HCAP Weekly June 8, 2015
In this week’s issue:
Please Welcome the Hā Initiative’s New Program Manager!
Mahalo, Friends of Hawaii Charities!
Hā Initiative:Creative STEM After-School Program Holds Annual Volunteer Luncheon
LIHEAP Completes Another Successful Week of Intake
HCAP Staff Recognized with ‘On Target’ Award for Earned Income Tax Credit Program
HCAP Accepting Applications for AmeriCorps VISTA
Please Welcome the Hā Initiative’s New Program Manager!
HCAP would like to give a warm welcome to Dr. Kimberly Stone, the new Program Manager for the Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program. Kimberly has a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, Master’s of Arts in teaching mathematics, and a Specialist Degree in curriculum and instruction. She taught 7-12th grade math for 19 years. Ms. Stone is excited to promote STEM education and hopes students will develop the same love for math and science that she has.
Mahalo, Friends of Hawaii Charities!
Last week, Robert Naniole, Director of Community Services attended the Friends of Hawaii Charities luncheon. He accepted a $3,325 grant check on behalf of the Kupuna Independent Life Series.
The Kupuna Independent Life Series is a program offered at the Leeward District Service Center that provides health and social support through education for seniors aging in place on the Wai’anae coast. This program began as a vehicle for engaging isolated seniors, with minimal amount of services available, who live from Kapolei to Makaha. The program is offered twice a year, in the Spring and Fall. Each session lasts 13 weeks.
The program has three objectives: 1) provide health education through interactive workshops and activities, 2) create a safe and comfortable space for isolated seniors on the Wai’anae Coast who are seeking support for issues related to aging, and 3) become a vehicle for advocacy in the broader Wai’anae community.
The Kupuna Independent Life Series targets seniors 55 years and older. Our participants are 86% women, 50% disabled, 65% Native Hawaiian, 86% are caregivers (grandchildren or aging/disabled partner/spouse) and 100% have low or minimal incomes.
In 2015, the Kupuna Independent Life Series will be targeting two prevailing chronic diseases plaguing Waianae seniors: hypertension and diabetes. The overall goal of learning how to manage disease, rather than letting the body slowly deteriorate, is primary for seniors who want to age in place, especially those who are caregivers.
In addition, in 2015, the Kupuna Independent Living Series is planning to hold a Mini-Conference on Defying Ageism, an event that will bring together seniors to discuss how support systems are or are not working in Wai’anae, and/or what is lacking in terms of accessibility to housing, transportation, food and income. The goal is to obtain suggestions and recommendations from seniors about how they would like to remain independent and survive living on the Waianae coast.
Hā Initiative:Creative STEM After-School Program Holds Annual Volunteer Luncheon
On Wednesday, June 5th, volunteers and teachers from the Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program met in the morning for first aid and CPR training. Taught by First CPR instructor Oguz Goknur, HCAP offered the training to everyone who works in the STEM Exploration Centers. Training like this allows HCAP to offer the safest possible environment to our STEM kids and adult volunteers.
After the first aid course, volunteers were invited to stay for lunch and cake at our annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon. This was a great chance for HCAP and the staff of the Hā Initiative to appreciate everything our volunteers do for us. Volunteers received handmade cards from the children at the Leeward STEM Exploration Center, small treats from our staff, and a personalized certificate thanking each for his or her many hours of service donated to the STEM program.
Elmidra, a volunteer at the Leeward STEM Exploration Center logged the most hours over the past year; Elmidra volunteered a total 417 hours! From June 2014 to May 2015, 58 individuals volunteered a total of 2039.45 hours with the program!
Also in attendance was Lara Hirshenson, the recently crowned Miss Hawaii 2015. Laura will be visiting each STEM Exploration Center and volunteering with the program over the next year.
Thanks for everything, HCAP volunteers!
LIHEAP Completes Another Successful Week of Intake
As HCAP concludes the second week of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), each of the districts and LIHEAP Intake Aides are working to complete as many applications as possible. So far, HCAP has accepted more than 1,500 applications. The five District Service Centers accept applications in the morning, from 9am-noon. Then, the staff spends their afternoons accepting applications at public housing, elderly and disabled living centers or community centers in areas that have a high population of people that qualify for LIHEAP and other HCAP services.
If you have questions, contact any of the District Service Centers or the HCAP Main Office at 521-4531.
HCAP Staff Recognized with ‘On Target’ Award for Earned Income Tax Credit Program
On Friday, June 5, 2015, the Free Tax Assistance and Financial Empowerment Program at the Hawaii Alliance recognized HCAP district staff and volunteers with the “On Target” award at the Hawaii Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development’s (HACBED) annual end of season dinner. Approximately 49% of HCAP’s clients’ tax returns were eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). This high percentage establishes that HCAP is reaching the EITC program’s target population. A special mahalo to all the staff and volunteers that work hard to make the program a success every year!
HCAP Accepting Applications for AmeriCorps VISTA
HCAP is now accepting applications for two 2015-2016 AmeriCorps VISTA positions. According to the Corporation of National Community Service, “AmeriCorps VISTA members are passionate and committed to their mission to bring individuals and communities out of poverty. Members make a year-long, full-time commitment to serve on a specific project at a nonprofit organization or public agency. They focus their efforts to build the organizational, administrative, and financial capacity of organizations that fight illiteracy, improve health services, foster economic development, and otherwise assist low-income communities.”
Individuals must complete a standard application with AmeriCorps and apply directly through AmeriCorps for the open positions. For more information, visit:
http://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps/join-americorps
To apply for the Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program Volunteer and Program Support position, click here.
To apply for the Development and Communications Aide position, click here.