HCAP WEEKLY August 19, 2024

Nā Lima Hana Client’s New Beginning

Bella first came to HCAP’s Windward District Service Center as a referral from the Women’s Community Correctional Center (WCCC) through the Project Bridge program. As an inmate, Bella was first approved for the work furlough program in January of 2024. When she sought HCAP services, she did not yet have a means of income, transportation, or basic necessities. Bella was eager to learn all she could in order to gain employment, and her primary goal was to be released on parole to watch her grandchildren grow up and to be a part of their lives.

In January, Bella successfully completed Job Readiness Training (JRT) with the Nā Lima Hana Employment Core Services (ECS). Through JRT, she was able to work on resume building, job interview preparation, basic computer skills, budgeting, career goals, and time management. One of the major barriers Bella faced while seeking employment was finding a position on the Windward side of O’ahu in order to more easily commute to work from the WCCC. Addressing her employment concerns, the Windward HCAP staff reached out to one of Nā Lima Hana’s employment partners to refer Bella for employment, to which she landed an onsite interview. To help Bella attend the job interview, she was quickly approved for a HOLO transportation card provided by ECS. She was also given a hygiene bag to prepare for the occasion. Bella was soon hired by Tropical Farms and started work shortly.

Once Bella was officially hired, she submitted a request for work attire. Through the Nā Lima Hana ECS program, Bella was supplied with brand new work shoes and pants to complete her uniform along with the shirt provided by her new employer. Soon, Bella would complete every milestone – 30, 60, 90 and 180 days of employment retention. Through each of these milestones, she earned a total of $100 in Target gift cards, which the ECS program offers as incentives. These incentives provided Bella with the encouragement and boost of self-esteem she needed to continue on the right path towards her goal.

Because of her accomplishments, Bella was granted parole and released to stay at a transitional center where she continues to live today. Today, Bella enjoys a beautiful relationship with her grandchildren and looks forward to spoiling them each week. If there’s one thing that she could share, it would be that, “Life is too short to mess around. Time will pass you by if you make the wrong choices in life. I have been in and out of prison my whole life, and I don’t ever want to go back and miss out on my grandchildren’s life like how I did with my daughter. Always focus on the good of success.”

Click here to learn more about Nā Lima Hana.

Kumuhonua Client Takes First Step Forward as Resident Aide

Megan has been a participant at the Kalaeloa District Service Center for several months. She was referred by her case manager at the Kumuhonua Transitional Living Center (KTLC) to seek assistance with finding employment. While completing job readiness training (JRT), staff helped her focus on what she considered to be some of her barriers. Megan had stated that she had anxieties about re-entering the workforce after facing many years of homelessness and unemployment. She was unsure if she would be hired due to her circumstance and needed to find a way to rebuild her confidence. Kalaeloa staff worked on preparing a skills resume, which focused on her strengths and ensured that her willingness and determination to learn were highlighted.

After several months of job searching, Megan often found it difficult and was not making progress as quickly as she expected. There were oftentimes she became overwhelmed and needed help in focusing on the positive. Kalaeloa staff often reminded her that it is okay not to have a perfect job search experience and that she can always work with staff to find another strategy or approach that is effective for her. During this time of reassessment, a KTLC Resident Aide job position had opened and staff felt it would be best to start Megan with a part-time position, which would not be too overwhelming. This experience would allow her to build confidence, self-esteem, structure, and more importantly, have some work experience to add to her resume.

Megan has now successfully been employed as a Resident Aide for 60 days and has started to come out of her shell. During follow-up meetings, she often expresses that this experience is exactly what she needed to help her to regain her self-confidence and has even applied for other jobs to begin earning an increased income. Megan has made such big strides in her own success, and HCAP staff hopes that this position is just the beginning of greater things to come.

Click here to learn more about Kumuhonua Transitional Living Center.

Windward STEM Science Experiments – Density, Marine Anatomy, and More

Windward Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program students at Kaʻaʻawa Elementary have been busy at work performing science experiments and dissection labs. They learned about density and chemical reactions by making their own bubbling lava lamp using oil, water, food coloring, and citric acid and sodium bicarbonate tablets.

As part of their marine biology and oceanography unit, students learned about squid anatomy. Students started the lesson off by drawing their own squid and labeling the anatomical parts. To conclude the week, the keiki performed a squid dissection. They first learned the importance of wearing personal protective equipment, such as gloves and safety goggles. Then the students practiced how to perform the dissection and identification of the internal and external anatomy of a squid. Some of the Kaʻaʻawa students summarized their dissection lesson as being “gross” “slimy” “smelly” and “fun!”

Click here to learn more about Hā Initiative.