Maui Rotary Clubs Join Forces to Provide Holiday Lunch to Homeless

The Wailuku, Kahului and Upcountry Maui Rotary Clubs of Maui have pooled their resources and are collaborating with Mental Health Kōkua and Ka Hale A Ke Ola to serve a special “Thanksgiving lunch” for 200 homeless adults in Wailuku, this Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, from 3-5 p.m. at Mental Health Kōkua, located at 105 Market St. in Wailuku.

The event, which is part of the Rotary International’s Day of Service, is working with Mental Health Kōkua to provide special meals for homeless adults with serious mental illness.

“We are blessed,” said Greg Payton, MHK’s CEO, “to have the Upcountry Maui Rotary coordinate this event. Most of the homeless adults with mental illness we serve have no resources, no family, or community support. This special act of kindness is appreciated by the people we serve.” 

“We are coordinating with Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center,” said Payton, “to share this special Thanksgiving gift. MHK directly impacts the lives of more than 100 homeless adults with serious mental illness each year. We see the changes in the lives of the people served to live proud, productive lives, when given the opportunity to begin again.”

“As President of the Upcountry Maui Rotary Club, I was challenged to create a project on or around the Rotary International Day of Service that involved multiple clubs and collaborated with other organizations. I am also challenged with involving many members who cannot make our Friday morning meetings, one of whom is a firefighter and chef, Matthew Paet. When he texted me his available dates and I saw that Nov. 27 was one of them, I knew that we could pull this off. Another member, Naomi Crozier works for Mental Health Kokua and so we started planning this project together,” said Mary Albitz.

Rotary International is an international service organization whose mission is to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.  Rotary’s motto is Service Above Self.  

Mental Health Kōkua’s Mission is to assist people with mental health and related challenges, to achieve optimum recovery and functioning in the community.

Ka Hale A Ke Ola is dedicated to serving the needs of the homeless and hungry on Maui by providing emergency food and housing, voicing their concerns, and empowering them to take responsibility for their own lives and to call on the community to assist in these actions.