
Molokai residents are joining forces to make sure that Friendly Market employees, who kept them fed for years, have access to groceries and other goods while cooped up at home in quarantine.
“Adopt a FMC Family,” an effort that began on social media, aims to collect and donate goods to employees temporarily out of work after the closure of Friendly Market, where two workers tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month.
“When we all got the news that Friendly Market Center will remain closed until April 20 . . . the community wasn’t prepared for it, and also the employees, many of them are friends, families,” said Kalae resident Tylor Tanaka. “And to help them remain in quarantine, we have to make sure they’re able to get essential items.”
With the help of Shalei Borden and Deisha Piko, Tanaka started a Facebook group, “Molokai COVID-19 Relief,” to organize Molokai-based announcements and community efforts. From there, the idea to adopt Friendly Market workers was born.
“We felt like adopt a family would be best because it’s direct from one family to another family, and it’s not just a bunch of people going around and dropping things at people’s homes,” Tanaka said. “We want to be part of the solution and not the problem.”
The group compiled a list of items people could buy — bread, milk, eggs, Spam, rice and other essentials — and asked people to sanitize the products and wear protective equipment when delivering them to families. Those who preferred not to go directly to a home could drop off the items with a core group of residents, who then sanitized and delivered them.
“Adopting a Friendly Market family is not just donating groceries,” Tanaka said. “It’s just checking on them daily, seeing how they’re doing. It may not be groceries they need. They may need their mail picked up or something like that. The mission was just make sure they get their essentials and make sure they stay in quarantine to help the rest of the community.”
Donations poured in, including a cooler of deer meat and a selection of homegrown veggies, as well as about $2,000, which was used to buy products for care packages to go to each worker in addition to donations from their adopted family. They included items like soap, toothpaste, hamburger meat, $25 gift certificates donated by Molokai Drugs and packages of Uncle Bobby’s Linalina Mix donated by Tarrah Horner’s ohana.
Last week, the group delivered the care packages to all 51 employees; all but nine had been adopted at the time.
“Everyone’s having a difficult time, and to just see the abundance that people are willing to give is just astronomical,” Tanaka said. “I’m happy with the Molokai community pulling together. And we need that. We need to feel like that during this time. We need to realize that humanity still is important.”
Tanaka said that Friendly Market also packed up perishables at the store for distribution to quarantined workers. Owners for the market could not be reached for comment on Monday, and some employees also declined comment due to the sensitive nature of the situation.
The loss of one of Molokai’s major grocery stores was a major adjustment, and Tanaka said it’s been “a difficult time for the community,” as people get used to the new system of calling in orders to Misaki’s or waiting in line for Kualapuu Market’s drive-up system. Tanaka, a store manager at Molokai Auto Parts, said the changes are tough, but that the strict precautions “are going to help everyone in the long run.”
Molokai remained at two cases as of Tuesday. Maui County and private physicians have teamed up to offer free, widespread testing of hundreds of Molokai residents and first responders last week in an effort to curb any potential outbreaks. Testing on Tuesday was canceled due to bad weather and has been rescheduled for Thursday.
Meanwhile, other groups also have rallied to bring groceries to Molokai residents.
On Friday, with the help of business donations, the Support Molokai Initiative purchased produce from Valley Isle Produce and Island Grocery Depot on Maui and had it flown to Molokai free of charge on Mokulele Airlines and Kamaka Air. The groceries will be distributed to kupuna and needy families, according to a news release.
“Right now is the time we’re coming together as a community,” said state Rep. Lynn DeCoite, a resident of Molokai. “We’re very grateful for the support and resources we’re getting on Molokai and our sister islands who truly understand our time of need. I can not thank them enough from the bottom of our hearts.”
The Support Molokai Initiative is a partnership between the Molokai Chamber of Commerce, DeCoite, Molokai Community Federal Credit Union, Molokai Homestead Farmers Alliance, Molokai Farm Bureau, Bayer Hawaii and other volunteers.
“We’re grateful for Lynn and our business community’s leadership during these trying times,” said Molokai Chamber President Rob Stephenson. “We’re all going through hard times, and although we can’t reach everyone, we’re doing our very best to help where we can. This is just one of the Support Molokai Initiative efforts we’re working on, there are more on the way.”
Mokulele also is offering free grocery delivery at all its airports through the month of April in response to the closure of Friendly Market. The deal is good for up to 50 pounds of groceries per customer, and groceries should be delivered to the Mokulele counter at either Honolulu or Kahului at least 30 minutes prior to departure time.
* Colleen Uechi can be reached at cuechi@mauinews.com.
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