Thanksgiving is not just the official start of the holiday season or a day on which people express gratitude for the blessings in their lives. It’s a day on which people express through actions their compassion to those less fortunate.
The Salvation Army will serve Thanksgiving meals today in East and West Hawaii, and according to Lt. Jacob Bratton, the organization expects more than the 700 or so who showed up last year at Aunty Sally Kaleohano’s Luau Hale in Hilo.
“I think we’re going to surpass that this year, getting closer to a thousand,” Bratton said Wednesday. “I think the factors are just what’s happened this year on the Big Island, from the lava flow to Hurricane Lane. There’s a lot of hurt and need in the community right now, more than normal.”
Meals will be served at Aunty Sally’s from noon-1 p.m. today.
“We don’t just provide a Thanksgiving meal. We also do live entertainment the entire time, and we’re also giving away gift baskets and prizes, as well,” Bratton noted.
In Kailua-Kona, meals will be served from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Jackie Rey’s Ohana Grill on Kuakini Highway. Delivery of plate lunches for elderly and shut-ins also is available. Call 326-2330 to request a meal to be delivered.
In addition, the Salvation Army Honokaa Corps delivers Thanksgiving meals to those in need in North Hawaii with the help of community partners and volunteers. To receive a meal, call 333-1248.
Bratton said the Salvation Army expects increased demand for meals today islandwide.
“With these disasters, you have people who have been displaced and who have moved to other spots of the island. They’re still in need. They just moved because they have no house to return to,” he said.
The Food Basket, Hawaii Island’s food bank, and local supermarkets such as Foodland, Sack N Save and KTA Super Stores have contributed to today’s holiday feast. In addition, Hawaii-born superstar Bruno Mars, fresh off three sellout shows at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, made a well-publicized donation so an additional 24,000 individuals throughout the state will receive Thanksgiving holiday meals.
Bratton said the unsung heroes in providing a nourishing meal to those in need, however, have been everyday people.
“We have massive amount of personal donations. We have people coming in and dropping off a turkey, canned goods, all sorts of things. The whole community has stepped up,” he said.
Thanksgiving is just one day a year, though, and the need won’t diminish after today, according to Kristen Frost Albrecht, executive director of The Food Basket.
“We’re definitely in need of additional food this holiday season,” Albrecht said Wednesday. “On average, we’ve seen an increase in food requests 30 percent over last year. What we’re seeing is brand-new people who never had to ask for food before showing up at our agencies and at our warehouse just needing help with their families. And almost everybody has been in some way impacted by the disasters, either directly by losing their homes, or being involved in the tourist industry and losing a lot of those jobs.
“It’s been an islandwide impact, and it’s been so hard for people who are so proud and who have never had to ask for help before.”
Asked about specific needs, Albrecht replied, “What goes out our door the fastest is canned proteins — meat, tuna, chicken. That’s huge for us.”
“Canned meals are another biggie — you know, stews, chili, that kind of thing,” she continued. “We love to get canned vegetables, canned fruit, rice. We also take donations of fresh produce, as long as it’s cleaned and bagged. People love their fresh produce and it’s expensive for them.”
Monetary donations, both to the Salvation Army and The Food Bank, are always welcome, Albrecht said.
“We have been helping disaster-impacted families with supplies — care items and any sort of living situation stuff,” she said. “Financial donations mean that we can meet the needs of each individual.”
Albrecht echoed what Bratton said about the community stepping up to kokua.
“This community has been so full of aloha, in abundance. I think we have the most giving and generous community on this island, especially after these disasters,” she said. “I’m just blown away by all the donations that have come in. I don’t think we’re turning away anybody, because the community’s been so good.”
Albrecht said donations can be made at either warehouse of The Food Basket, 40 Holomua St. in Hilo or 73-4161 Ulu Wini Place in Kailua-Kona.
For more information, call 933-6030 in Hilo and 322-1418 in Kona.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.