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Coconut Condos joins forces with The Sonder Project to help the needy

By Staff | Oct 13, 2016

From left, Stephanie Kirkham, Angie Leone, Juli Casco, Heidi Beaudry, Mahea Bayly and Michele Heile hold bags from The Sonder Project that are placed in Coconut Condos’ rooms.

WEST MAUI – The local vacation rental management company Coconut Condos has joined forces with The Sonder Project, a global nonprofit company that is “focused on high-impact, sustainable projects aimed at ending extreme poverty and fighting hunger around the world.”

CEO Angela Leone had the privilege of meeting Sarah Hockett, executive director of The Sonder Project, at last year’s Vacation Rental Manager’s Association annual conference in New Orleans, LA.

Through their conversation, Leone discovered that a beneficial partnership between Coconut Condos and The Sonder Project could be made.

“We believe that as a small business, it is not only our responsibility but our privilege to give back to our community. We have been blessed with so much, and it is our desire to use our business to improve the lives of others,” said Leone.

A Sonder Project reusable bag is placed in each condo that Coconut Condos manages, and guests are asked to leave any unused, nonperishable food items in the bag at the end of their stay.

Donations are picked up by the Coconut Condos team and brought to the warehouse to be picked up by the Maui Food Bank.

“I field many calls from guests asking what they can do with their unused food. They don’t want to see it go to waste either, but options are limited. I am so glad we can tell them that their food is going to be used to help feed the local community. Even if it is only a small bag of rice, it can make a big impact,” commented Reservations Manager Mahea Bayly.

To date, after their initial pick-up, Coconut Condos had collected 52 pounds of food.

“This opportunity to partner with The Sonder Project, and our guests and owners, helps fill the shelves of the food bank year-round, not just during the holidays when food drives typically occur,” stated Coconut Condos Project Manager Michele Heile. “We are excited to see each of our condos get involved and give back to the community in such a simple way. This really is a great way to utilize a resource that otherwise would have gone to waste.”

Coconut Condos is also involved with Habitat for Humanity, as they donate a percentage of their profits to help fund local homes and housing projects, and with Dream Foundation, offering accommodations to terminally ill adults.

For more information about The Sonder Project and their global impact, visit www.thesonderproject.org. If you are a property manager and would like more information on how you can participate in this project alongside Coconut Condos, contact Heile at (808) 419-1000.