LIHU‘E — Clyde Furumoto is a Kaua‘i Senior Corps Retired Senior Volunteer Program volunteer who turned out Wednesday at the Pi‘ikoi Building breezeway.
“I help deliver some of the produce to kupuna,” Furumoto said. “When I knocked on one door, the guy looked at me and said, ‘Hey, you’re one of us.’”
The USDA produce box is delivered to kupuna weekly to different parts of the island as a collaborative effort between ‘Aina Ho‘okupu O Kilauea and local farmers, the Lili‘uokalani Trust, the county’s Agency on Elderly Affairs, and the Kaua‘i RSVP volunteers.
“Kaua‘i RSVP started this six weeks ago,” said Kaua‘i RSVP director Donna Olivas Kaohi. “This marks the end of the first round.”
This is a separate program from the Kokua Kupuna program that is coordinated between the county, the Hawai‘i Foodbank, Kaua‘i Branch, and Malama Kaua‘i.
Kaohi said each week’s delivery goes to a different section of the island, Wednesday’s load going primarily to the Westside and South Shore. There are routings to accommodate the North Shore and Eastside as well as the Central area.
The Agency on Elderly Affairs and the Kaua‘i RSVP offices have been subject to changes in Standard Operating Procedures since June 16 in order to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Kaua‘i from the potential spread of the COVID-19.
People with appointments should call 241-4470 and wait in the Pi‘ikoi breezeway until someone comes to get you. Face masks are required and the office adheres to the social distancing protocol set up by the Administration.
The Agency on Elderly Affairs will perform Senior ID picture taking by appointment only at 241-4470, and will also field questions on Medicare enrollment.
Kaua‘i RSVP matters should be directed to 241-4479 where a representative will respond within 48 hours of the call. People may also email rsvp@kauai.gov.
