Nearly 500 volunteers mobilized during federal shutdown

This month, as the federal shutdown left households across Hawaiʻi Island facing unexpected uncertainty, communities stepped forward with remarkable speed and care.

There were 14 community-led points of distribution activated across the island, ensuring families — particularly those in remote and underserved areas — had access to food, fuel support, and essential resources. It was a clear reminder that when residents organize together, they can move with an exceptionally organized, scalable response and aloha.

Over three weeks of coordinated effort, these grassroots sites supported 6,000 families, offering fresh, locally grown produce, pantry staples, and grocery and gas cards. Each site was able to reduce transportation barriers and ensure that families could receive support close to home by operating in their own neighborhoods.

Participating sites included:

• Puna Mākaukau — Fern Acres
• Fern Forest Association
• Hawaiian Acres Resilience Hub
• Sure Foundation Church
• Keaʻau High School
• Nani Mau Gardens
• Hui Mālama ʻUlu
• St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church
• Kailapa Community Pavilion
• Kaiaulu O Waikōloa
• Yano Hall
• Honokaʻa Community Complex
• Laupāhoehoe Church
• ʻŌnomea Farm Hub
• Pāpaʻikou Gym

“Volunteers from different parts of our community came together to pack and distribute food without hesitation or questions — just showing up, jumping in, and standing alongside people they didn’t know who shared the same goal, all working to get the job done,” said Mahealani Maikui, Honokaʻa Community Complex site lead.

Nearly 500 volunteers mobilized and contributed over 2,000 hours, strengthening relationships between neighbors, local growers, and partner organizations. The impact of these efforts was felt deeply.

“Words can’t describe how thankful we are for you folks. I had a moment last night where I sat down and cried after opening our refrigerator and seeing it so empty,” one ʻohana shared. “My heart broke when my son asked for something to eat, and I didn’t have anything to give him. I had no idea how we were gonna make it through the week. The sigh of relief I felt today when we picked up our boxes is indescribable.”

Throughout the month, the Aloha in Action webpage served as a centralized online information and resource hub and was accessed over 30,000 times, making it easy for residents to go to one trusted site for accurate, up-to-date details on pop-up islandwide food distributions and newly available financial resources.

Led by generous giving from neighbors in Waimea, the Kohala Coast, and Waikōloa, community donations to Aloha in Action now total $740,377.

“Mahalo nui loa to every Aloha in Action donor who gave so generously—your giving translated directly into meals on tables, fuel in tanks, and urgent relief for families across Hawaiʻi Island,” said Janice Ikeda, chief executive officer, Vibrant Hawaiʻi. “We are also deeply grateful to the foundations whose flexible operational support to Vibrant Hawaiʻi made it possible for us to cover all staff time for this effort, ensuring that every dollar donated went straight to the community.”

Volunteers carved out time after long days to keep their communities supported, donors gave extra money to help their neighbors, growers provided food for families they may never meet, and site leads and community partners stepped up without hesitation.

To read messages from families who received support and to learn more about the impact of the work, visit the Aloha in Action website.