“We are experiencing a time unlike anything we have experienced before,” notes Mehanaokalā Hind, OHA Community Engagement Director. “We know that this can lead to food insecurity. OHA’s kūpuna meals program was set up to feed the most vulnerable in our communities and to support those organizations, businesses and service providers who have stepped up to fulfill this need.”

Smith is an example of someone who has seen the need and taken steps to fill it. Her regular job is to take care of the daily food requirements of the 32 residents at Lunalilo Home. But since the onset of the pandemic, she has been working seven days-a-week to help make sure that other kūpuna are also getting nutritious meals. With funding from OHA, Smith has been preparing a about 2,200 additional frozen and hot meals per week, meeting the nutritional needs of nearly 500 kūpuna in addition to the residents at Lunalilo Home, and partnering with Hawai‘i Meals on Wheels for delivery. Said Smith, “As long as OHA can finance these kūpuna meals, they will. I appreciate that OHA is stepping up.”

Not only does Smith prepare thousands of meals a week, she customizes the meals based on the individual dietary needs of the recipients, preparing special recipes in six categories, such as low sodium, low sugar and even pureed food. To the extent possible, Smith is also utilizing fresh, locally grown ingredients in her meals.

Smith also pitches in to kōkua her son, Kaneala Smith, who runs Hale Kealoha’s ‘Āina Hau‘oli program. Hale Kealoha is another ‘ōiwi food vendor partnering with OHA and preparing weekly meals for about 300 kūpuna.

The social distancing mandate has been hard on restaurants, and Hale Kealoha is no exception. A large part of their business is from catering, but with all events canceled during the lockdown, they are taking a big hit. “We have zero income coming in,” said Smith about their restaurant. “But instead of crying and saying ‘poor us’ we came up with a plan and moved on. This is about need. It’s our kuleana to feed people.”

In addition to OHA, Hale Kealoha is also partnering with Alu Like and Alexander and Baldwin. They also receive monetary and food donations from ordinary people. If you would like to help by sponsoring a kupuna in need for $50 a week, email ainahauoli@gmail.com.

“This is about taking care of relationships and the needs of our people,” Smith emphasizes, her voice breaking with emotion. “I get up every day knowing I will make a difference. It’s service more than anything else. It’s about your kuleana. COVID-19 is an awakening to our lāhui about aloha and how you care about your people. Through food I get to be part of this and to use my talent to help.”

The post The Kuleana to Care appeared first on Ka Wai Ola.

Scams are initiated online, or via telephone and text messaging. They include counterfeit product offers, bogus door-to-door tests and virus-related products, warnings you may have been infected, and phony charity donation requests.

“In moments of crisis, we all must be extra vigilant against bad actors who try to take advantage of honest people,” said Attorney General Clare Connors. “Please exercise caution and commonsense in the weeks and months ahead. Don’t let criminals prey on our community.”

“People need to be extra cautious. Don’t provide your personal information to anyone who contacts you by email or phone,” adds OCP Executive Director Stephen Levins.

Federal Stimulus Payment Scam

If you receive any communication from someone claiming to be from the government with a stimulus check for you – do not respond. These scams will likely ask you for your bank account information, social security number, or credit card information or offer to assist in applying for stimulus money. Never open attachments or links in any emails claiming to be from the government.

For the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding the federal stimulus payment, visit https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus.

Cyber Scams

Be wary of all emails claiming to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), and other healthcare organizations, offering to share information about the virus.

Only visit websites with clearly distinguishable URL addresses. Scammers seek to exploit individuals by directing web traffic to similar, but falsely identified, website names where they can provide misinformation or attempt to gain consumers’ personal information or finances in exchange for pandemic updates. Do not respond to emails asking for the verification of personal data, including Medicare or Medicaid information, in exchange for receiving economic stimulus funds or other benefits from the government. Government agencies are NOT sending out emails asking for residents’ personal information to receive funds or other pandemic relief opportunities.

