Lihu‘e Hongwanji Mission collects for food bank
KAPAIA — When a person wants to help, it does not matter what size it is, said Wayne Fujioka of the Lihu‘e Hongwanji Mission Saturday during the church’s Rice Roundup drive benefiting the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank.
“They want to help,” Fujioka said. “That’s the most important thing. Everything counts.”
A good flow of cars rolled through the church’s parking lot, where volunteers, observing COVID-19 safety and health rules, unloaded rice contributions before the motorists exited through the minister’s garage.
The KIFB is doing a small food distribution to go along with the Kapa‘a Interfaith Association’s Thanksgiving Luncheon, both for its home deliveries as well as drive-thru pick up, stated a radio announcement for the Rice Roundup.
Lihu‘e Hongwanji, one of eight participating churches in the KIA Thanksgiving meal, triggered the rice drive as a means to help the KIFB as well as the community during the unprecedented times created by the pandemic.
The church’s original goal of 100 bags was surpassed many times over as cars flowed through the parking lot.
“The cutoff for monetary contributions was Wednesday,” Fujioka said. “This morning, we converted the monetary contributions to rice through the help of Times supermarket, who offered us the rice at sale pricing. That helped us a lot, as we started with more than 75 bags. I hope that when the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank comes to pick up on Monday they have a big truck.”
The KIA Thanksgiving Luncheon has also been recipient of other grants and aid from participating churches and service organizations like the Lions Club.
•••
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.