Judy Lenthall is worried.
War erupted during the Kaua’i Food Bank’s semiannual food and fund drive, county officials for three weeks for security reasons wouldn’t allow county fire stations to serve as traditional food drop-off points, and uncertainties of war have tended to “freeze” people who would otherwise give freely to help feed the island’s hungry children and adults, she said.
The result, to date, is that the food bank is way behind in its goal to raise $20,000 and 20,000 pounds of food.
Lenthall, executive director of the Kaua’i Food Bank, worries, too, because she has a feeling that more people are going to be requesting food, and that combined with dwindling donations causes her sleepless nights.
The spring food drive began early last month, and runs through Wednesday, April 30. Donation bags (for food) and envelopes (for cash and check donations) were included in the Wednesday, March 5 editions of The Garden Island.
Rather than whine or give up given the slow start of the food drive, food bank officials quickly switched to plan B, a day-long drive set for Saturday, April 19, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Volunteers and food bank staff will position themselves outside stores like Wal-Mart, Kmart, Safeway, Ishihara Market, Sueoka Store, Kukui Grove Center and other locations, asking for food or cash donations from shoppers at those stores.
Rotary clubs, Puna Dawson and her halau, Donna Hepa, the Kaua’i High School cheerleaders, and others are lined up as volunteers.
County officials recently lifted the ban on the use of county fire stations as drop-off points.
The food bank’s board is also considering a direct-mail solicitation.
Through the end of March, over 4,600 pounds of food and $6,500 had been raised.
Just three schools are participating in the current food drive. They are King Kaumuali’i Elementary School, Wilcox Elementary School and Kapa’a Elementary School.
The schools are in the running for $1,000 cash prizes, donated by the Feinstein Foundation to schools across the country that raise the most food on a per-student basis.
Those who are interested in donating cash should know that for each $1 donated, the food bank through its connection to America’s Second Harvest network can buy $16 worth of food.
The most-requested items remain largely unchanged: rice, tuna, pasta, Ensure and Pediasure, canned vegetables, fruit, peanut butter and soups.
Food items are distributed from the food bank’s Nawiliwili warehouse island-wide through a volunteer network of churches and other nonprofit groups.
For more information, call 246-3809, or fax 246-4737.
