David Paik Donates His “Life Savings” to Hawai‘i Meals on Wheelsto Help Deliver Hot Meals for Homebound Seniors and Disabled
About 50 years ago, David Paik started saving pennies in a piggy bank for a rainy day. Over the years, that piggy bank became too small, so David started using an empty bottled water container – the type used for water coolers – and he continued to faithfully save his loose change.
When the bottle was filled to capacity with pennies and other coins, he told his close friends about it, and David, owner of Aloha Island Lei, decided to give his “life savings” that he had started as a young boy to a nonprofit organization that would put it too good use. He chose Hawai‘i Meals on Wheels, at the prompting of his Kaimuki High School classmate, Andrew Nomura, who serves as the president of the nonprofit’s board of directors.
Hawai‘i Meals on Wheels board gathered one evening to empty the water bottle and meticulously count the nearly 200 pounds of coins. The total was $501.84 and included about 35,000 pennies. In the spirit of giving, even before all of the coins had been counted, six of David’s friends had agreed to match his donation to Hawai‘i Meals on Wheels. In addition to Andrew Nomura, others who matched David’s donation were Lee Nakamura, Gary Nekota, and Marsha Yonemori, all of Honolulu; and Alexander Kam and Donald Lau of California. In addition, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, where Andrew serves as a financial advisor, matched 25 percent of Andrew’s donation, bringing the total to $3,625 – enough to provide meals for a day to more than 360 homebound seniors or those who are disabled.
“In today’s economy, every penny counts and we appreciate the spirit of giving from David and all of his friends. This donation will definitely be put to good use,” said Claire Shimabukuro, executive director of Hawai‘i Meals on Wheels. “We were touched with the stories that David shared as he reminisced about how his life savings grew over the years, including his winnings from poker games among friends during his days at the University of Hawaii. There is a lot of heart and soul in this and it shows that every gift is significant and that we all have a valuable part in creating and sustaining a safety net for seniors in our community.”
Hawai‘i Meals on Wheels is addressing the issues of food insecurity and improper nutrition among seniors by anticipating and responding to the growing needs in the community. This year, Hawaii Meals on Wheels plans to open four new routes in Kalihi, Wahiawa, Windward Oahu and West Oahu to accommodate requests to start or increase hot meal deliveries to homes.
Hawai‘i Meals on Wheels relies on a strong corps of 300 volunteers who use their own vehicles for the deliveries. In addition, clients are asked for donations to help defray a portion of the cost of the meals, but many are unable to contribute, making the timely donation from generous donors such as David particularly valuable.
If you would like to match David Paik’s contribution, call Hawai‘i Meals on Wheels at 988-6747.
