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HALE KAU KAU: Continuing to Serve the Community Amid Pandemic
For almost 30 years, Hale Kau Kau has been a vital part of our local community, feeding the hungry, needy and homebound of South Maui. As we all struggle with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hale Kau Kau (HKK) continues to serve as a light in darkness. Thanks to the generosity of two donors, the program has recently acquired a new van, which has allowed them to more efficiently pick up and transport food donations.
“We rely on donations, and so we use our van primarily to do pickups from our many partners who want to donate food, but don’t have a means to get it to us,” says HKK Program Director Jeff Naumann. “Our old van broke down, and we had to take it in to the shop — also, that vehicle had not been sufficient for a while. Without a vehicle to pick up the food, we don’t have a way to serve anybody.
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“We’ve had the new van since May, and just had our logo put on the side,” he adds. “It was dedicated and blessed this past month. It is a Ford Transit E250 cargo van, and it is big enough to stand inside when you’re loading it up. I want to thank Don and Kris Wilson, who purchased the van. Our co-founder, Kathy Worley, is a good friend of the Wilsons, and she encouraged them to help us out.”
HKK takes donations from various partners on the island, including the Maui Food Bank, Safeway, Whole Foods and Feed My Sheep. Each week, HKK picks up 3,500 pounds of food from the Maui Food Bank alone, including fresh fruits and vegetables, canned goods, meat and protein items, and baked goods.
“We determine our meals for the week based on what we are able to find there, and what our other partners have available,” Jeff says.
Although meal deliveries are made by volunteers in their own vehicles, the van could also be used for that purpose in a pinch.
Since coming on as director, Jeff has gotten an up-close perspective of how programs like HKK have been vital for individuals amid the chaos and isolation brought by COVID-19.
“What I like about what we do is that we don’t have any kind of restrictions about who can eat here,” he says. “If you show up with a shirt and shoes and are willing to wash your hands, we will feed you. Here on campus, we are very careful about masks and gloves for people handling food, washing hands all the time, and staying socially distanced when standing in line. We make sure people are following directions, and we have a sink and soap for people for before and after they eat.
“We also provide meals for the homebound and for those who can’t get out,” he adds. “Sometimes it is the only meal they get, and sometimes the delivery drivers are the only human contact they get. We are the basic foundation of life for a lot of people out there. If you look at Matthew 25, you can see why we do what we do — because Jesus says, ‘Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’”
Since Hale Kau Kau relies on donations, fundraisers have been an important part of that. Due to the pandemic, annual fundraisers had to be canceled. As a result, Jeff has had to get creative and look for different ways to raise funds for the program.
“I’ve done radio interviews, we’ve done virtual fundraisers, and we’ve reached out to those who have donated in the past,” Jeff says. “The Hawaii Community Foundation has been very supportive, and the United Way has recently sent us some funds. Honestly, our parish members at St. Theresa have been very generous to help us keep this thing running. We really appreciate their support.”