Telephone and Text Messaging Scams

Robocalls have been an ongoing problem for many. While working remotely or responding to a larger volume of phone calls, it may be difficult to ignore calls from unknown numbers.

If you find that you’ve answered a robocall, hang up. Don’t press any numbers. Scammers are calling with offers involving everything from COVID-19 treatments and cures, to work-from-home schemes. The recording might say that pressing a number will direct you to a live operator or even remove you from their call list, but it also might lead to more robocalls.

Similar to email phishing scams, text messages from unknown sources may offer hyperlinks to what appears to be automated pandemic updates, or interactive infection maps. These are just two examples of ways scammers can install malware on your mobile electronic device, putting you at increased risk for identity theft and financial exploitation.

Counterfeit Product Offers & High Demand Goods

Ignore offers for COVID-19 vaccinations and home test kits. Currently, no vaccines, pills, potions, lotions, medications, or other prescription or over-the-counter products are available to treat or cure the Coronavirus disease. This applies to offers made online, in stores, by electronic message, or over the phone. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not authorized any home test kits for COVID-19.

Household cleaning products, sanitizers, personal hygiene products, and health and medical supplies may be offered via online or in-person sellers aiming to capitalize on under supplied or unavailable products. When buying online, be sure to research the seller by searching online for the person or company’s name, phone number and email address, plus words like “review,” “complaint,” or “scam.” If everything checks out, pay by credit card as opposed to debit, and keep a record of your transaction.

Bogus Door to Door Tests and Virus-related Products

Do not answer the door or allow into your home any unknown individuals or business representatives moving door-to-door offering to sell consumer products, medical kits, vaccines, cures, whole-home sanitization, or in-person COVID-19 testing. Contact local law enforcement to report such activities and, if possible and can be done so safely, alert neighbors, particularly seniors, of these concerning door-to-door offers.

Phony Charities & Donation Requests

Unfortunately, scammers take advantage of good will and generosity by creating fictitious charitable organizations. When disasters and life changing events such as the current pandemic occur, consumers need to be cautious as to where donations are going.

Check before you donate. The Attorney General’s website for the charitable organizations is available at https://ag.ehawaii.gov/charity/search.html for guidance.

When giving, always do so by credit card or other secure payment processer. Never give by gift card, wire transfer, or other anonymous electronic payment processer. Always fact-check your source, messages and the businesses you’re engaging with. Never provide personal information or money to those you don’t know or aren’t comfortable with.

For information regarding SCAM prevention, assistance, and up-to-date tips, please visit:

• https://www.ftc.gov/
• https://www.fbi.gov/
• https://ag.hawaii.gov/tax/files/2013/01/540427_11.pdf
• https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0074-giving-charity

If you have any concerns or want to file a complaint, contact the Office of Consumer Protection by calling (808) 587-4272 or online at https://cca.hawaii.gov/ocp/consumer-complaint/.

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By mid-April 2020, the global pandemic caused by the coronavirus had infected more than 2.5 million people worldwide and killed more than 170,000, including more than 40,000 deaths in the United States alone. In Hawaiʻi, more than 550 cases and counting were recorded across the islands, including 12 patients who sadly succumbed to the disease.

As Hawaiian organizations stood up to accept their kuleana and mālama the community in the battle against the pandemic, one thing has become clear: the coronavirus and its COVID-19 disease have been unable to dampen the aloha spirit.

Local entities, groups and individuals have mobilized like a true ʻohana: they’ve created and donated face masks and shields to community members and health professionals alike; produced and donated hard-to-find hand sanitizer; taken wellness and cultural classes online to sheltering-in-place audiences; created Facebook support groups to tackle ongoing challenges; and donated countless meals to the neediest in the community as unemployment runs rampant and the tourism industry has ground to a stop.

It’s been inspiring to witness.

