After the heavy weekend rains, communities are stepping up to help those who were hit the hardest.
Surf n Salsa is usually closed on Mondays, but this week owners Jhon and Maggie Acuna were busy preparing food to give to anyone in the community impacted by the flooding.
“We decide to open today and just do free food for anyone that has been affected. They can just come and just ask for food and then we’re just going to give it to them,” said Jhon Acuna while on grill duty.
Surf n Salsa operates in two locations in Haleʻiwa, which is one of the worst-hit areas on Oʻahu by the Kona low storm.
And it’s no trouble for Acuna, who said, “I like to give back to my community as well. I've always dreamed to give free food to people, so for me it's like a dream come true."
But the couple was also paying back the community that had helped them.
One of their locations is along Kamehameha Highway with other popular Haleʻiwa eateries — and next to where the Helemano and ʻŌpaeʻula streams meet.
In 2021 heavy rains flooded that area and the businesses set up there. Among those hit were food trucks like Surf n Salsa’s.
The couple said the community came to their aid after their truck was flooded. An online fundraiser was even started to help the couple get their business back on its feet.
Over the weekend the couple prepared for yet another flood, but they were spared from any major damage.
“This time we have more time to prepare. That's the only reason we didn't lose a lot of stuff,” Acuna said, adding that in 2021 they had just 30 minutes to prepare for the flooding.
Other companies, including Uncle Bo’s, Mele Mele Bakery and Uprising Roasters, heard what the Acunas were doing and chipped in food and supplies to hand out.
