Kaʻū News Briefs June 10, 2024

KAʻŪ RESIDENTS CAN STILL SIGN UP FOR FREE SUMMER FOOD through Kaukau 4 Keiki. In Pāhala, registration is still open with 118 signed up and a cap of 125. Nāʻālehu has 175 with three spaces left. Ocean View has about 60 signed up. The sign up link is 

    The free food program runs in Kaʻū and Volcano from June 19 through July 25. Vibrant Hawai'i administers the program across the island for 5,000 recipients at 32 locations.

    For Kaʻū, the Vibrant Hawai'i website lists the pick up days and sites as Wednesdays at Volcano School of the Arts & Sciences from noon to 3:30 p.m., at Pāhala Hongwanji from noon to 12:30 p.m., and at Nāʻālehu Resilience Hub from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The free food pick up at Ocean View is at St. Jude's Church on Thursdays from 11 a.m to 1 p.m.
    There is no selection of individual families by need. All of Kaʻū is considered low income with free school meals for all students. According to USDA guidelines, any family getting free meals when school is in session can apply to sign up for Kaukau 4 Keiki unless getting free USDA meals elsewhere during the summer break.
    The online registration form notes that "Space is limited and filled on a first come, first served basis, using the timestamp of when my registration was submitted" online.
Kaukau 4 Keiki is a U.S. Department of Agriculture free summer food program that seeks to provide nutrition that many children need and routinely receive during school through free school breakfast and lunch programs. Keiki can be up to 18 years of age, up to 22 for the disabled.
    Families who miss any two pick up days during the summer program will have their names removed and their food given to families on the waitlist. Those who don't arrive during the pickup time will also have their food given to families on the waitlist.
    The online application requires families to agree to "not receive summer meals from another USDA Summer Meal program, such as Summer Fun or DOE meal sites; this is considered 'double dipping' and is against USDA rules and regulations."
    The food baskets include shelf stable and fresh foods with menus.‘O KAʻŪ KĀKOU'S 2024 Nāʻālehu Independence Day Parade is accepting entries for the event, Saturday, June 29 at 11 a.m. along Highway 11 in Nāʻālehu. OKK is looking for businesses, churches, organizations, paniolo on horseback, classic car, truck and bike riders, coffee farmers and individuals who would like to be in the parade. The after-parade event will be at OKK's market grounds. Call or text Lee McIntosh 808-854-7846 to enter the parade.