I sat down recently with Sheryl Toda, Director of Corporate Communications for Foodland Super Markets to discuss the matching gifts program that will benefit the HHSAA which is currently facing 2009-2010 budget cuts to Hawaii high school athletic programs in the amount of $1.2 million dollars. Approximately 50% of funding for supplies, equipment, and ground transportation to the schools sports programs has been cut.
Sheryl Toda, Foodland Super Markets, Director of Corporate Communications | Photo: Barry Villamil
Foodland along with other businesses in the community recognize the importance of supporting hawaii high school athletics. Generous corporate contributions have been made to the HHSAA to offset the deficit since it was recently announced by the Department of Education. Foodland Super Markets is following in the spirit of supporting our community once again through its matching gifts program.
If you would like to support the HHSAA as well as our Pearl City High School athletic programs,
come in to Foodland at the Pearl City Shopping Center and make a donation. The last day to make a donation is Monday, August 31st.
Foodland Super Markets has made a huge difference to our communities in Hawaii for many years.
The spirit of Foodland Super Markets Founder, Maurice J. “Sully” Sullivan lives on through the contributions made by Foodland and it’s generous customer base.
Q: How long have worked for Foodland Super Markets?
A: “I started right after Sully passed away. I never got to meet our Founder, Sully Sullivan but I heard a lot
about him and I read a lot about him.”
Foodland at Pearl City Shopping Center | Photo: Barry Villamil
Q: So from the very beginning his legacy was prevalent at Foodland and your new position?
A: “When I started we wanted to make sure his legacy would be continued and that we would continue to operate the way he did. We wanted to continue to have the community in mind and help to build a better Hawaii. We brainstormed all the time to come up with different ideas and that’s when we came up with
Give Aloha.”
Q: Tell us about Give Aloha and the current matching gifts programs?
A: “It’s a very successful program. It’s called “Give Aloha”, Foodland’s community matching gifts program. To date we have given away over 12.3 million dollars to Hawaii charities.”
Q: You are currently running a new matching gifts program for Hawaii High Schools?
A: “Our program is a matching gifts program to support the Hawaii High School Sports Association (HHSAA).”
Q: When did the program start and how does the matching gifts program work?
A: “It’s going on right now at all of our Foodland and Sack N Save stores through August 31st. Customers have until Monday to make a donation at checkout up to $249.00 dollars and we’ll match their donation dollar for dollar.”
Q: So $249.00 dollars is the maximum donation per customer at checkout?
A: “They can donate a penny to $249.00.”
Q: What is your goal for the amount of donation dollars to be raised by Monday, August 31st?
A: “Our goal is to have customers donate $50,000 and we will donate $50,000 to match that so our goal is a $100,000 total.”
Q: When did Foodland decide to get involved with efforts to support the HHSAA?
A: “When we heard about the need because of the budget cuts we decided to create a program that was somewhat similar to Give Aloha but use a tear pad slip at checkout.”
Q: How does the tear pad slip pad system work?
A: “To make it easier for customers to give, at checkout, customers will notice tear pad slips in denominations of $5, $10 and $20 and another that says amount of your choice. It makes it easy
for them to choose what amount they want and give. The reason we thought we would do a program this way is we know there a lot of customers who want to help and want to participate.
We have 30 Foodland and Sack N Save stores statewide so anybody can go to their nearest Foodland store, go to the checkout and make a donation. It’s so easy to help and we’re giving the customers an incentive to do so with the matching dollar for dollar gift from Foodland.”
Q: Does the Give Aloha program support the HHSAA?
A: “We also support the Hawaii High School Athletic Association through Give Aloha as well. Through August 31st, we are just supporting this program to save our sports.”
Q: How has your communication been with HHSAA Executive Director, Keith Amemiya?
A: “We met with him to brainstorm some ideas and he was really excited about involving our customers at checkout through our matching gifts program to help.”
Q: How does Foodland today, perpetuate the spirit of giving that was instilled by Founder,
Maurice J. “Sully” Sullivan?
A: “Our mission statement is: “Together we create outstanding shopping experiences for our customers while building our community.” Our Founder, Maurice J. “Sully” Sullivan gave back to the community.
He felt that he wanted to support the community that supported him through the years with the supermarket. Foodland opened in 1948. Market City was our first store and we recently celebrated our
50th Anniversary. We feel very grateful for the community and we want to give back. We want to continue Sully’s legacy.”
If you would like more information log on to: www.sportshigh.com or call Foodland at (808)732-0791 or HHSAA at (808)587-4495.
