Holy Cross food distribution feeds south shore needy

Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island

Scouts Kailee Oyama and Kamalani Goo of Troop 334 sponsored by the Holy Cross Church get bags of groceries ready for distribution, Friday during the once-monthly food distribution at the Holy Cross Church.

Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island

Donna Miller, the Social Ministry Coordinator at the Holy Cross Church, explains distribution logistics to volunteers, Friday during the once-monthly food distribution at the Holy Cross Church.

Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island

The Elder from the Church of Latter Day Saints, Kalaheo Ward takes off the identifying tag while an army of volunteers load food into a recipient’s car, Friday during the once-monthly food distribution at the Holy Cross Church.

Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island

Community volunteers, including scouts from Troop 334 sponsored by the Holy Cross Church, and Elders from the Church of Latter Day Saints load bags of groceries into a food recipient’s car trunk, Friday during the once monthly food distribution at the Holy Cross Church.

Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island

Scout Kyler Konishi and other community volunteers load bags of groceries for a food recipient, Friday at the Holy Cross Church.

KALAHEO — Volunteers prepared for more than 75 families Friday during the once-a-month food distribution at the Holy Cross Church in Kalaheo.

“We used to have a lot more people that needed help during the earlier days of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Donna Miller, the Social Ministry Coordinator at Holy Cross Church. “Right now, we’ve cut back to distribute food just once a month, the first Friday of the month. We average at least 75 families who come to the drive-up event.”

Miller gets help from fellow church members, community volunteers like Troop 334 sponsored by the Holy Cross Church, and on Friday, Elders from the Church of Latter Day Saints, both the Kekaha and Kalaheo wards.

“We have to take time off from work to volunteer,” said Scoutmaster Russell Goo. “That, plus the pandemic inflation leaves little money for food.”

Miller agreed, noting with the high price of gas, pandemic inflation pricing affecting everything, including food, and that people who return to work suffer from reduced hours.

“We’re going to see more people,” Miller said. “There are many more people who wonder where their next meal is going to come from.”

Food for the distribution comes from support from the Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i where Holy Cross sends a team to volunteer at the Puhi warehouse and offices.

“We use the volunteer credits from volunteering to pay for some of the food that goes out with the distribution,” Miller said. “We also get a lot of food from our church volunteers.”

The packing for Friday’s event started last Saturday.

“We have a lot to pack,” Miller said. “The volunteers started last Saturday so the packages would be ready for distribution.”

People get whatever is available, a volunteer said. It depends on what the Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i has available when the distribution date takes place.

Miller said the Holy Cross Church does its food distribution once a month, on the first Friday of the month from 4 to 5 p.m.

“But if anyone is in need of food, all they need to do is contact us,” she said. “We always have something available.”

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