Salvation Army Update on Evacuations: 9,032 Meals Served

The Salvation Army announces that Emergency Disaster Services [EDS] personnel and volunteers are supporting those affected by the Puna lava flow with meal coordination, hydration, and emotional and spiritual care at the shelters in Pāhoa, Kea‘au and Puna. In addition, the Salvation Army oversees and staffs a distribution center in Pāhoa near the pool parking area that provides essential items to those in need. Hours of operation are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Food and bottled water donations continue to be directed to the Food Basket, and clothing and other specific requested donations to The Salvation Army’s three Hawai‘i Island thrift stores.

Monday, May 21, 2018 updates:

• VOLUNTEERS – There is a continued need for volunteers to help sort items and staff The Salvation Army’s Distribution Center near the Pāhoa Shelter and to help sort clothing and other donations at the The Salvation Army’s thrift stores in Honoka‘a, Hilo and Kailua-Kona. 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.
• DONATION REQUESTS – Current donations requested for the Distribution Center include: blankets, camping chairs, clothing, cots, flashlights, garbage bags (thick-outdoor), laundry detergent (liquid), mats, pillows, single-burner camp stoves, sleeping bags, tarps (thick), and towels. Any of these items, may be dropped off at any of The Salvation Army’s three Hawai‘i Island thrift stores in Hilo, Honokaa, and Kailua-Kona. Food donations, including bottled water, should be directed to Food Basket, Hawai‘i Island’s Food Bank, in Hilo and Kailua-Kona.
• MEALS – 9,032 meals were served at the shelters between May 9 and May 20. The Salvation Army continues shelter meal coordination and seeks large volume meal donations from local restaurants and certified kitchens [due to health safety food preparation standards]. Contact The Salvation Army at (808) 756-0306.

The public also may support The Salvation Army’s EDS efforts via the following corporate partnerships:

• Bank of Hawai‘i – Bank of Hawai‘i announced that donations to The Salvation Army’s EDS efforts can now be made at any of Bank of Hawai‘i’s 69 branches across Hawai‘i, 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 Hawai‘i disaster relief efforts. Monetary donations will be accepted through May 31, 2018 and will go toward The Salvation Army’s EDS efforts in Hawai‘i, with the opportunity for customers to designate support of either Hawai‘i Island or Kaua‘i relief and recovery efforts.
• First Hawaiian Bank – Aloha for Hawai‘i Fund to support The Salvation Army’s relief efforts for the Kīlauea Volcano Eruption on the Big Island and recovery efforts for flooding on Kaua‘i and in East O‘ahu. Donations can now be made at any of First Hawaiian Bank’s 61 branches located in Hawai‘i, 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 Hawai‘i 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 O‘ahu and Kaua‘i as well as erupting volcano on Hawai‘i island. For details, visit https://hilifehawaii.com/collections/kokua

Previously announced contributions to The Salvation Army’s EDS efforts in Hawai‘i include:Ansaldo Honolulu JV; Bank of Hawai‘i Foundation; Central Pacific Bank Foundation; Enterprise, Alamo & National Car Rental Hawai‘i, Hawaiian Airlines; and Kaiser Permanente.

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 100% of all donations designated ‘disaster relief’ in support of disaster operations.” Visit hawaii.salvationarmy.org for details.