Among the latest COVID-19 relief efforts here is “Local Farm to Table 2021,” which aims to create more than 10,000 meals for Oahu families — all with produce and proteins grown and processed in Hawaii. Honolulu Hale, which is paying for the program with $800,000 in federal CARES Act funding, last week announced that it’s partnering with Hawaii Foodbank, local farmers and ranchers.

The program holds win-win-win potential. As Amy Marvin, president and CEO of Hawaii Foodbank, has noted, in addition to providing healthy food to those in need, it also supports the agriculture sector and helps limit food waste, thereby “strengthening our food systems.”

Uptick in commercial properties

“Buy low” is what all investors try to do, and for those investing in commercial properties during the pandemic doldrums, that’s where prices tended to be. So lots was spent — $970 million in the first half of 2021, up from $510 million for the same six months of 2020 — according to Colliers International.

They’re counting on no huge bumps in the economic recovery, though, in order to reap the returns they’ve wanted. With the recent COVID-19 surge, that’s not a given. Let’s all hope this gamble pays off.