Ho'Okipa Kauai Food Pantry Faces Disaster After Devastating Flood
Last April 11-12, 2024 the island of Kauai experienced a catastrophic flood that left a trail of destruction to residences and businesses. The island, known for its lush landscapes and pristine beaches, was hit by a powerful storm system that dumped an unprecedented amount of rainfall in a short period of time.
The heavy downpour caused rivers and streams to overflow their banks, leading to widespread flooding in many areas. The Wailua River overflowed its banks by 23 feet, completely submerging and devastating the town of Ho`omana. The Ho'Okipa Kauai food pantry is the facility that primarily serves the homeless in the area has suffered a great deal of loss. A massive amount of food, estimated at 2-3 tons, had to be discarded due to spoilage from the flooding. The double freezer that was used in connection with the meals program landed on its back, and the other two were knocked off-kilter.
Our community facility is in the process of recovering from a devastating flood that caused major damage to our commercial refrigeration units. We are currently awaiting an official inspection to assess how much of the equipment can be salvaged. If the worst-case scenario occurs and all the units are deemed a total loss, it would cost nearly $20,000 to fully replace them.
In the meantime, our dedicated staff and volunteers have been working tirelessly to clean and sanitize the entire facility. Thanks to their hard work, we were able to serve 80 participants on April 19th.
However, there is still a long road ahead as we work to get the facility fully operational again. Donations from the community would be greatly appreciated to help us recover from this setback and continue serving those in need. Every contribution, no matter how small, will make a difference.
If you are able to help, you can proceed to make a secure online donation here on our website. Together, we can rebuild and emerge stronger than ever.
Thank you for your support during this challenging time. With your help, we will get through this and continue fulfilling our mission for many years to come.
Kommentare