Feeding Our Community

“In a time of crisis, emotions like fear, blame, and worry can easily become the loudest voices within us and around us. Many of us may even feel helpless, seeing only inevitable chaos and confusion,” said KUPU Chief Strategy Officer Jonathan Marstaller. “We can tend toward self-preservation, avoiding collaboration, and powering down our community-focused engine. However, now is the exact moment to exponentially power up and steer in the opposite direction.”

KUPU is Hawai’i’s leading conservation and youth education non-profit, providing hands-on training and national service programs that educate and mentor youth to become stewards of culture and environment. Since March 23, members of the group’s Culinary Program have served up 8,000 meals to families at distribution sites in Waimānalo and Kahaluʻu. At each location, between 350-400 meals have been donated Monday through Friday with pick-up starting at 11:30 a.m.

“We’re doing this because it’s the right thing to do. We have a network of partners for our many programs, and it’s been an amazing thing to see many of them pull together in this time of need. Our primary goal is to feed as many people as possible – and to create or retain as many jobs as possible,” Marstaller added.

KUPU’s partners have put their hearts and souls into the project.

Aloha Harvest is donating food from hotels and businesses; KEY Project and Ke Kula Nui o Waimānalo have taken on the responsibility of the on-site meal distributions; Matson, coordinated by Vince Ching and delivered by Akana Trucking, donated the use of a 20-foot refrigerated container to increase Kupu’s cold storage space; D. Suehiro Electric donated labor to help outfit the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Hoʻokupu Center where the meals are being prepared; Amanda Corby Noguchi and Chef Mark Noguchi with the Pili Group have coordinated the rescuing of food from local businesses; large food donations have come in from Ham Produce and Seafood and Prince Hotel; and The Castle Foundation, Consuelo Foundation and Pacific Current provided funding to get the initiative off the ground.

Marstaller said they have funding for meal distributions through April and are seeking funds to continue the project for as long as necessary. He said as little as $5 can provide a meal. Contact him at jonathan.marstaller@kupuhawaii.org if you’d like to donate.

In a “Mālama ʻOhana” grassroots collective, Hakipuʻu Academy in conjunction with The Hawaiʻi Health and Harm Reduction Center, the Hawaiʻi Food Bank, Uncle Glenn’s Hawaiian Food, Bluelines Solutions Hawaiʻi and Bayview Golf Park came together to help feed the community on April 9 and April 16.

Distribution of non-perishables, fresh fruits and vegetables went out to families, including more than 1,000 adults and 500 children at the April 9 event.

Hakipuʻu Governing Board Chair Kauʻi Pratt-Aquino said the project came together after surveys of families of students attending several schools in the Koʻolaupoko area showed that some families had as little as a one-day reserve supply of food. Pratt-Aquino has been instrumental in facilitating conversations, disseminating the latest information on vital resources and seeking opportunities for others to be actively involved in the needs of the community during this time of distress.

“It has been amazing, simply amazing, to see the beauty and passion of the members of this community who have responded to this call for help,” she said. “We are incredibly grateful for all the organizations and individuals who stepped up to help provide a critical need in our community at a time when families are struggling. People are out of work and their benefits have not reached them, which means people are out of money, so we cannot idly stand by and allow people to be out of food.”

Face Mask Production

Many entities and individuals are creating and donating face masks to help with shortages.

One such group is the Hoapili Baker Foundation, a royal foundation based on the family bloodline and its ties to its Papa Aliʻi, Robert Hoapili Baker, cousin and aide-de-camp to King Kalākaua. The foundation’s mission is to provide educational opportunities to Native Hawaiians, address housing issues and support the ocean environment.

Spearheaded by family members Khanh and Amber Le, the foundation has tapped into a community need where essential workers in the Hawaiian community are looking for masks on a daily basis. The foundation has so far donated more than 5,000 masks – with more being created and donated daily.

