An associate-driven food drive at The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas raised 1,244 pounds of food for the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank (KIFB), which was delivered to the Food Bank’s warehouse on Wednesday, November 21 to ring in the season of giving.

The food drive was organized by The Westin Princeville’s Associate Council, an organization comprised of associates from various departments within the resort to encourage staff engagement in the hotel and the community. Themed food drive days, such as “Carb Friday” and “Tuna Tuesday” encouraged associates to bring in some of the Food Bank’s most popular items during the 20-day food drive. Although the food drive was the first collective effort by The Westin Princeville staff, the resort also contributes a weekly donation of roughly 100 pounds of unopened, non-perishable food items left over from villa owners throughout the year to the organization.

The inaugural food drive for KIFB is one of several charitable efforts The Westin Princeville has initiated since the resort’s opening in 2008. Its annual Jazz & Wine Festival benefits the Kaua‘i Lifeguard Association, and the resort is an active participant in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life and Hawai‘i Lodging and Tourism Association’s Visitor Industry Charity Walk, for which General Manager Denise Wardlow served as Chairman for 2012 Kaua‘i event.

“Giving back is a crucial component in being a member of this community” says Wardlow. “We’re all part of a larger ohana and it’s important that we support each other.”

The Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank is a non-profit, tax-exempt charitable organization that has served the Kaua‘i community since 1994.

For more information visit The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas website.