Happy with the food

LIHU‘E — The next food distribution at the Lili‘uokalani Trust site will be on May 7 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., or while supplies last, said Shereen Ho‘opi‘i, the Lili‘uokalani site manager Thursday.

“We’re sandwiched between the church and the Boys &Girls Club Lihu‘e,” Ho‘opi‘i said. “That means we’re doing it on May 7.”

Ho‘opi‘i and her crew of Lili‘uokalani Trust staff and volunteers distributed more than 240 packages of food in partnership with the Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i branch, which also is coordinating a food drive at the Boys &Girls Club West Kaua‘i site.

“We learned from the last distribution,” Ho‘opi‘i said. “We have more food, and Wes Perreira of the Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i branch said if we’re ready early, we start passing out the food so traffic doesn’t snarl.”

Lily Morinaka was one of the earlybirds, getting two bags of assorted groceries before leaving to meet up with a friend.

“I don’t know,” Morinaka said. “I just came and they were passing out the food. Do you want the eggs? I can’t use them. I’m going to meet my friend.”

Ho‘opi‘i said a lot of the people passing through the drive-thru arrangement were still waiting on their first unemployment checks.

“They’re really happy with getting the food,” she said. “And, look at them — they’re so happy to get out and talk to other people.”

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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.