A food drive is underway in American Samoa to help employees of the Starkist tuna cannery, who will be without work for 5 weeks.
Photo: RNZI
The cannery is shutting down from 21 October for the installation of new equipment and other upgrades, leaving 2,000 people out of work.
The drive is being organised by Tapumanaia Galu Satele and his family, who last year organized a toy drive at Christmas for the children of workers from Samoa Tuna Processors, who lost their jobs when the cannery closed.
Mr Tapumanaia has asked the public to donate non perishable items.
"I have got some drums, 55 gallon drums, like I did with the toy drive and they are put in grocery stores, the big major and small stores all across the island. What I am going to try to do is solicit donations from the community, some canned foods or non-perishable items that people can use such as sugar, flour or water. "
This food drive will continue until 28 October.