring their own “My Ohana” heroes. Participants can download and print a personalized “My Ohana Certificate” from Dole’s “Spirit of ‘Ohana” website to give to someone in their lives.
Ehlers and Sharing Excess
Ehlers’ inspiration for Sharing Excess began in 2016 while he was a student at Drexel University. With 50 leftover meal swipes, he decided to purchase meals for those in need across Philadelphia. This simple act evolved into a national nonprofit committed to saving surplus and unsold food from wholesalers, distributors and retailers and delivering it to communities facing food insecurity.
Since its inception, Sharing Excess has made a monumental impact, distributing 135 million pounds of food – which translates to 110 million meals – and feeding 10 million people across 36 U.S. states. Ehlers has built a team of 55 full-time staff and 2,000 volunteers, operating from New York City, Philadelphia, Detroit and Chicago, with plans to expand to every major U.S. port city and agricultural hub to bridge America’s 9.1 billion meal gap.
“By creating this nationwide model for surplus food rescue and distribution, Evan is the epitome of the idea of the extended ‘Ohana as not letting anyone get left behind,” stated William Goldfield, director of communications for Dole Food Co.
“What’s even more remarkable is that he recruited Dole as one of the earliest Sharing Excess partners at one of our inbound ports of entry, the Port of Wilmington, and has since helped us rescue 800,000 pounds of fresh produce and redistribute it to the hungry in Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.”
Ehlers added, “At Sharing Excess, we start with the belief that food is the basic unit of life and something that every person deserves. We know there’s more than enough resources for everyone to prosper; the problem isn’t supply, it’s access. That’s why we approach our work as if every person we serve is part of our extended family, and we won’t stop until all available resources, especially food, are shared in a way that allows everyone to live a healthy, dignified life. To us, the spirit of ‘Ohana means showing up for one another and building systems rooted in shared responsibility and care. That’s because when one person in the family goes hungry, we all do.”
Dole’s “Spirit of ‘Ohana” initiative will continue through mid-September. In addition to the themed recipes and digital downloads, Dole is including related content on its Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest pages. Supermarkets throughout the U.S. and Canada also will feature millions of commemorative Dole Tropical Gold Pineapple hangtags and Dole Banana stickers emblazoned with Disney’s Stitch, further spreading the spirit of ‘Ohana.
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