Help GIVE LIGHT provide electricity for low-income families

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Four non-profit organizations — Esther Generation, Rotaract of Pago Pago, Christopher James Foeoletini Foundation and Agency for Better Living Endeavors — have joined forces recently launching the “Give Light Initiative” — as seen in the image — to help provide electricity for low-income families in need due to the Code Red restrictions in American Samoa.

Samoa News points out that the three-tier color-coded threat level has been modified by the governor, through his new COVID-19 Emergency Declaration — which eases some restrictions such as business operating hours, but still other restrictions remain in place.

At day-two of the campaign — on Mar. 14 — individuals sent in donations on the “gofundme page” as well as several local businesses helped jump-start the initiative, according to a joint statement from the organizers on Tuesday this week.

According to the statement, Cost U Less and Marvin Rapps donated $2,000; KS Inc donated $2,000; Bluesky Communications donated $2,000; Tropical Beverages donated $1,500; and Tropical Pizza and Tropical Chicken have donated $1500. 

“These donations will help at least 180 families directly so far,” the organizers said. And 100% of the funds collected will be paid to the American Samoa Power Authority to give all qualified applicants $50 in cash power or electricity.  To apply for this benefit, you can find the form ONLINE if you type in:  tinyurl.com/GiveLightAS

To qualify, you need to provide verification of income less than $15,000 last year and verification of employment now along with ASPA account information. Information on how to DONATE or APPLY can be found on the Facebook pages of the 4 organizations working collaboratively on this initiative. You can also call 256-0000 or 252-2222 for more information. 

Meanwhile, Samoa News understands that churches are also providing financial support and other means for their parishioners faced with hard times, with layoffs of workers due to restrictions put in place to combat COVID-19.

Among the impacted workers under Code Red, were StarKist Samoa workers — and Samoa News understands that “good Samaritans” stepped in to help them pay their electric bills and provide food items.

StarKist — the territory’s largest private employer with some 2,000 workers —  resumed production last Friday, as well as the Satala-based can-manufacturing plant — which has a workforce of about 200.

Two of the 2000 StarKist workers tested positive during the time they returned to work and were sent home to isolate. There has been no mention of assistance — financial or otherwise — from StarKist to its workers if they test positive for COVID and must home-isolate.

Samoa News should also point out that during Monday’s virtual news conference, when the head of the COVID Task Force, Lt. Gov. Talauega Eleasalo Ale, in a media question was asked if the government is considering any assistance for workers of non-essential businesses that remain closed under the emergency declaration, he didn’t answer with a resounding “no” — but then he didn’t reply with a definite “yes” either.

Instead, he noted the easing of Code Red restrictions the ASG has already done and the opportunity the task force is giving to closed businesses to open, provided they can offer a plan “that will allow them to operate and be able to provide for their employees and their families” safely.

For financial assistance, Talauega pointed to the tax refunds already being released, as well as the $200 value of school lunch vouchers, and the distribution of the Food Stamp Program.