HANAMA‘ULU — The Marshallese Association of Kaua‘i sponsored a distribution of cleaning and sanitizing supplies for approximately 100 families from a makeshift distribution point along the crowded Laukona Street.
“That’s about how many people we planned for,” said Jeffery Lathlath, president of the association that features a membership of more than 400 people living on Kaua‘i. “We did get face masks for the families earlier, and we’re planning on doing more.”
The association teamed with the Hanalei River Heritage Foundation to present the drive-by distribution of what Kamealoha Smith of the foundation described as “essential” goods, the packages including toilet paper, bleach, sanitizing wipes and household cleansers.
“We’re just continuing the work we’ve been doing during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Smith said. “We’ve been doing food and meal distributions with other groups.
“This distribution of essential goods is just a continuation of that service. The supplies came from a group on O‘ahu, the Marshallese Community of Hawai‘i. We’re just getting them to the people.”
According to an article in Civil Beat in November, many Pacific Islanders in Hawai‘i, including the Chuukese, Marshallese and Samoan residents, have been getting the novel coronavirus at the highest rates of any ethnic group, based on data from the state Department of Health.
The data was presented during a hearing with Hawai‘i’s advisory group to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission on how some racial groups in Hawai‘i are being unevenly impacted by the virus, the Civil Beat article states.
On Dec. 14, KHON reported that based on DOH data, 26% of COVID-19 cases come from Pacific Islanders even if they only make up 4% of the state’s population.
Chantelle Matagi, DOH lead investigator for the Pacific Island contact-tracing team, said that socioeconomic issues lead to higher COVID-19 cases among Pacific Islanders, such as the types of jobs and multi-generational households under one roof.
“We’re working with the mayor,” said Lathlath. “We worked with him for this distribution, and the Marshallese group even adopted Laukona Park to help keep it clean and safe for the community.”
Smith said there are plans to do more for Pacific Islanders.
“We’re picking up personal-protection equipment locally for a distribution,” Smith said. “We’re also looking at doing another food distribution. Finally, we have a grant pending to start providing mentoring in education to help these children in school.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