They have provided free masks to Wahaiwā General’s Long-Term Care facility, the Queen’s Medical Center, the Kapālama U.S. Post Office and the Honolulu Police Department, along with other medical clinics.

“Because we live on an island and are in close-knit proximity with the community, the response to the COVID-19 crisis is an example of how Hawaiians instinctively respond best – to mālama and help each other,” said foundation Chairwoman and CEO Georgette Baker Luppino. “It’s encouraging to see Hawaiians helping Hawaiians. From a legacy of kuleana, our ʻohana is asking the community in Hawaiʻi to join us in acts of compassion toward others.”

Business, Culture, Entertainment and Engagement

Located in the historic Varsity building in Mōʻiliʻili, Ka Waiwai is a contemporary Hawaiian space where community, culture and commerce intersect. The group promotes well-being through a series of workshops, classes and panel discussions.

With potential audiences and members stuck at home social distancing, Ka Waiwai has pivoted its services to online audiences.

“Prior to COVID-19, ʻAwa & ʻAi was an ʻawa bar experience that featured Molokaʻi grown ʻawa, artisanal paired pūpū and music from some of our most popular and up and coming local artists. We offered a unique pau hana alternative that was health conscious and family friendly,” said Mahina Paishon-Duarte, Waiwai Collective’s managing partner and co-founder. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the organization reformatted ʻAwa & ʻAi 2.0 as a virtual content platform to offer short seven to 10-minute wellness videos that are available to the public and available as an on-demand option for current and new “co-work” members.

In addition, starting in April, Ka Waiwai became a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Box pick up site every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. “This service expands public access to acquire fresh veggies, supports local non-profits and businesses, and continues to advance our company’s vision. We’re proud to partner with MAʻO Farms, Kahumana Farms and Makana Provisions to bring this essential service to the public,” Paishon-Duarte said.

Ka Waiwai currently has more than 300 co-work members and they are now offering a Waiwai Virtual Co-Work membership for an introductory fee of $10. The Virtual Co-Work membership includes unique services and experiences like membership spotlights, curated business and wellness services, and private access on-demand Resilient + Abundant videos. To learn more about their offerings visit their website at waiwaicollective.com.

Like many organizations across the globe, the pandemic and resulting economic slowdown is hurting Ka Waiwai. “We are feeling deep financial impact,” Paishon-Duarte said.“COVID-19 has impacted our revenue generation capacity as we are closed to space rentals and this was an important part of our business model. Like other small businesses and non-profit organizations, we are trying our best to maintain a positive outlook despite the unprecedented uncertainty. It is in times like these that we see that lived values really do matter.”

Despite the struggle, Paishon-Duarte had nothing but praise for the Hawaiian community.

“We are so grateful to all of our front-line workers and community champions. I want to express how proud I am of our kānaka who have stepped up to kōkua kūpuna, keiki, neighbors and the greater community without expectation of anything in return,” she said. “Similar to how we come together to make lūʻau, this moment is where we can share our talents, gifts and resources to benefit all in Hawaiʻi; because if we all give what we can, we will have plenty enough.”

Chief Strategy Officer Marstaller of KUPU agreed. “Now is the time to focus on unity, service to one another, hope, and compassion,” he said. “Now is the time to live out aloha. Now, more than ever before.”

The post Aloha Spirit Immune to the Coronavirus appeared first on Ka Wai Ola.

The Queen’s Hospital

Ma Ka Hana Ka ʻIke, Hana Ola Project

The Hana Ola Project, is a partnership between Ma Ka Hana Ka ‘Ike and The Queen’s Medical Center to reduce the burden of obesity and other cardiovascular disease risk factors among Native Hawaiians in Hāna, Maui. Hana Ola is building community capacity to revitalize health, nutrition and wellbeing through education, physical activity and culturally relevant, community-based programs including lo‘i restoration, organic agriculture, kūpuna assisted living, and ku‘i (the cultural practice of pounding kalo or taro into pa‘i ‘ai and poi).

