CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dole Food Company has named Evan Ehlers, founder and CEO of Sharing Excess, the inaugural recipient of its “Spirit of ‘Ohana” Award. The award honors individuals and organizations that embody the Hawaiian value of extended family through hospitality and community service.
The announcement kicks off Dole’s summer-long “Spirit of ‘Ohana” campaign, a pineapple-powered celebration inspired by Disney’s Stitch and timed around June 26’s International Stitch Day and June 27’s International Pineapple Day.
Ehlers, whose nonprofit Sharing Excess has redistributed over 135 million pounds of surplus food to communities in need across 36 states, was honored for pioneering a scalable model of food rescue that has fed more than 10 million people. His partnership with Dole at the Port of Wilmington has already rescued 800,000 pounds of fresh produce, benefiting Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey residents.
“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,” said William Goldfield, director of communications for Dole Food Company. “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.”
“At Sharing Excess, we start with the belief that food is the basic unit of life and something that every person deserves,” said Ehlers. “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.”
Ehlers said the recognition reaffirms his mission: “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.”
The recognition is part of the produce leader’s “Spirit of Ohana” initiative, which offers themed recipes, digital downloads, family activities and in-store merchandising inspired by Disney’s Stitch and the earthly themes of hospitality associated with pineapples and other tropical fruit.
Spirit of ‘Ohana honorees receive acknowledgement on Dole.com and a one-year supply of succulent DOLE® Tropical Gold® Pineapples in honor of June 26 as International Stitch Day and June 27 as International Pineapple Day.
In keeping with the initiative’s inclusive message, Dole is inviting the public to recognize everyday heroes in their lives with printable “My ‘Ohana Certificate” awards available at www.dole.com/disney.
The campaign continues through mid-September. In addition to the recipes and digital downloads, there are posts on Dole’s Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest pages, and millions of commemorative DOLE® Tropical Gold Pineapple hangtags and DOLE® Banana stickers emblazoned with Disney’s Stitch in supermarkets throughout the U.S. and Canada.
