Samoa Relief Effort

By Rep. Joey Manahan

The Kalihi community has been working hard to help the tsunami victims in Samoa. We collected a truck load of food, clothing, towels, blankets, and beddings, all of which were delivered to the Women's Center at Kuhio Park Terrace.

Rep. Manahan with Tiva Aga and volunteers at the Kuhio Park Terrace Women's Center. The volunteers are residents of KPT.

From there, the women, headed by Doris Jackson and Tiva Aga will sort and pack the donated items and send them to Samoa based on requests which are coming in to their office straight from the victims.

Left to Right--Junior Yaranon (Community Volunteer), Ace Tufu, (Manager of Honolulu Community Action Program--HCAP), Tiva Aga (KPT Women's Center), Rep. Joey Manahan, Auntie Lani, and Doris Jackson of the KPT Women's Center.

The women's center is working with local schools in Samoa who are facilitating communication from families needing relief items. They are being shipped via container with the help of Matson Shipping as well as Hawaiian Air Cargo (depending on availability of space for Hawaiian). I plan to go to deliver some of the items myself toward the end of the month.

Rep. Joey Manahan