Rotarians raise thousands

HANALEI — A Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay member, Marjorie Bennett, issued a challenge to her fellow club members, pledging to match donations to either the Kaua‘i North Shore Food Pantry or the YWCA housing-assistance program.

In less than a week, $12,000 in donations came pouring in, which Bennett matched for $24,000 to be split between the two causes.

Bennett is a successful financial advisor, a dedicated supporter of women’s causes, and a big-hearted Rotarian with the Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay. At a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay (held via Zoom, of course), she put a challenge to the club in response to what she noted is a real emergency on Kaua‘i.

As Bennett put it, “it’s been over four weeks since folks have lost their jobs. The latest estimate is that Kaua‘i unemployment is moving closer to 50%. Unemployment assistance hasn’t kicked in for many, as the system is overloaded.

“Federal relief from SBA and PPP has been difficult to secure. I am offering the following challenge: To support our KNSFP and the YWCA housing-assistance fund, I will match, dollar for dollar, donations to either of these causes.”

Have you ever listened to some of the mainstream media’s financial pundits, like Dave Ramsey? They talk about having three to six months of emergency funds. When asked about her response to the COVID-19 crisis, Bennett stated, “I have a job and an emergency fund. Growing up in Hawai‘i has taught me that we help each other when it’s needed. This pandemic and its consequences are serious. I’m good with my job, so I chose to share my emergency fund with my community, as they really need it. If not now, when?” she asked.

Another program of the YWCA that Bennett, vocational chair of the Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay, has personally spearheaded, developed and facilitated, is called “Healthy Money Choices.” Healthy Money Choices offers a plethora of financial-empowerment education opportunities to Kaua‘i residents, mostly for free.

From their two-day, twice-a-year “Financial University” to customized classes in finance and even individual financial coaching, these programs are a collaboration between Marjorie A. Bennett, CFA, and the YWCA.

When Kaua‘i began responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was clear that both the Rotary Clubs of Po‘ipu Beach and Hanalei Bay could not hold their annual fundraisers in mid-March, so Rotarian Assistant Governor Ted Faigle created a Facebook group, Rotary Caremongering for Kaua‘i, and since mid-March the clubs have been supporting various causes, businesses and individuals.

Members of the Po‘ipu Beach club help with Kupuna Care program and deliver food to kupuna every Wednesday. The Kaua‘i and Kapa‘a clubs donated grant monies from the Rotary District 5000 (all of Hawai‘i) to the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank. Vicky Masuoka, longtime Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Kapa‘a, and her daughter Maile began making masks to distribute through the community.

Monica Oszust, president of the Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay, has also been making masks and dropping them off at Foodland in Princeville to be given away freely.

“We keep looking for projects that our members can support. We feel grateful to be in a position to help others and certainly during these trying times” said Ozust. “There are so many of our Kaua‘i families in need of food, and we really need to support our food pantries during this unprecedented crisis.”

Rotarians volunteer at two North Shore food banks. St William Church food pantry is feeding staples to more than 500 people over three days every week on the North Shore. Another organization is Kaua‘i North Shore Food Pantry, which also serves families on the North Shore.

The KNSFP was started through the Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay in 2015. Like all food pantries on Kaua‘i and throughout America, the current needs are extraordinary, with so many families out of work.

Rotarians help pack the food on Fridays and, following social-distancing protocols, distribute items to participants one at a time on Saturdays at Anaina Hou Community Park in Kilauea from 1 to 3 p.m. In addition to bags of food, KNSFP also provides personal-care products, diapers and pet food.

Another organization with an urgent need is the YWCA. The YWCA assists clients and families that have been through the YWCA programs with food, housing and safety needs. The YWCA also helps those in the community who are victims of domestic violence. In addition to operating the island’s only family violence shelter, YWCA offers sexual-assault-support services, prevention education and treatment.

YWCA Exexutive Director Renae Hamilton-Cambeilh, said: “There are families who have gone through the family-violence shelter who have lost all their income, and some are concerned about losing their homes. Many of our clients live paycheck-to-paycheck, and during this time of crisis it’s essential that these women do not return to their abusive situation. We need to help them build on the successes that our programs have helped them to achieve.”

The YWCA has recently set up a housing-assistance program to help folks keep roofs over their heads.

Call the YWCA at 245-5959, ext 236, for housing assistance.

Rotarians ask themselves this question, among others, in their five-way test: “Will it build goodwill, better friendships and be beneficial to all concerned?”

Reach out to a Rotarian or club with projects that need support at the Rotary Caremongering on Kaua‘i Facebook group.

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Ron Margolis is a Realtor and secretary of the Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay.