Teresa Nelle, Realtor (S), Island Sotheby's International Realty - West Maui Office

The Hawaiian value of aloha has a lot of different meanings. But, during the holiday season, aloha means spreading love throughout your community and to those who need it most. At least, this is true for Island Sotheby International Realty Agent Teresa Nelle, who’s been volunteering her time to feeding the community of Maui for the last 7 years alongside a program called Feed My Sheep.

Feed My Sheep is a mobile food distribution program, unlike any other. By driving out into the neighborhoods of Maui they can reach the community in a truly unique way. Nelle and her friends at Feed My Sheep bring bags of groceries, offer prayer, or kind words of aloha to people in the community that are either homeless, struggling financially, or for some reason are having a hard time providing for themselves or families. Their goal is to offer love and welcoming experience for everyone involved.

According to Feed My Sheep, each month they can provide 69,000 half-pound meals and in the last year have been able to give food to, “3,200 people including working but poor families, seniors on fixed incomes and homeless men and women.”

Nelle believes that no one should have to go hungry, for any reason, especially during the holiday season.

Nelle explains that for some, seeing the volunteers is their only source of companionship for the entire week. “For some people, particularly the elderly, I have a feeling this is their social time - otherwise they don’t see many people throughout the week,” she said.

This kind of work goes way beyond just feeding the community. For Nelle, this is also offering aloha, in all it’s meanings, to those who need it most this holiday season.

If you want to learn more about Feed My Sheep or become a volunteer please visit www.feedmysheep.com. For food assistance, please call 870-9421.