How You Can Help: May 11 Update: Fraud Alert

Needs continue for large volume meal donations and volunteers on Hawai‘i Island.

The Salvation Army has released updates for May 11, 2018.

The Salvation Army is hearing reports that individuals identifying themselves as gathering items for The Salvation Army have been going to local businesses on Hawai‘i Island requesting assistance and donations for the Puna lava flow response effort.

The Salvation Army is not soliciting in-kind or monetary donations in this way.

Should any businesses or individual have any questions about the validity of a request, contact The Salvation Army at (808) 756-0306.

To donate to The Salvation Army’s EDS efforts, visit hawaii.salvationarmy.org or visit one of the corporate partners listed below. One-hundred percent of the donated funds will support The Salvation Army’s emergency disaster services in Hawai‘i.

JUICE BOXES, BOTTLED WATER AND FOOD DONATIONS Juice boxes and kid-friendly food items are requested along with the continued requests for cases of bottled water and food donations. Donations may be made at Food Basket, Hawaii Island’s Food Bank, at 40 Holomua St. in Hilo and 73-4161 Uluwini Place in Kailua-Kona. For details, call (808) 933-6030.

MEALS SERVED Mahalo to New Hope Hilo, Panda Express, Arise Church Hilo and Meadow Gold for their food donations and volunteers for meals at the shelters on May 9 and 10.

MEAL DONATIONS The Salvation Army continues to seek large-volume meal donations from local restaurants and certified kitchens (due to health safety food preparation standards) for meal service at shelters. Contact The Salvation Army at (808) 756-0306.

VOLUNTEERS Additional volunteers are needed to help sort through expected clothing donations at The Salvation Army’s thrift stores in Honoka‘a, Hilo and Kailua-Kona. For additional details and to sign up to volunteer, visit hawaii.salvationarmy.org and click on the “volunteer” option button on the main page. Current volunteer opportunities can be viewed by entering a local zip code by island.

CLOTHING VOUCHERS The Salvation Army is providing clothing vouchers for those impacted by the current lava flow. Vouchers are being distributed this week at the RIAC in Pahoa at Sacred Heart Church and at any future disaster RIACs that are established.

Previously announced contributions to The Salvation Army’s EDS efforts in Hawaii include:
• Bank of Hawaii Foundation – $12,500
• Central Pacific Bank Foundation – $20,000
• Enterprise, Alamo & National Car Rental Hawaii – $5,000
• Hawaiian Airlines – $50,000

Previously announced partnerships include:
• Bank of Hawaii – Bank of Hawaii announced that donations to The Salvation Army’s EDS efforts can now be made at any of Bank of Hawaii’s 69 branches across Hawaii, the West Pacific Region and American Samoa.
• Central Pacific Bank – Central Pacific Bank announced its 35 branch locations will be accepting monetary donations to benefit Hawaii disaster relief efforts. Monetary donations will be accepted through May 31, 2018 and will go toward The Salvation Army’s EDS efforts in Hawaii, with the opportunity for customers to designate support of either Hawaii Island or Kauai relief and recovery efforts.
• First Hawaiian Bank – Aloha for Hawaii Fund to support The Salvation Army’s relief efforts for the Kilauea Volcano Eruption on the Big Island and recovery efforts for flooding on Kauai and in East Oahu. Donations can now be made at any of First Hawaiian Bank’s 61 branches located in Hawaii, Guam and Saipan.
• Foodland – “Aloha for Puna & Pahoa” Disaster Relief (The Salvation Army). Customers will be able to make monetary donations at all Foodland and Sack N Save stores and Malama Markets in Hawaii in $5, $10 or $20 amounts beginning May 9. Donations will go towards The Salvation Army’s EDS efforts.
• HiLife – Kokua Collection – A percentage of the proceeds from various HiLife clothing items in their Kokua Collection will be donated to Salvation Army Hawaiian and Pacific Islands division to assist with their relief efforts to victims of recent devastating floods on Oahu and Kauai as well as erupting volcano on Hawaii island. For details, visit https://hilifehawaii.com/collections/kokua
During emergencies, the best way the public can help is to provide monetary donations which allows the delivery of the exact relief supplies a community needs. Plus, The Salvation Army uses one-hundred percent of all donations designated ‘disaster relief’ in support of disaster operations.”
Those wishing to donate food, juice boxes, and bottled water should contact Food Basket, Hawaii Island’s Food Bank. They are located at 40 Holomua St. in Hilo and 73-4161 Uluwini Pl. in Kailua-Kona or call (808) 933-6030.