Farm Bureau award includes hamburger in distribution

KOLOA — Tina Brun of the St. Raphael Church food pantry program said they had hamburger from the Makaweli Meat Co. included in the food packages distributed Thursday.

“Not only do we have hamburger,” said Brun the pantry coordinator for the food distribution that was preceded by a blessing of the food and people by Father Arlan Intal. “This is our third food distribution — we have one on the third Thursday of each month — since the pandemic hit. So, in addition to the hamburger, we have eggs, rice, and pasta to stretch the hamburger.”

The hamburger, provided by the Hawai‘i Foodbank, Kaua‘i Branch, was made possible through a $5,000 award from the Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau done in May to acquire 1,347 pounds of ground beef from Makaweli Meat Co. During the Thursday distribution, Hawai‘i Foodbank, Kaua‘i Branch included more than 300 pounds of that acquisition with the load that totaled 2,114 pounds of food.

“The Hawai‘i Foodbank, Kaua‘i Branch would like to extend a huge mahalo to Johnny Gordines and everyone at the Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau for their generous donation and commitment to the people of Kaua‘i during this COVID-19 crisis,” said Wes Perreira, the Hawai‘i Foodbank, Kaua‘i Branch manager.

Brun pointed out that in addition to the makings for the spaghetti meal, each of the 150 families received a package of assorted nonperishable food, and snacks from the airlines. Additionally, the Koloa Union Church with Pastor Alan Akana helped St. Raphael Church volunteers package everything for the drive-through contactless pick up.

“I don’t know,” Brun said. “I thought food distributions were slowing down, but with the unemployment and the quarantine being extended until Sept. 1, it appears we’ll be doing another distribution on Aug. 20 from 11:30 a.m. We’re looking at doing chicken for that one.”