Paul Kawaguchi displays his $50 Foodland gift card, donated by health insurer AlohaCare, with MEO Maui Planning and Coordinating Council Coordinator Zilpah Kaimiola (right) and specialist Flor Andrion. Kaimiola and Andrion made the rounds at Hale Mahaolu Ekolu on Dec. 21, delivering the gift cards to kupuna residents. — Photo courtesy of MEO

More than 400 lower-income kupuna on Maui, Molokai and Lanai received a special holiday present — a $50 gift card to markets on their islands — through a $20,000 AlohaCare donation that was distributed by Maui Economic Opportunity.

The 415 gift cards were mailed or hand-delivered by MEO last month and are redeemable at Foodland on Maui, Misaki’s and Friendly Market on Molokai and Pine Isle and Richard’s Markets on Lanai.

A Foodland discount supplemented the number of gift cards.

MEO staff on the three islands, who personally distributed some of the cards, shared in the joy of the kupuna, many of whom were on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program support or receiving subsidies through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Many were surprised to receive the gift cards and grateful for the help.

“Our goal this holiday season was to partner with nonprofits to make the holidays brighter by giving back to our community, with a special focus on keiki and kupuna,” AlohaCare CEO Francoise Culley-Trotman said in a Dec. 30 news release. “We are so thankful that MEO’s wide reach and quick response enabled our donation to help so many seniors throughout Maui County.”