Hale Kau Kau Volunteers and Staff
Auntie Marie stood before the lunch group explaining the inner workings of Hale Kau Kau, “We feed everyone – and there are many more people on Maui than you imagine who need food. People get their hours cut, they still need to feed their families. They turn to us. People who have had surgery or are sick and can’t get out –we bring food to them. Folks with illness or lacking funds; we make sure they are fed.” I looked down at my half-eaten platter of food at Duke’s, the picked-at fries and nibbled-on bread and felt almost ashamed. How can you hear these stories and not get involved?
Hale Kau Kau was officially established by a group of Founders back in 1991. Building upon an already active “feeding program” they convinced the pastor of St. Teresa’s to let them use the Church’s facilities to expand their food program for the poor, the shut-in, the sick, and struggling members of the community.
Hale Kau Kau Crew
Today Hale Kau Kau is operated primarily by a robust group of hundreds of volunteers aided by a formal kitchen manager and part-time helper. Funds are generated by fund raisers, private donations and a county grant, enabling the program to serve 60 people via meals on wheels daily, and another 100-120 on site dinners. The group also distributes emergency food boxes to people in crisis and, of course, special meal programs on holidays. This St. Patrick’s Day featured corned beef and cabbage, as an example.
How does Hale Kau Kau manage to serve so many with so little? I asked kitchen director, Marie Osaki who explained she shops very wisely, and accepts donations from “boat people,” hotels, caterers and anyone else who contributes food stuff and supplies to the program. She also shops the Maui Food Bank and admits she’s an exceptional food economics manager when it comes to laying out menus.
The program is in the midst of partnering with another care giving agency that will help lighten the load of meal delivery and aid Hale Kau Kau in expanding their services. They currently partner with the Maui Culinary Academy by allowing future chefs to experience on the job training in exchange for kitchen operation support.
At Last Year's Golf Tourney
Who are all these stalwart volunteers so devoted to feeding South Maui’s hungry? Anyone and everyone in the community, including many energetic snowbirds, as Marie calls the many instrumental part-time residents who plan their visits to Maui around Hale Kau Kau’s fundraisers. Not content to spend their time on Maui as idle observers, they dig right into the community helping to make things better. These are the sort of “visitors” we love to hear about!
The 11th Annual Hale Kau Kau Fundraiser was held last month at the Wailea Marriott. The theme, Music for the Soul, featured headliners Willie K, Joe Cano, Island Stylin’, and other top Maui entertainers along with an elegant dinner, silent and live auction with professional auctioneer on board to raise much needed funds. At only $75/pp the tickets sold out quickly, needless to say.
Please visit Hale Kau Kau’s website http://www.halekaukau.org/ and have a look at all is entailed to help feed those who would otherwise be hungry on Maui. Hopefully you’ll feel the urge to pitch in and help with such a great cause. Phone 808-875-8754, for the volunteer hotline or to be part of their mailing list.
