Hormel Foods to donate $1M in Spam, a Hawaiian staple, to wildfire victims

Aug 18, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Brock Koller (Senior Producer), Ian Kennedy (Editor), Ben Burke (Digital Producer)

Hormel Foods announced it is donating 264,000 cans of Spam to the Hawaii wildfire victims. The cans total up to $1 million in value. The delivery will be carried out by Convoy of Hope, a nonprofit organization whose mission includes aiding those affected by natural disasters.

“We are so grateful for our partners like Convoy of Hope and local Hawaii retailers who are helping us get more product to people in need as quickly as possible,” Spam Senior Brand Manager Jennesa Kinscher said in a statement. “The people of Hawaii have a special place in both the history and heart of the Spam brand. Our donation efforts are just one way we are showing the community our love and support back.”

Hormel said its team members were also raising money to donate to a local food bank. According to Convoy of Hope’s vice president of disaster services, “the fact that Spam doesn’t need refrigeration makes it a perfect item for Convoy to deliver to survivors.”

“Convoy of Hope is incredibly grateful for this very generous donation from Hormel Foods and the Spam brand,” Stacy Lamb said in a statement on the Hawaii wildfire donation. “We know how popular Spam products are, especially in Hawaii. This donation allows Convoy of Hope to deliver comfort to people whose lives have been turned upside down.”

According to food historians, Spam became especially valued in Hawaii as a cheap alternative to pork amid a surge in national popularity during World War II. Hormel said the Hawaiian community consumes more than 7 million cans of Spam products per year, more than any other state.

Hormel’s Spam donation to Hawaii wildfire victims came as Maui Emergency Management Agency Administrator Herman Andaya resigned, citing health reasons. Andaya had been facing criticism for his decision to not deploy an outdoor alert siren system as the fires blazed.

As of the early morning of Friday, Aug. 18, at least 111 people had been killed in the Hawaii wildfires. More than 1,000 people were still missing.

Tags: Hawaii, Maui, Wildfire

A SIGN OF GENEROSITY COMING IN THE FORM OF ONE SPECIAL KIND OF DONATION FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE MAUI WILDFIRES.

HORMEL FOODS HAS ANNOUNCED THEY WILL BE DONATING 264,000 CANS OF ITS PRODUCT – SPAM – TO A RELIEF ORGANIZATION.

THE VALUE OF THOSE CANS — $1 MILLION.

THERE IS A CONNECTION BETWEEN SPAM AND THE HAWAIIAN COMMUNITY.

THE PRODUCT GREW IN POPULARITY DURING WORLD WAR II.

TODAY, HAWAIIANS CONSUME MORE THAN 7 MILLION CANS OF SPAM-PRODUCTS EVERY YEAR – THAT’S MORE THAN ANY OTHER U.S. STATE!

CONVOY OF HOPE – A NONPROFIT WHO HELPS THOSE AFFECTED BY NATURAL DISASTERS – WILL BE DELIVERING THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CANS.

THEY SAY BECAUSE SPAM DOESN’T NEED REFRIGERATION IT’S A PERFECT ITEM FOR THOSE IN NEED OF HELP IN HAWAII.

A TOP OFFICIAL RESPONSIBLE FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE IN MAUI HAS RESIGNED —

AS THE CITY’S ACTIONS — OR LACK OF — LEADING UP TO LAST WEEK’S DEADLY WILDFIRES ARE IN QUESTION.

MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND PEOPLE ARE STILL CONSIDERED MISSING — MANY FEARED TO BE YOUNG CHILDREN —

AS THE DEATH TOLL IS NOW AT 111.

MAUI’S EMERGENCY SERVICES **CHIEF “HERMAN ANDAYA (ANNE-DIE-UH)” HAS RESIGNED CITING HEALTH REASONS A DAY AFTER **REJECTING CRITICISM FOR NOT ACTIVATING **SIRENS IN THE COMMUNITY OF LAHAINA AS THE WILDFIRE RUSHED THROUGH.

HIS RESIGNATION ALSO COMES AS HAWAII’S ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNOUNCES AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW TO ASSESS HOW STATE AND COUNTY AGENCIES PREPARED FOR AND RESPONDED TO THE EMERGENCY SITUATION.

THE RELENTLESS SEARCH EFFORTS THIS WEEK HAVE BEEN PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY TAXING ON CREWS ON THE GROUND —

WHO SAY MANY OF THE REMAINS BEING FOUND ARE UNRECOGNIZABLE.

RESCUE TEAMS WITH CADAVER DOGS WILL CONTINUE TO SEARCH FOR HUNDREDS OF MISSING PEOPLE THROUGH THE WEEKEND.