KEKAHA – On Kaua‘i’s West Side, community organizations are coming together to feed area residents and on Saturday more than 200 meatloaf meals were distributed at a grab-and-go site staged in front of Obsessions Cafe in Kekaha.
The project was a collaboration between area churches as well as organizations E Ola Mau Na Leo O Kekaha and the Kekaha Agricultural Association. The hot meals included meatloaf, steamed rice, salad and a desert — all prepared by Obsessions Cafe — and included a surprise bag of akule fish and vegetables. The event has been ongoing since early April. As of Monday, volunteers with the event have given away 1,850 bags of just fish, 285 food bags and 75 bags with other assorted groceries inside — in total they’ve fed 4,884 people.
“All the people that receive this should be really thankful,” said Kekaha resident Katsuichi Shimabukuro who was waiting in line for a plate and has been living on Kaua‘i since the plantation days.
Waiting in line next to Shimabukuro was Vetta Gonzalez.
“I feel blessed that they are helping out with the Covid thing to making sure that everyone has something to eat,” said Gonzalez.
Also waiting for a grab-and-go meal was Marcia Hoffman with family dog and co-pilot Girly Girl.
“It’s a blessing, and I appreciate everybody that does the work that they do. They are all coming out and helping everybody out. I just hope everybody stops watching all the media and just goes back to a normal life. Go back to work to do what we can do to support our family and take care of each other,” said Hoffman
The event was spearheaded by Dennis Eguchi, who partnered with local fisherman Walton Souza in an effort to help fishermen and their families stay afloat during the COVID-19 crisis.
“2000 pounds of fish, today we have individual fish. We get tuna, mahi and onos and we use this cutting facility and invited the Board of Health (Department of Health) to come and watch so they gave us their blessing,” said Eguchi.
Stephanie Iona, community outreach facilitator of Kekaha Agricultural Association, which is also a member of E Ola Mau Na Leo O Kekaha, said many hands played a big part in this event including a County of Kaua‘i grant and a $10,000 donation from Hawai‘i Community Foundation. All of that money is going back into the community, Iona said.
Iona said they are grateful for Bobby Farias of Hawai‘i Meat Company because he donated 120 pounds of ground beef for the events.
“Ann Hashizaka from Kauai Kookie graciously provided four cases of assorted boxes of her cookies for our families to enjoy today, said Iona.
The vegetables purchased for this event came from two farmers on the west side, Steven Ruiz and Nonaka Farms. The greens were used in the salad for the lunch to-go meal on Saturday.
John Ruiz, president of E Ola Mau Na Leo Kekaha, Garrett Agenda, the chair and others like Eguchi, Buddy Ayudan, Katy Hardwick are working hard to make sure the funds are utilized properly to provide meals, food and vegetables for families in need island wide.
Iona said anyone in need on the island of Kaua‘i which includes houseless, kupuna, and keiki, may come to their events and pick up a plate, fish and vegetables they may be giving out that day.
Pacific Missile Range Captain Timothy Young and PMRF’s community planner Roland Sagum was volunteering and supporting the event.
“We are here to support the community first because I know so many people here, we support them as friends,” said Sagum.
Another member of E Ola Mau Na Leo Kekaha Buddy Ayudan reminds others the local teachings that can’t not be forgotten.
“Remember, its not about ‘I’ or what one has done. It is about ‘we,’ E Ola Mau Na Leo Kekaha and about making sure we take care of each other and our community,” said Ayudan.
•••
Stephanie Shinno, features and community reporter, can be reached at 245-0424 or sshinno@thegardenisland.com.
A big….”MAHALO!”