Friday March 13 was a big day for the Utrok community: It marked the first distribution of food purchased through the Compact of Free Association’s Extraordinary Needs Distribution program.
Known as “END,” the Compact Trust Fund-funded program is injecting $20 million to 11 atolls and single islands, including Utrok.
Utrok Nitijela Member Hiroshi Yamamura and Mayor Tobin Kaiko were on hand to oversee the distribution at the Utrok Atoll Local Government office that is now located next to Lazy Jay’s coffee shop.
The area was packed with Utrok people who lined up to pick up their food allotments for the quarter, which included frozen chicken quarter legs and pork ribs, rice and other food items.
Yamamura said Utrok has designated $900,000 for fiscal year 2026 for food security from their total END budget of $3 million. In addition, the atoll will spend $1 million in energy assistance, which will include cash power for residents in Majuro and Ebeye.
Funding for university scholarships, shipping to facilitate deliveries of goods and passengers to Utrok, and a multipurpose center are among the other projects to be funded this year.
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