Turkey Day is on its way. To help ensure local families have a place to stay and food to enjoy this Thanksgiving, four nonprofits are continuing their tradition of giving back. Here are some resources for Nov. 27:
Giving Hope Hawaiʻi
What: Thanksgiving turkey distribution for the first 400 families who sign up. One meal per household. Details.
When: Saturday, Nov. 22, from 8 a.m. to noon
Violette Ishikawa, who runs the small operation that helps the hungry and needy on Oʻahu’s East Side, previously told Aloha State Daily that local companies and organizations, including the Hawai‘i Foodbank, help make holiday distributions, as well as their monthly ones from Kahuku to Waimānalo, possible.
“This work is a labor of love, and every contribution — whether time, resources, or financial support — directly changes lives,” she told ASD in January.
Ko Olina Charities
What: Ko Olina Resort’s Thanksgiving Outreach aims to distribute 4,000 meals to individuals and families across West O‘ahu. Longtime community partners UPS and Leeward Community College’s Culinary Arts Program have supported the initiative since its inception 26 years ago. Additional partnerships exist with local churches, businesses and nonprofits. Ko Olina Charities is generously supported by contributions from resort operators and residents, public donations and grants. Details.
When: Saturday, Nov. 22
“This outreach is more than a meal — it’s about gratitude, connection and the true meaning of community,” said Sweetie Nelson, director of destination marketing for Ko Olina Resort, in a statement. “For 26 years, our Ko Olina ʻohana has come together with neighbors and friends to share aloha and provide west side families the opportunity to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal together. That spirit of giving and togetherness is what defines Thanksgiving for us.”
Meals on Wheels
What: Malama Our Kūpuna, a Thanksgiving Day Drive-thru Fundraiser. Meal packs cost $250 and feed eight people. Details.
Funds raised will benefit the organization's mission to serve homebound kūpuna. Sponsors First Hawaiian Bank, Par Hawaiʻi, the Pettus Foundation, and The Queen’s Health Systems have offered to match gifts through Thanksgiving, up to $65,000. Note: A gift of just $45 provides one week of meals for a kūpuna in need, according to the nonprofit.
When/Where: Thursday, Nov. 27, pickup at Hawaiʻi Okinawa Center
The Salvation Army and Pacific Islands Division
What: Along with sponsors the City and County of Honolulu and The Salvation Army’s Love Beyond the Holidays donors, the nonprofit will host a hot meal in Honolulu and Thanksgiving meal distributions across four Hawaiʻi counties and Guam.
When/Where: Locations for distributions vary on Thursday, Nov. 27; Annual Thanksgiving Dinner, doors open at 11 a.m. at Neal S. Blaisdell Center Arena. The event is staffed by 800 volunteers to serve 2,000 guests. Details.
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Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.
