LIHU‘E — Activity at The Salvation Army Lihu‘e Corps bristled with excitement on Tuesday during the Lihu‘e Corps’ normal hot-meals program that was embellished with the addition of additional services for the lunchtime patrons.
“This is just my third day back at work since my injury,” said Capt. Shawn Keoho. “But I need to get back on my feet because it’s going to get busy — especially for the holidays. And you remember Makensy Peiffer from the Hanapepe Corps? Today is her first day here. She’s now at the Lihu‘e Corps.”
The hot-meals program offers anyone in need of a hot meal a place to get meals prepared by Rose Silva, The Salvation Army’s kitchen manager at both the Lihu‘e and Hanapepe Corps.
The hot-meals offering was also enhanced by the weekly Project Vision Hawai‘i Hi‘ehi‘e mobile-shower unit and the Kaua‘i Government Employees Federal Credit Union offering people the chance to sign up for the county’s Rent and Utilities Assistance program. A roving foot unit from Ho‘ola Lahui Hawai‘i offered medical assistance, including responding to a waiting individual who succumbed to the warm morning.
“We usually do between 60 to 70 hot meals in Lihu‘e,” Silva said, interrupting her serving line to tend to the medical issue. “In Hanapepe, we can serve up to 120 meals when we do it.”
The Salvation Army said that as many island residents continue to struggle with the impacts of pandemic poverty, and with just 100 days until Christmas, The Salvation Army Hawaiian &Pacific Islands Division is reaching out early to ask the public to help individuals and families overcome the threat of eviction and keep food on their tables.
“With the ongoing pandemic and the ending of various federal and state programs, we anticipate requests for service to increase during this holiday season,” said Maj. Phil Lum, the divisional commander of The Salvation Army Hawaiian &Pacific Islands Division.
“With the public’s generosity, The Salvation Army will continue to provide help and hope to thousands of individuals and families in need throughout the islands.”
Some of that help involves The Salvation Army partners like the County Rent and Utilities Assistance program that enrolled five possible applicants in less than an hour since the KGEFCU representatives set up their tent that accommodated a client’s mother dog and five puppies that were available for adoption.
“I spoke with Lenny Rapozo, the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall manager, about Thanksgiving, when we expect to serve out about 600 meals in a drive-thru format,” Keoho said. “We’re counting on the support of Gaylord’s (now called The Plantation House at Kilohana) as in the past. And, I do need to contact Capt. Rod Green about this year’s Toys For Tots campaign. I need to be on my feet.”
Some of the ways people are able to help those in need, especially during the holidays, include enlisting in Love’s Army with a sustaining gift of $25 a month, visiting the hawaii.salvationarmy.org/volunteer and signing up to volunteer at a Red Kettle money-collection site, or distributing Angel Tree gifts to children in need.
The Salvation Army is applying national safety protocols at all Red Kettles to ensure the safety of bell-ringers, donors and partners. People can also provide new toys and clothing through The Salvation Army Angel Tree for keiki and families in need.
Other ways to help include donating digitally with Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and Venmo at a Red Kettle, donating cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, asking Amazon Alexa to donate by saying, “Alexa, donate to The Salvation Army,” and then specifying an amount, and giving any amount by texting “KETTLES” to 51555.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
