Volunteers eager to make a difference

By Mary Kaye Ritz
Advertiser Staff Writer

•	Ways you can help • Make a Difference Day, (800) 416-3824 or usaweekend.com • To find out about local efforts, call the clearinghouse at the Voluntary Action Center: 536-5006.

Joining the Order of Odd Fellows, a philanthropic organization dating back to 1846, are sorority sisters past and present, teens from the Kaiser High Key Club, Iolani students and alumni, folks from the 25th Infantry Division (who won a $10,000 prize last year for their Make a Difference Day activities and donated half the money to the food bank) and assorted others who've already signed up for three-hour shifts.

Shayleen Teixeira plans to help out, as she has for the past several years: "It'd be bad if I didn't show up," the event coordinator said. "Not only that, it's a lot of fun."

Make a Difference Day was created in 1990 by editors at USA Weekend and is held in partnership with newspapers and the Points of Light Foundation.

The food bank's annual Make a Difference project is set up in a warehouse at the Kapalama Military Reservation.

Two shifts of 100 volunteers each will work an assembly line to create "food pantry boxes." In each box will be cans of tuna or meat, entree of some kind (e.g., chili, Spaghettios), vegetables, fruit and juice, and a package of dried beans. Finished boxes weigh 25-30 pounds and feed a family for three to five days, depending on family size. The food bank yearly makes about 20,000 pantry boxes; Saturday's project puts out 5,000 of them. The boxes are then given to agencies ranging in size from a little church pantry to the giant Catholic Charities organization.

Polly Kauahi, director of special events and volunteer services, said the Hawaii Foodbank already filled its quota of volunteers for this year's project, "but there's always next year."

"What may happen is we have close to 300 people," Kauahi said. And, "we did not publicize this at all."

Though the assembly line can hold only so many volunteers, "we'll have some Plan Bs" for the others who already signed up, she said. Alternate assignments include repairing the grimy warehouse and painting food-drive signs.

But she hopes just 200 people come to the site: "Volunteers want to feel they've accomplished something." If the project is overstaffed, she said, those on the periphery may not feel as if they've contributed.

"There are other projects going on that day where people can really make a difference," Kauahi said. "The Voluntary Action Center (see box) is a great resource for people who want to help."

And if feeding or helping the hungry is where your heart is, Kauahi advised people to plan their own neighborhood food drives. "Raise food for us and bring it to us," she suggested. The food bank has pamphlets available on how to do a food drive. Call 836-3600.