Kauai's elderly residents were among the most vulnerable during Hurricane Lowell, but neighbors and community groups stepped in to keep them fed and safe — a bright spot in a hard week for the island.

• Many older Kauai residents lived through past hurricanes and knew what was coming, but that memory also brought a lot of anxiety, especially for those with no family nearby.
• Days after the storm, power was still out and people were running short on food, with some living on crackers and sandwiches.
• The group Laulima Ohana, with volunteers, friends, and even a hula halau, delivered 50 hot meals a day, ice, information, and rides to the doctor from Kapaa to Waimea.
• Battery-powered generators helped cook hot meals, and mental health strain among the elderly was a real and ongoing problem.

Outlook: As power comes back, the need is easing, but Laulima Ohana plans to keep helping with a grant from the Hawaii Community Foundation.