LIHU‘E — The line of people waiting for hot meals snaked down the sidewalk at The Salvation Army Lihu‘e Corps on Tuesday.
“The food is stuck in that traffic slowdown near the Halfway Bridge,” said Capt. Shawn Keoho of The Salvation Army. “We just have to wait.”
In the meantime, Keoho said the crews need to make room in the Toys For Tots collection area because they’re expecting seven pallets of toys from Cincinnati on the final week of this year’s collection.
“We need to make room for these toys,” Keoho said. “We’re sorting and processing, and have a bunch of toys ready to ship to the Hanapepe Corps.”
Tuesday was celebrated globally as Giving Tuesday, a day that encourages people to do good.
Tuesday also marked the hot meals day at The Salvation Army Lihu‘e Corps, where up to 80 hot meals are served weekly. The meals are accompanied by offerings of social services from groups such as the Ho‘ola Lahui Hawai‘i team and the Project Vision Hawai‘i Hi‘ehi‘e mobile shower.
On any given Tuesday, The Salvation Army provides social-service outreach programs to hundreds of individuals and families across Hawai‘i. The Salvation Army Hawaiian &Pacific Islands office estimating that statewide it will be providing hot meals and nonperishable food packs to more than 700 people as part of The Salvation Army’s regular outreach.
“We are fortunate to serve those in need in our island communities every day of the year,” said Maj. Phil Lum, the divisional commander of The Salvation Army Hawaiian &Pacific Islands.
“On this Giving Tuesday, as an example, a snapshot into services we are holding includes regular food pantries on each island distributing meals on Kaua‘i, Maui and Hawai‘i Island, and even providing hot showers for homeless individuals on Kaua‘i.”
“Of course, it wouldn’t be a Giving Tuesday without an ask,” Lum said. “Monetary donations to support our programs across Hawai‘i and the Pacific Islands can be made at Hawai‘i.Salvation.Army.org.”
The Salvation Army announced its nationwide 2021 holiday campaign of Hope Marches On by debuting a virtual percussion choir video featuring Polynesian rhythmic influences in a marching cadence utilizing traditional Hawaiian and Polynesian musical implements and hula.
Donna Lynn Loo, the director of the Kaua‘i Retired and Senior Volunteer Program through the county’s Agency on Elderly Affairs, said volunteer drivers had already left the agency after packing about 100 meals destined for homebound, most notably kupuna, from Kilauea through Kekaha.
“We’re doing this as long as the money holds out,” Loo said. “We started this program with the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank, who drops off food once a month. The Kaua‘i RSVP volunteers pack the food and set it up for distribution by the network of volunteer drivers.”
Loo said Kaua‘i RSVP volunteers also help at Nourish Kaua‘i, a program of Crossroads Christian Fellowship, that has, according to its website, provided more than 77,000 meals since the start of its kupuna program in May 2020.
“It’s not just because it’s Giving Tuesday,” Keoho said. “We do this every day.”
Giving Tuesday, according to its website, was born and incubated at the 92nd Street Y and its Belfer Center for Innovation &Social Impact in New York City in 2012. Giving Tuesday has grown and is now an independent nonprofit and a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate and celebrate generosity.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
