NAWILIWILI – Sure, many lives, homes and businesses would be impacted by a flood or tsunami in the Nawiliwili area. But the loss of the Kauai Food Bank to such a disaster would likely impact far more people, since from
NAWILIWILI – Sure, many lives, homes and businesses would be impacted by a flood or tsunami in the Nawiliwili area.
But the loss of the Kauai Food Bank to such a disaster would likely impact far more people, since from its leased Nawiliwili warehouse and offices the nonprofit entity hands out food that serves over 7,000 hungry Kauaians each month.
For this and other reasons, the Kauai Food Bank is looking for some property in the Nawiliwili area, outside tsunami and flood zones, with enough room for a farming operation, as a permanent site for the facility.
“We need a permanent, disaster-resistant home,” said Judy Lenthall, Kauai Food Bank executive director.
Last year, 1.3 million pounds of food moved through the Kauai Food Bank’s 4,000-square-foot warehouse here, more than in any other year since Hurricane ‘Iniki visited in 1992.
That warehouse sits in a flood zone, and just outside the tsunami (tidal wave) impact zone as delineated in the pages of the telephone book.
So as soon as a suitable location is found, around Nawiliwili but further outside the tsunami zone and away from flood-prone areas, a capital campaign will begin to raise funds for the land and building.
The site must be near the harbor, as the Kauai Food Bank still brings food to the island to feed the hungry.
Searching for a parcel around 2.5 acres in size near the harbor has been more difficult than Lenthall imagined, as the available large parcels are too big, and the small parcels too tiny.
The Kauai Food Bank has a floor plan for its proposed new and permanent facility, and the 2.5 acres of land would allow it to move its Hui Mea’ai farm site, now in Anahola, to an area adjacent to the new warehouse, she explained.
Raising funds for the new building and farm site is not, repeat not, the reason for insertion in today’s newspaper (and the Island Shopper also delivered today to every home on the island) of a paper bag and envelope, part of the Kauai Food Bank’s annual spring food drive.
The bags can be filled with nonperishable foods and taken to any fire station from Princeville to Waimea. Food bank personnel will pick up the food for distribution to the island’s hungry residents through its system of over 100 charitable agencies and nearly 20 neighborhood food pantries.
Attached to the paper bags are envelopes for those preferring to make check donations to the Kauai Food Bank.
In a rate of return a Wall Street stockbroker would find a way to retire on, the Kauai Food Bank is able to turn every dollar donated to it into $16 worth of groceries.
The Kauai Food Bank spring food drive begins today, and runs through Tuesday, April 30. Saturday, April 27 is the Kauai Food Bank Eighth Annual Food Drive Day, with donors encouraged to drop off food or monetary donations at any fire station, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, please call 246-3809, or see the Web site, www.kauaifoodbank.org.
Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
