Former UFC featherweight champion Max "Blessed" Holloway recently joined the ALL4HAWAII Challenge, a digital fundraiser to provide food for those in need. While food insecurity has long been a concern on the Islands, with the onset of COVID-19, the number of those going hungry has risen exponentially, whether due to school closures, shortage of food resources, or loss of income because of unemployment. The lack of access to food is, sadly, a part of this “new normal.”
Some of Hawaii’s favorite personalities in the realms of sports, fashion, and entertainment have come together to donate their time and a prized possession or two. They were challenged to create a one-of-a-kind experience in an effort to raise money to fight food insecurity in Hawaii.
Each donation - which can be as little $10 - earns you a raffle ticket, and the winner of the raffle and four close friends win:
•A private VIP training session in MMA in self-defense with "Blessed";
•A pair of official UFC gloves autographed by Holloway; and,
•Dinner with Holloway afterward.
The ALL4HAWAII Challenge will benefit the Hawaii Foodbank (a member of Feeding America) and the Maui Food Bank. And through the generosity of Foodland, each of these organizations will also receive grocery gift cards to enable recipients to continue to shop for their families in a retail environment. One-hundred percent of all funds raised will be donated directly to the charity partners that tackle food insecurity. The challenge concludes on May 31.
Holloway discussed it with UFC.com.
Q. Who is participating in this challenge with you?
Holloway: The best of the best. I just challenged my man, Daniel Cormier. So it’s not just Hawaii people. Anybody can get involved and anybody can enter.
Q. What are some of the key things fans can win?
Holloway: If you enter for my experience, you get a chance to train with me in MMA or self-defense, you can bring some friends with you, I’ll give you autographed gloves, and then we’re going to go eat dinner at one of the best places in Hawaii
Q. Why did you decide to join this amazing charitable activation?
Holloway: Unemployment in Hawaii is near 40%, and because our economy is based on tourism, it looks like it’s going to be a long road to recovery. We also got a very high cost of living here, so a lot of people are hurting. The reason why I signed up for this is that the proceeds go directly to the food banks, and the food banks really, really need the help right now.
Q. How long will this campaign run and where can fans go to either learn more or donate directly?
Holloway: It runs through May 31, 2020, and fans can go to ALL4HAWAII.org to enter now.
Q. You have a long history of giving back to your community. Why is giving back important to you?
Holloway: The meaning to life is doing meaningful things for others. I always said the belts are cool, and I have several of them now, but that’s really just a ticket to have a bigger impact in important ways.