Friday, November 5, 2010

All who are hungry....

Author - Kate Bepko

Food is one of the most basic of needs. 

A typical meal at IHS
It has the power to keep us going, make us sick,
give us energy, heal our bodies, increase or decrease the size of our bodies, and make us happy or sad.

Food can be gourmet or simplistic, cooked or raw, vegetarian or meat laden.

People can argue about what type of food is the best tasting, the best for you, the best to cook.

Regardless of all of this, food is something that we all NEED - whether we're young or old, rich or poor.

IHS started off 32 years ago as a volunteer-run organization that focused on providing food. We were known for years as the "Peanut Butter Ministry" due to our founder, Fr. Claude Du Teil, giving out peanut butter sandwiches and cups of coffee to those that were in need.

IHS remains true to that initial purpose in serving 3 hot meals each day to anyone in need that walks through our doors. If YOU are struggling, even if you're not yet homeless, please come down to one of the shelters (546 Ka'aahi St if you are a single woman or a family, 350 Sumner St if you are a single man) and eat a warm meal. Gourmet it is not, but healthy it is!

Serving an average of 635 meals each day is no easy task. But when you combine a small paid kitchen staff of 7 with 137 generous volunteer groups and 17 dedicated individual volunteers, it's possible.

85% of the food that IHS serves is donated thanks to the Hawaii Foodbank and gracious community groups, schools, and businesses. We're ALWAYS looking for more hands to help - either by conducting a food drive, preparing a meal, or simply serving breakfast, lunch, or dinner to our guests. We could even use help the 3rd Thursday of most months (this month, it's a week early, on November 19th due to Thanksgiving being the 3rd Wednesday) during our Ohana Food Drop partnership with the Hawaii Foodbank, which is a food-pantry option for anyone who is in need. If you're in the area between 1:30pm and 3:30pm and need food, or just want to help out, please stop by 350 Sumner Street!

Monday, October 25, 2010

Singing beCAUSE

Author - Kate Bepko

One of the best things about being a non-profit is the constant opportunity we have to see the best come out in others. I'm talking about our volunteers and those that graciously and generously offer themselves for the good of a cause that is greater than themselves. Take our volunteer, Momi, for example. Momi has been a volunteer with IHS for years, collecting food, chopping onions, and peeling potatoes. Momi retired from a lucrative career and went back to school to study her true love, music, and has now completed a bachelor's degree in music from the University of Hawaii.

Momi is neither keeping her talents hidden nor is keeping the profits from her many talents to herself. She regularly puts on benefit concerts for organizations that help others and contribute to society. IHS has been blessed to be the recipient of one of her concerts a few years ago, and will be again this Saturday night. October 30th, at 7:30pm. If you live on the windward side or would like to take a short drive over the pali to see her for yourself, you're welcome to join us at Christ Church Uniting Disciples and Presbyterians, located at 1300 Kailua Road. The concert features the soprano vocals of Momi Sui Lan Ho Mahon, Arlene Chin Sullivan on the piano, and special guest Jennifer Lee delighting you with the violin. You'll hear Momi sing renditions of songs such as 'It's a Grand Night for Singing" by Rodgers & Hammerstein and "The Moon and I" from the Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan. Best of all? The concert is FREE and open to all ages, although there will be an opportunity to make a free-will offering to help IHS.

And yes, refreshments will be served.

If you'd like more information about the concert, click here, or call 447-2811. See you there!

Welcome to our blog...

Aloha, faithful readers!

After numerous requests, The Institute for Human Services has created a blog! We'll be posting about a variety of topics each week, ranging from upcoming special events, information on volunteer opportunities and ways to get involved, homelessness statistics, legislative updates, interviews with individuals and families that have used our services, and more. Check back often for updates, and feel free to ask questions and make requests! We'd love to hear from you.