The Hana Ola Project is based on evidence that community engagement in culturally grounded activities that incorporate traditional values and social connectedness positively impact health and well-being. “At Ma Ka Hana Ka ‘Ike, we have observed real change in Hāna’s health over the years through our partnership with OHA and The Queen’s Medical Center,” said Rick Rutiz, Executive Director of the nonprofit organization. “Changes like keiki falling in love with eating real food to high school students and community members revitalizing their ‘āina-based lifestyles to reconnect with their culture and simultaneously build a healthy community. We believe that by addressing the issue of health and wellbeing in a holistic way we are making systemic change. We are grateful for OHA’s support to impact health in this way in our community.”

“Our collaboration with Ma Ka Hana Ka ‘Ike, a trusted and successful non-profit in Hāna, helps us work more effectively on our shared goal of building community resilience and improving the health of Native Hawaiians throughout the state,” said Todd Seto, M.D., QMC Co-Director Hana Ola Project.

Kualapuʻu Public Conversion Charter School

Project Pūʻolu

OHA Grantee Project Pūʻolu is a school-based, childhood obesity prevention and treatment program that operates at the Kualapuʻu Public Conversion Charter School on the island of Molokaʻi. Currently the project serves 320 students in grades K-6 (283, or 88 percent are Native Hawaiian). The goal of the project is to improve the health of students, families, and the community through an evidence-based approach that engages students and their families in regular physical activity and healthier eating that positively impacts student learning.

Survey data shows that (1) 90 percent of the student respondents said they like having Physical Education classes every day; and (2) students are eating more fruits and vegetables and fewer sugar sweetened beverages. This data shows a positive trend in affecting students’ attitudes and behaviors toward healthy lifestyle choices. Assessments also show a reduction in students’ average body mass index (BMI).

Screening services are also available to the students through the OHA grant. With the help of a community volunteer, 211 students recently participated in vision screening; 11 were deemed in need of glasses.

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HABITAT FOR HUMANITY MAUI

Habitat for Humanity Maui builds affordable housing and renovates substandard housing on Maui and Lānaʻi. Through a grant from OHA, Habitat is providing free Homeownership Education and Financial Literacy classes to Native Hawaiians. During an eight-hour course, participants can work to improve their personal credit score, get help correcting errors on their credit report, and learn how to get their debt under control. The next course will be held on April 7 and 14 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information and to sign up, call Sophie Lee at (808) 242-1140.

HAWAIIAN COMMUNITY ASSETS

In the first six months of the Building Stability in Housing Project, Hawaiian Community Assets has:

• Delivered 27 financial literacy education workshops across the pae ʻāina serving 240 Native Hawaiians.
• 129 counseling sessions have been conducted with 43 Native Hawaiians opening match savings accounts or micro-loans to assist with their housing goals.
• Two Native Hawaiians have successfully achieved the dream of homeownership.
• 14 Native Hawaiians have obtained a rental, providing stable housing for 29 Native Hawaiian children and adults.

Overall, 23% of Native Hawaiians served with education and counseling during the project have improved their financial capacity to rent or own homes by increasing income or savings, improving credit scores, and/or decreasing non-housing debt or debt-to-income ratios. Call HCA at (808) 587-7886 or Toll Free (808) 400-1116.

NĀNĀKULI HOUSING CORPORATION

Through an OHA grant, Nānākuli Housing Corporation is providing financial and homeownership trainings to Native Hawaiian households with low to moderate income. Nānākuli Housing Corporation has hosted three Financial Literacy, Homeownership and Home Maintenance Workshops on Oʻahu covering topics such as credit repair, getting pre-qualified for a home loan, shopping for and maintaining a home. Seven more workshops are scheduled on 4/21, 5/5/ 5/19, 6/9, 6/23, 7/21 and 7/28. Call (808) 520-2607 or email nhc.enrollment@baseyard.com to reserve your seat in the next workshop.

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