Spring 2009 - Issue 5

The Silversword: Home > News > Campus Ministry serves the homeless

Campus Ministry serves the homeless

By Ericka Agdinaoay
Chaminade Silversword

 

In 2009, 10 percent of Hawaii’s people were living below the poverty level, according to the Census Bureau.

To help save the 10 percent from starving, Chaminade University’s Campus Ministry has been involved in a program called Feeding the Hungry, a monthly commitment that Campus Ministry makes to help minister to the homeless community in the downtown Honolulu area.

“A lot of the people there are grateful,” said Isabella Antonelli, a grad student at Chaminade. “It is fun and rewarding and takes little of our time.”

Campus Ministry has two locations where it goes to serve the homeless population.
Every first Sunday's of the month the volunteers go to St. Andrew’s Cathedral, and on selected Saturdays, they ministered those at Kapiolani Park with the Waikiki Beach Outreach Ministry.

To provide service to the community is one of Chaminade’s missions as a school. Students on religious scholarship as well as clubs such as the Forensics, Surf, Spanish, Environmental and Micronesian clubs participate in the service.

According to Maimoa Fineisaloi who is the Campus Minister promoting Community Service and Social Justice, about 10 to 15 students show up each time to volunteer and the biggest turnout they’ve had was a semester ago with 30 students volunteering.

For the service at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Chaminade provides fruits, vegetables and paper products. Volunteers help with setting up, serving the food and cleaning up the site. And at Waikiki Beach Outreach Ministry at Kapiolani Park Chaminade serve a hot meal provided by our school’s dining service, Aramark.

Fineisaloi also explained that a lot of homeless show up to be fed. Most of them are men. There are a few women and children as well.

Chaminade has been involved in feeding the hungry with St. Andrew’s Cathedral for about eight years now and with Waikiki Beach Outreach Ministry for two semesters.

“I think students, faculty and staff should be more involved because every experience is an opportunity to learn about the larger community,” Fineisaloi said “Their needs and how we can help them meet those needs. One of our Marianist characteristics is to educate for service, justice and peace… this is one way for our campus community to bring our mission to life, to put our faith into action.”

If anyone from the campus community is interested in volunteering and or sponsoring any of the Feed the Hungry programs (or service opportunities in general) or has any suggestions regarding possible service opportunities, please contact Maimoa H. Fineisaloi.
at (808) 440-4289 or mfineisa@chaminade.edu.