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<\/a>Photo Courtesy: The Salvation Army \u2014 County of Hawai\u02bbi (also known as the Hilo Temple Corps) Facebook page<\/p>\nThey and The Salvation Army Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division units statewide also stand ready to serve their communities now as a second kona low in less than as many weeks brings additional, disastrous severe flash flooding and other impacts throughout Hawai\u02bbi.<\/p>\n
Hilo unit staff and volunteers are continuing to welcome houseless seeking shelter from the storms and their impacts to The Salvation Army\u2019s Hilo Overnight Safe Space in the Hilo downtown area. The Hilo Temple Corps also is planning additional meal services while assessments of community needs are ongoing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe see firsthand what the right resources at the right time can do for communities navigating a disaster situation,\u201d said Hilo Temple Corps Officer Capt. Sam LeMar in a release from The Salvation Army Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division.<\/p>\n
That includes the privilege of serving warm meals to families in communities suffering from extended power outages during emergencies, such as N\u0101n\u0101wale and other surrounding communities in Puna following the first kona low.<\/p>\n
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Some of those residents only just had their power restored Thursday, June 19, after a week of being in the dark.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn partnership with the Vibrant Hawai\u02bbi community hubs, we were able to not only serve families who came through for dinner, but also help get meals directly to homes where k\u016bpuna, keiki and families could not leave or didn\u2019t have access to communication due to outages,\u201d wrote the Hilo Temple Corps in a March 17 Facebook.<\/p>\n
What stood out most to those helping give out Domino\u2019s pizzas during the meal service were keiki lighting up with a hot meal after days without power, parents and grandparents relieved to have something warm and ready as well as neighborhoods coming together to care for each other.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is an honor to step in alongside our partners to help meet that need in a practical way,\u201d the Hilo unit\u2019s post says. \u201cThis is what it looks like when we come together for our island.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Salvation Army Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division is positioned to offer the same type of response and more during evolving on-the-ground needs in association with this second kona low.<\/p>\n
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Emergency disaster services are readied for a nimble response to meet ongoing and emerging situations as the threat of widespread severe weather brings the chance for further damage, danger and disruption to already saturated and stressed communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWorking closely together with committed community partners and state agencies, we are aligning efforts to maximize resources and reach, and address both the immediate crisis and aftermath recovery,\u201d said The Salvation Army Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division Commander Maj. Troy Trimmer in a release about the organization\u2019s preparations.<\/p>\n
Significant support is particularly anticipated in communities along O\u2018ahu\u2019s North Shore, in Maui County and throughout windward Hawai\u02bbi Island.<\/p>\n
Officials continued Friday night, March 20, urging residents of Waialua and Hale\u02bbiwa\u202fon O\u2018ahu to evacuate because of more than a day of catastrophic flash flooding.<\/p>\n
All remaining roads of out Waialua were at risk of failing as of about 9 p.m. Friday, in the event of additional rainfall, and it seemed eminent Wahiaw\u0101\u202fDam would fail Friday.<\/p>\n
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\u201cLeave now while conditions are safe to prevent becoming stuck,\u201d said a City and County of Honolulu emergency notification at 9:15 p.m. Friday, adding that access into Waialua would end just 15 minutes later. \u201cVehicles only allowed to EXIT after that. Evacuate now to avoid isolation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Salvation Army has served the Hawai\u02bbi community for 130 years \u2014 in times of joy and hardship.<\/p>\n Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division swiftly mobilized March 12 as the first more powerful kona low approached the islands. The organization provided more than 600 meals to first responders and sheltered community members statewide within the first 48 hours of storm relief efforts<\/p>\n Units throughout O\u02bbahu, Maui and Hawai\u02bbi Island by the fourth day had served more than 1,600 meals to residents affected by floods and power outages.<\/p>\n The Salvation Army Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division said this second kona low is impacting even greater numbers of people statewide, so it\u2019s calling for financial assistance to amplify storm relief efforts and supplies.<\/p>\n \u201cAs the crisis continues, so do the needs \u2014 and they are growing exponentially,\u201d said The Salvation Army Hilo Temple Corps Officer Capt. Sam LeMar in the organization\u2019s release.<\/p>\n The Hilo Temple has continued to actively serve its Big Island community in response to ongoing power and water outages after the first storm last weekend.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are on the ground supporting points of distribution, partnering closely with Vibrant Hawai\u02bbi, The Food Basket, Inc. \u2014 Hawai\u2019i Island\u2019s Food Bank and Hawai\u02bbi County Civil Defense Agency, providing direct assistance to impacted residents,\u201d says a March 17 Facebook post by the Hilo unit.<\/p>\n It also is part of Hawai\u02bbi County Mayor Kimo Alameda\u2019s Human Services Group and has worked alongside trusted community partners to ensure coordinated care reaches those most in need.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a unified effort \u2014 and we are committed to standing with our community and partners every step of the way,\u201d the Facebook post says.<\/p>\n Additional meal services were being planned as the Hilo unit continued to assess needs at the beginning of this week in affected areas. It thanked all of its partners for stepping up during this time of great need.<\/p>\n \u201cFor those in a position to give now, the most efficient and effective way to make immediate impact is to make a monetary donation. This enables our teams to provide precisely what\u2019s most meaningful, moment-to-moment.\u201d<\/p>\n The Salvation Army uses all donations designated as \u201cdisaster relief\u201d exclusively to support disaster operations, serving those impacted before, during and after an event.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know many families are still facing challenges \u2014 no power, limited service and the stress that comes with it,\u201d said the Hilo Temple Corps in its March 17 Facebook post. \u201cWe\u2019ll continue to serve as long as the need is there.\u201d<\/p>\n Visit The Salvation Army Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division website<\/a> to give online and make a difference in statewide storm response efforts.<\/p>\n Call 808-988-2136, click here<\/a> and follow the division on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> and LinkedIn<\/a> for additional information and to keep up with the work The Salvation Army is doing throughout the islands.<\/p>\n <\/a>An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew assigned to U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point in Kapolei, O\u02bbahu, on Friday, March 20, 2026, flies over a flooded neighborhood in Waialua on O\u02bbahu\u2019s North Shore. (Photo Courtesy: U.S. Coast Guard\/Air Station Barbers Point)<\/p>\n