LIHU‘E — The Salvation Army Lihu‘e Corps needs some help finding places for people to sit at its Kokua Soup Kitchen. Arnold Leong, acting kitchen manager in Lihu‘e, said the Lihu‘e Corps dining room doesn’t have enough seats for the
LIHU‘E — The Salvation Army Lihu‘e Corps needs some help finding places for people to sit at its Kokua Soup Kitchen.
Arnold Leong, acting kitchen manager in Lihu‘e, said the Lihu‘e Corps dining room doesn’t have enough seats for the clients who take advantage of the thrice weekly meal service.
As he spoke, clients were already filling seats in the dining room to ensure a place to enjoy a hot meal, Tuesday afternoon. For others, they would find seats wherever they could once the meal service started; one lady sat on the floor behind a showcase, a youngster tucked away in a protected corner of the building to escape the cold winds.
“We have a significant overflow,” said Capt. Mitham Clement of the Salvation Army. “It started when the economy went down and it doesn’t seem to get any better.”
Clement said they see new faces not only at the Kokua Soup Kitchen that serves three meals a week, but also at the food pantry where people get food packages.
“As more people keep getting laid off, or their hours cut, they use the Salvation Army food services as an alternative so they can use their resources to take care of rent and other necessities,” Clement said.
The Hanapepe Corps also offers a Kokua Soup Kitchen program where it serves dinner at 5 p.m. Mondays. It also serves lunch at 11 a.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays.
“Hanapepe has also seen a significant rise in their attendance,” Clement said. “They used to average about 35 people at each serving. That number now goes beyond 75 at each serving.”
Leong said at the Lihu‘e Kokua Kitchen, there are about 100 people at each serving, a significant rise from previous servings. Currently, the Lihu‘e dining room has a capacity of about 50 people, but the kitchen does not turn anyone away.
The Lihu‘e Kokua Kitchen serves dinner on Tuesdays starting at 5 p.m. and lunches on Thursdays and Saturdays starting at 11:30 a.m., Clement said.
Leong has a list of needs for the Lihu‘e Corps in order to accommodate the overflow crowd.
At the top of the list are picnic tables so people have a place to sit and enjoy their meals.
“We need at least three picnic tables,” Leong said. “We might be able to use more, but we have other things that need attention.”
Clement said if they can get a contribution of picnic tables, he plans on moving out the small containers so people will have a place to enjoy their meals.
Leong said in addition to the picnic tables, there are four tables used extensively in the kitchen that need refinishing to meet the specifications of the certified kitchen.
“The tops need to be replaced with plywood instead of the current pressed board and once that’s done, it needs to be finished with a coating,” Leong said. “Sure, there are certified tables available, but the money we save from buying those tables, we can use to help feed the hungry.”
Drawing on that statement, Leong said the kitchen can use contributions of bulk food items such as rice, paper goods, hot and cold cups, and dishwashing liquid.
“If people donate these items, all the money we use to buy these things could be used to get food to feed people,” he said.
Additionally, Leong, who stepped in on behalf of kitchen manager Mary McFarland, said the state grant for the Kokua Soup Kitchen will be running out before the summer.
The Lihu‘e Missionary Church is planning a French toast breakfast fundraiser to help raise funds for the Kokua Soup Kitchen, Leong said.
“Right now, we’re talking with some of the culinary people at the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa,” he said. “We don’t have a definite date, but it should be taking place some time in May or June to coincide with the need for funds.”
Clement added that there are churches like the Lihu‘e Lutheran Church that provide volunteers and financial help to keep the Kokua Soup Kitchen operating, but the Salvation Army could always use additional help.
Additionally, the Contractors Association of Kaua‘i has committed to help the program, collecting food from its membership and having Trinette Kaui of A&B Properties deliver the collection to the Hanapepe Corps.
For more information or to contribute to the program, call Rose Silva at 335-5441, or Clement at 245-2571.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com
