KAUMAKANI — Marisa Valenciano is hoping the funding does not dry up Wednesday at the West Kaua‘i United Methodist Church in Kaumakani.
“This food delivery for kupuna in the Kaumakani and Pakala camps is supposed to happen every month for a year,” Valenciano said. “But it’s all dependent on having the funding.”
Valenciano is co-chair of a committee established by the West Kaua‘i UMC along with John Langaman for the program that launched Wednesday when church volunteers, including Pastor Nafetalai Teaupa and representatives from the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank and Gay &Robinson met to pack food items.
Langaman said the families receiving the food packages have already been contacted ahead of time, and deliveries will be made with minimal contact with the recipients.
“The families told us where to put the food,” Langaman said. “They know when the food is going to be delivered, and we won’t be making contact with them.”
Quoting scripture, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus,” Philippians 4:19, Teaupa said this is an outreach effort by the West Kaua‘i UMC.
“We’re still doing outreach,” Teaupa said.
Wednesday marked the first delivery of a year-long partnership program between the West Kaua‘i United Methodist Church, Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank and Gay &Robinson, where volunteers will package the food, including freshly harvested produce, and deliver to registered families in the Kaumakani and Pakala camps.
The next scheduled delivery to the camp families will take place on the last Wednesday in March.
Among the piles of food, a pile of supplies escaped the hands packing for the home deliveries.
“These are the supplies for malasada Tuesday that’s coming up March 1,” said Becky Komaki, the chef for malasadas and other goodies prepared by the West Kaua‘i UMC.
“This is enough for what we would do on a Friday night at the Waimea Town Celebration ho‘olaule‘a. But we’re not doing the ho‘olaule‘a this year, so we thought we would make this for malasada Tuesday as a fundraiser for the church’s outreach programs.”
People are able to drive thru for pickup — if we have any extras — starting at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday.
“We had it up for pre-orders,” Komaki said. “But we had to close the pre-orders after we reached our quota of 200 bags. Thriftymart across the street said this year they’re only working on orders. If we have extra, people can have those, but I want to be home by noon.”
Malasadas will be distributed as a baker’s dozen, with the 13th malasada being a special flavor.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
