HANAPEPE — The unmistakable aroma of Kalua and Cabbage wafted from “Rosie’s Kitchen,” the certified kitchen at the Salvation Army, Hanapepe Corps, pulling residents to register with Corps Assistant Makensy Peiffer, Tuesday morning in Hanapepe.
Bart Thomas, a Salvation Army Advisory Board member, unloaded containers of lunches packed by Ella Kimokeo and kitchen manager Rose Silva and wheeled to the entrance of the Corps for the inaugural Tuesday soup kitchen lunch.
“This is just the second week since we re-opened,” said Captain Shawn Keoho. “I had pneumonia at the end of March, and we had to shut down. Then, since I had pneumonia, they tested me for COVID-19. All this time, I couldn’t do anything. As soon as I got my doctor’s clearance, I called Rose and we got back to work. I was stressing — I gotta feed my people!”
The soup kitchen is just one of the programs that increases the Salvation Army’s food distribution program from three days a week to five days a week.
“On the average, we were servicing about 200 people a week at three times a week,” Keoho said. “Now, we’re adding two more days so who knows how many people will benefit.”
The week starts Monday when the Salvation Army, Hanapepe Corps offers a hot meal and packages of hygiene products from 5 p.m.
“Last night, we did about 68 dinners,” Keoho said. “And, the hygiene products for people who wanted them. Health is very important — especially now — we do a lot of cleaning and sanitizing so everyone is safe.”
Tuesday marked the start of the soup kitchen hot meal that started at 11 a.m. The hot lunch meal is also provided on Wednesday and Friday at the entrance to the Hanapepe Corps.
“We’re also delivering groceries, including rice, to kupuna in Kekaha after lunch,” Keoho said. “We have a new van that was donated to us by a Kaua‘i company. We use that to help deliver, and starting Saturday, the van will be used for outreach, driving around the island to offer a hot meal and groceries to families that are in need of some help.”
Additionally, Keoho distributes groceries on the third Wednesday of each month.
This Saturday, the van will be located at the Kekaha Menehune Mart parking lot from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with hot meals being served.
“We’ll be in a different location every Saturday,” Keoho said. “We plan on visiting the homeless camps set up by the mayor.”
Thomas, in a letter to the TGI editor, said “Capt. Shawn Keoho is a superstar, in my books.”
“The Hanapepe Salvation Army has been dealing with challenges,” Thomas said. “Ever since COVID-19, Keoho had to close the Thrift Store that was a major source of resources to fund the soup kitchen and other food distribution programs.”
Those challenges couldn’t stop Keoho’s drive “to feed my people.”
Thomas, a member of several Kaua‘i veterans organizations, said the veterans stepped in to help with some financial contributions.
“Mahalo, veterans!” Thomas said. “Mahalo, too for your support — the Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort, the Koloa Landing Resort, the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank, the Safeway at Hokulei Village, and everyone for helping the captain ‘feed my people.’”
Keoho was not done, yet.
“We have packages for the keiki, too,” she said, rushing off to grab several bags from the dining room turned storage facility. “Sometimes, keiki come with their parents, but they just wait in the car.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
