HCAP Weekly December 23, 2019

Windward District Service Center Hosts “Cookies with Santa” 
Central District Service Center Collaborates on “Socks for Seniors”
Leeward Kupuna Receive Gifts from Angel Tree and Toys for Tots
Palolo Head Start Receives Toys from Territorial Savings Bank
HCAP Board Member Brings Holiday Cheer to Head Start’s Home Base Families

Windward District Service Center Hosts “Cookies with Santa”

As part of the holiday season, HCAP’s Windward District Service Center brought Christmas joy to Windward families with gift-giving festivities. With the help of clients from Na Lima Hana Employment Core Services (ECS) Program, Windward District Service Center staff held a special “Cookies with Santa” event on the Monday before Christmas.

The office was festively decorated, special family gift bags were assembled, and all the donated gifts – which had been collected from Windward District Service Center’s own donation drive – were individually wrapped and personalized for each child. Even Santa Claus was there to pay a special visit to all the children who attended the event.

Children and their families received candy canes from Santa, took part in amazing family photo-ops, and enjoyed homemade chocolate chip cookies. The smiles and laughter of the little ones and the Christmas cheer that filled the office reminded Windward District Service Center staff what Christmas is all about! Windward District Service Center staff and volunteers put in many long hours of planning and work to make all of this possible for the families. At the end of the day, it is the joy on their faces that bring the spirit of the season alive and make it all worth it.

Windward District Service Center staff would like to wish all of the families a happy holiday and a happy new year!

Central District Service Center Collaborates on “Socks for Seniors”

For this year’s “Socks for Seniors” event, HCAP’s Central District Service Center joined Helemano Elementary School’s Student Council and the Voice of God Ministries in Wahiawa in bringing Christmas cheer and joy to residents at Wahiawa General Hospital’s Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

The holiday season can be a lonely time for seniors at the long-term care facility, and HCAP’s Central District Service Center and our partners shared aloha and warmth this holiday by singing Christmas carols. After the carols were sung, Christmas cards and socks were gifted to the seniors.  100 seniors received a Christmas gift of 3 pairs of socks each, along with the holiday cards. Socks were chosen as gifts because it can get very cold in Wahiawa.

The socks were collected by students from Helemano Elementary School, the Voice of God Ministries, Action with Aloha and Central District Service Center.  Students from Helemano Elementary School, as well as the children from classrooms at Aiea Head Start and Aiea Elementary Kindergarten, pitched in by making Christmas cards, sending their warmest wishes to the seniors.

Central District Service Center staff would like to extend a big mahalo to everyone that lent a helping hand for “Socks for Seniors,” including: Lisa and Lani from the Voice of God Ministries; Lei and the Student Council from Helemano Elementary School; Kylah dela Cuesta, daughter of Head Start Teacher Stevi dela Cuesta, who performed hula for the event, as well as the aforementioned students from Aiea Head Start (classrooms 1, 2, and 3) and Aiea Elementary (classes 4 and 5, as well as 6th graders).

Central District Service Center hopes to continue this wonderful collaboration for years to come.

Leeward Kupuna Receive Gifts from Angel Tree and Toys for Tots

With a few days left before Christmas, Leeward District Service Center staff were delighted to make phone calls to the participants of the Kupuna Independent Life Series, informing them that their Christmas wishes had come true!

The kupuna came to Leeward District Service Center to pick up gifts from Salvation Army Angel Tree, which they had signed up for earlier in the fall. They were overwhelmed with gratitude and joy upon receiving gifts they had requested on their Christmas wish list. During the same visit, the kupuna were also able to pick up gifts from Toys for Tots for their mo’opuna (grandchildren).

Leeward District Service Center staff would like to give a special thank you to the teams at The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center and the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation for partnering with them to bring joy, peace, and love this Christmas season to the kupuna.

Palolo Head Start Receives Toys from Territorial Savings Bank

Every year, Territorial Savings Bank’s Aina Haina Branch has a theme for their annual Christmas event. This year’s theme was “Share The Magic”. Instead of doing Secret Santa, as done in prior years, the Aina Haina Branch decided to run a toy drive. Over 60 toys were donated and collected.

Palolo Head Start I, II & III were the selected beneficiaries. Aina Haina Branch Manager Suzanne Takimoto and Mililani Branch Manager Ester Favella personally delivered and distributed the toys to the children at Palolo Head Start. The children were very excited and elated to receive the toys.

HCAP Board Member Brings Holiday Cheer to Head Start’s Home Base Families

Each holiday season, HCAP Board Member Colleen Minami has been selecting various HCAP programs to generously present gifts to. This year, she selected the HCAP Head Start & Early Head Start Program.

On Friday, December 13th, Colleen brought holiday joy and smiles to HCAP Head Start’s Home Base program. She attended the Home Base program’s scheduled socialization events to meet up with the children and their families.

HCAP is grateful for Colleen’s service on the Board of Directors and would like to extend our warmest gratitude to Colleen for her continued generosity.