by Jake Evan Glasser, Special to Ka ‘Ohana
Help Is On The Way is a non-profit organization that delivers food, drink and even medicine to those in needon O‘ahu. Created in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteers can now join the organization at its food bank or as drivers for its delivery service.
The non-profit was started by Gregory Kim, a lawyer and entrepreneur who was concerned that kūpuna or elders were unable to leave their homes to get what they needed during the pandemic.
“There was lots of chatter but no action, so I decided to find people who were willing to help,” he said.
He began by creating a Facebook page, seeking out others who shared his concerns. He then approached the Honolulu City Council to work out the legal details for founding a food bank and delivery service.
Within the first week of promoting the group online, Kim received messages from more than 300 people expressing interest in volunteering. According to Kim, this was “a clear indication that this project had a lot of potential.”
Less than a year after its inception, Help Is On The Way has over 70 drivers that have volunteered for deliveries, according to its website. In addition to its door-to-door delivery service, the organization also distributes food via to families every Saturday at the Nā Kūpuna Makamae Center at 653 Ala Moana Blvd. from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Help Is On The Way takes no monetary donations. All the work is volunteer-based. Kim said he plans to continue the work even after the COVID-19 pandemic and hopes to expand the organization’s reach to other islands, possibly even other states.
The organization is looking for new volunteers. Those interested can apply at hihelpisontheway.org or by calling its service center at (406) 426-1013.
