Runners begin a 5K run under a blazing sun Saturday morning during Hale Kau Kau’s annual “Stomp Out Hunger” fundraising event in Kīhei.. Now in its 34th year, Hale Kau Kau provides daily meals at its kitchen window at St. Theresa Church and to more than 100 home-bound clients. PC: Joanne OKane
Hale Kau Kau marked the 10th anniversary of its signature fundraiser, “Stomp Out Hunger,” on Saturday morning with runners and walkers raising $140,000 while pounding the pavement in a 5K run and one-mile stroll. The annual event helps support the 34-year-old meal ministry, which provides a daily nutritious meal to people facing food insecurity, including the houseless, elderly and homebound residents of South Maui.
Hale Kau Kau Board Vice President and Volunteer Fundraising and Events Chair Dr. Mary Trotto coordinated the annual “Stomp Out Hunger” with a dedicated crew of volunteers and kitchen staff.
The event drew 185 runners and 53 walkers, she said. Twenty-five registered runners were no-shows, but still contributed to the fundraiser. Also, there were six teams that competed for the Team Cup.
The overall winners in the 5K run were Jake Kaslewicz with a time of 18:27, and Olivia Terwilliger with a time of 20:12. The mixed team from the Four Seasons Resort and Spa took first place. Level Up Fitness placed first in the Men’s Division, and the Maui Ocean Center came away with first for the Women’s Division. The St. Theresa Youth Group took home fist place in the Youth Group Division, the first time that division was featured in the event.
“Runners and walkers alike seemed to have a good event,” she said, expressing thanks to all the participants. “We exceeded our goal by funding 17,000 meals instead of 15,000. All because of your participation in our fundraiser.”
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Program Director Shawn Wallen said the event is one of the ministry’s “major fundraisers for our program.” Participants pay a fee to run the 5K or walk the mile, with different age groups and prize categories for the run, all with the goal of raising funds for the daily meals.
Shawn Wallen, Hale Kau Kau program director. PC: Brian Perry
Based out of St. Theresa Church in Kīhei, Hale Kau Kau literally means “House of Meals.” It was founded in 1991 to offer anyone a daily meal with “no questions asked.” The service has since evolved and expanded its reach beyond the church campus.
“Right now, we’re about it 176 (clients) a day. That includes meals for our home-bound,” Wallen said, noting that they are “actually delivering more meals than we’re serving here.”
Wallen provided a breakdown of 105 to 110 meals delivered daily, with approximately 70 served on-site at St. Theresa Church. Wallen said that for some clients, the Hale Kau Kau offering “is their only meal of the day,” prompting the program to “try to provide a complete, full meal with their main dish and your starch and your fruit, and vegetables and salad and dessert and drinks.”
A ministry of hope and compassion
The Rev. William Kunisch, pastor of St. Theresa Church, called the program “an integral part of everything we do at St. Theresa.”
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“It’s been a part of our ministry for 34 years,” Rev. Kunisch said. “It’s our main outreach effort to the community and really serves to help people care for those most in need, not only those who are houseless, but also the elderly.” He added that the ministry has evolved from only serving on campus to extending services “to those in their home and in need of food for their own well-being.”
Hale Kau Kau Board President Barry Rosenfeld joins Father William Kunisch, pastor of St. Theresa Church, in giving a brief tour of the Hale Kau Kau kitchen at St. Theresa Church to Malia Davidson, executive assistant to Mayor Richard Bissen. PC: Brian Perry
Barry Rosenfeld, president of the Hale Kau Kau board, emphasized the human connection inherent in the work. He said the ministry “means hope for a lot of people.”
“Sometimes we’re the only contact with these home-bound people every single day,” Rosenfeld said. “So bringing hope and care and love to people, because Hale Kau Kau means we serve people with compassion and a love.” He explained that the many people who are food insecure come every evening to the church campus, wanting “just one a meal.”
Volunteer shortages are a daily concern
Though the program receives a significant annual grant from Maui County and partners with the Maui Food Bank, its daily operations are heavily reliant on community support and daily volunteers, especially in such a labor intensive ministry of food preparation and service.
Hale Kau Kau operates with only four employees, two of whom are full-time: Program Director Shawn Wallen and head cook Matthew Andrews. Part-time staff include chef Adriana Ianni and staff member Paige Fontaine.
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“We have such awesome volunteers,” Rosenfeld said, emphasizing that their dedication makes it possible for Hale Kau Kau to feed more than 170 people daily with limited paid staff. Nevertheless, “we run short of volunteers,” he said.
Drivers are the most pressing need. Rosenfeld described how when a driver is unable to make a delivery, Wallen “sends out our last email and text, and she says, ‘We need someone to deliver the South Route tomorrow.’ ” While the community usually steps up, Rosenfeld said “we could sure use another three or four drivers.”
Rev. Kunisch stressed that drivers “are really critical, and especially certain times of the year; we always need drivers.”
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Kitchen and serving staff are also needed. Rosenfeld said the program “could use a little half a dozen to 10 people volunteering in the kitchen.”
He noted that some dedicated volunteers already work extra shifts when needed. “Kathy’s her name. She’s an awesome volunteer, and she has her own two days a week. She works in a kitchen and on top of that, if they need her, another day or two. If they’re short, they’ll call and she comes in,” he said.
Rosenfeld’s long-term vision is to involve the wider community by reaching out to service organizations, church groups and hotels to take on Hale Kau Kau service as a community enrichment project.
“If each one would take one night a month, you know, to cook,” he suggested, estimating the commitment for food preparation, cooking, and serving to be approximately three and a half hours.
For anyone who’d like to make a donation or volunteer to help Hale Kau Kau, visit its website at https://www.halekaukau.org/contact-us.
