LIHUE — No sooner had food come into the warehouses of the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai, more food rolled out with the food bank’s Mobile Pantry on Thursday.
The Hawaii Foodbank Kauai hosted an emergency food distribution fronting the historic County Building, getting help from the Army National Guard.
“The truck is full,” said Irwin Bisarra, the Mobile Pantry operator. “That means we can take care of 250 families.”
The emergency food distribution done on a walk-up basis comes on the day after the government resumed operations following the House of Representatives passing a spending bill that would keep the government running until the end of January. The law that was signed by President Trump would also restore Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds through September.
“We serviced more than 250 families,” said Wes Perreira, the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai manager, who watched a group of Transportation Security Administration workers and an individual driving a pickup with U.S. government plates drive up to helpings of fresh produce. “We might still have some sweet potatoes.”
Perreira said the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai will host a food distribution on Saturday morning at the Kauai Community College from 9 to 11:30 a.m., or while food lasts.
“My brother is a client of the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai,” said Troy Waialeale. “He became distraught after coming back one day and noticing the food bank warehouse was empty.”
Dane and Terence Dabis Waialeale spearheaded a last-minute food drive to alleviate the problem of no food at the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai.
On Sunday, the couple hosted the Babes Giving Nourishing Neighbors Emergency Fundraising Show and Telethon with the help of The Babes, and the Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort with a goal of raising $15,000 through the telethon that featured members of the County Council, Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami, and an appearance by Dylan Ancheta of Hawaii News Now.
Kahu Jade Battad Waialeale said they put everything together in about nine days and raised more than 740 pounds of food, and nearly $12,000 of their original $15,000 goal.
Heidi Padilla of the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai was helping collate the food during the special Sunday concert in Waipouli.
She said that in addition to what was raised at the concert, the Disc Golf group that plays at Lydgate Park raised more than 420 pounds of food through a food drive tournament that was played on Saturday at the course laid out in Wailua.
The food bank said with the arrival of the holiday season, demand for food traditionally increases as families attempt to feed everyone.
To help meet this increased demand for food, the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai is welcoming all contributions through its website located at www.kauai.hawaiifoodbank.org.
Source: The Garden Island
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