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Putting Two and Two Together: Kaua‘i’s COVID-19 Food Distributions For Kekaha on Kaua‘i’s West Side, like many communities in Hawai‘i who rely on tourism, COVID-19 presented a destructive economic storm. First, the restaurants began to close, cutting off crucial income for Kekaha’s fishermen. Then the island’s eight Sunshine Markets, where local farmers sold their produce to residents and visitors alike, were temporarily shut down too. Hotels and flights followed suit, sending Kaua‘i County’s unemployment rate skyrocketing from a rosy 2.3% in early March to 34.4%. The specter of food insecurity for many loomed on one side—and on the other, there were food producers and providers who were no longer able to feed people. But the community organization E Ola Mau Na Leo O Kekaha (Forever Live On, the Voices of Kekaha) also saw an opportunity. With funding from the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, and in partnership with the area’s vibrant community churches, the organization began with fish, purchasing catches of ono, koshibi (bigeye tuna), and akule from local fishermen and distributing them safely to residents in need.
These days, the volunteers of E Ola Mau have fallen into a rhythm. Food distributions happen once or twice a month, depending on available funding. Ruiz is glad to be able to meet many objectives at once — to feed the community, particularly k–upuna, and support small businesses all at once.
Volunteers including Mayor Kawakami of Kaua‘i County (center, red shirt), ready to distribute food..
The first distribution on April 1 fed more than a thousand people. Although they had started with church lists, members of E Ola Mau fanned out among the community, knocking on doors, to make sure that everyone received food. With further resources from Hawai‘i Community Foundation, the program expanded to farmed produce that had originally been destined for the Sunshine Markets, and finally to hot meals, prepared by local restaurants. Recent produce
distributions have been a rainbow that might include M–anoa lettuce, eggplant, papayas, bananas, sweet potato, string beans, pak choi, green onions, cabbage, cucumbers, or radishes. The first hot “Grab & Go” meal was meatloaf, prepared by Obsessions Cafe. They started with 250 hot meals, says John Ruiz, President of E Ola Mau, but had to more than double that number to keep up with demand.
How long can they keep this up? Although the Sunshine Markets are gradually beginning to reopen, says Ruiz, “we see this thing continuing at least for another year”—maybe even two. E Ola Mau and its collection of volunteers are ready.
Did You Know: Per distribution, E Ola Mau facilitates the provision of 500 – 550 “Grab & Go” hot meals, 400 bags of produce, and 450 bags of fish. Each bag will feed about three people. Although the food is meant for the people of Kekaha, says Ruiz, “we don’t turn away nobody.”
To learn more about HCF’s support of the coronavirus response effort, visit HawaiiCommunityFoundation.org/Coronavirus