HCAP WEEKLY February 8, 2021

Couple Soon to Welcome their First Child Finds a Home to Call their Own with Assistance from HCAP’s Rapid Re-Housing Program

Alejandra and her partner Cody had been living at the Institute of Human Services Hale Mauliola Transitional Shelter since August 2019. The couple is soon expecting their first child and was anxious to move into permanent housing to provide a stable and safe environment for their new baby. Alejandra has been diagnosed with several health concerns that prohibit her from working and  Cody was recently laid off due to lack of available hours. With the help of HCAP’s Rapid Re-housing Program and Partners in Care’s Landlord Engagement Program, Alejandra and Cody were able to secure a two bedroom apartment in the Punchbowl area! Now, Alejandra and Cody will have a new place to welcome their baby and call home. HCAP will continue to support Alejandra and Cody, especially during this exciting time in their lives, by offering additional services provided by HCAP’s Nā Lima Hana Employment Core Services Program as well as our Head Start Program.

MAHALO to our awesome partners at Partners in Care for making this rapid re-housing success story a reality. To learn more about HCAP’s Rapid Re-housing services, call 808-682-5494.

Nā Lima Hana Employment Core Services Program Expands Partnerships with Family Self-Sufficiency, Kapiolani Community College Employment Prep Center and Marine Corps Community Services Hawaii

HCAP’s Nā Lima Hana Employment Core Services (ECS) Program staff have been busy these past few weeks developing partnerships with educational institutions, non-profit agencies, Oʻahu based companies, and community organizations. Here are some of the developments our staff have made this past week:

ECS Program Coordinator Reiko and ECS Program Specialist Julianna first met with the staff of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program. The FSS program works with individuals and families who are utilizing Section 8 housing assistance to help increase their income and financial stability through employment, community services, and financial planning, with the goal of decreasing their dependency on welfare assistance. This developing partnership will allow clients in the Family-Self Sufficiency Program to be referred to HCAP’s ECS Program in order to help them find work and increase their income. Likewise, clients that are enrolled in our ECS program can be referred to the Family Self-Sufficiency Program if they could be potential candidates for Section 8 assistance.

After meeting with the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, Reiko and Julianna spoke with the staff at Kapiʻolani Community College’s (KCC) Employment Prep Center. KCC’s Employment Prep Center hosts a variety of events, career fairs, and webinars that focus on resume building, interviewing, and job strategies. While events are always open to students and alumni, the center has recently been opening their services to the public. Reiko and Julianna are excited to share this great opportunity with our ECS clients and look forward to continue working with the staff at KCC’s Employment Prep Center!

Finally, Reiko and Julianna met with a potential employer for ECS clients, the Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS) Hawaii. MCCS offers a wide range of jobs for those in the Marine Corps Community and also for those looking for civilian employment opportunities. MCCS hires individuals for jobs in administration, food & hospitality, retail, warehouse, recreation, information technology, construction, and much more. Applying with MCCS will be an amazing opportunity for many of our qualifying clients. Additionally, clients already connected to MCCS who want to continue their education can potentially receive tuition assistance for vocational training through ECS tuition assistance services. 

These are just a few of the many partnerships our hardworking ECS staff have been developing. We look forward to continuing to explore partnership opportunities as well as share the many ways our partners are benefiting ECS clients on their journey towards employment and self-sufficiency!

For more information about our employment services, please email NaLimaHana@hcapweb.org

Hā Initiative Students Learn About Chemistry by Building Their Own Models of Dimethyl Ether!

This week our Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program students explored the many wonders of chemistry, including carbon, hydrogen, oxygen atoms, and organic compound structures! In order to expose our students to these nebulous concepts, our staff delivered STEM Kits to our students’ homes. Each STEM Kit included a chemistry molecular model set with atoms and bonds, which were used to help students learn about basic molecules and to build common organic compound structures. In their lesson, students were instructed to build their own model of dimethyl ether, which is an organic compound with the formula CH₃OCH₃, simplified to C₂H₆O, and construct their own stable compounds. Many of our students are still in elementary and middle school, but through these hands-on science activities, they are better prepared to tackle basic chemistry concepts and get a ‘head start’ in their learning! 

To join us in learning about the wonders of STEM, email hcapstem@hcapweb.org.

The ‘Write’ Way to Prepare for Kindergarten: HCAP Head Start Keiki Develop Their Vocabulary and Writing Skills!

Learning vocabulary and developing basic writing abilities are key elements in kindergarten preparedness. Here are some of the many ways our HCAP Head Start keiki have been developing their writing and vocabulary skills!

Yzabella from Pohakea II created a letter “A” collage by using picture printouts from home that begin with the letter “A”. Yzabella demonstrates her knowledge of the alphabet by correctly identifying the letter “A” for images of acorns, apples, ants, and airplanes. You’ll be ready for kindergarten in no time Yzabella!

Adelina from Kunia 3 demonstrates emergent writing skills by tracing her first name. Adelina used her pencil as a tool to create pin size holes in the form of letters. She practiced letter recognition as well as fine motor skills. Nice work Adelina!

Head Start Teacher Tammie from Aiea II, is pictured teaching John about static electricity while also expanding his vocabulary! In this lesson, John expanded his vocabulary by recalling the names of everyday objects, such as a balloon being rubbed on one’s hair, that can be used to create static electricity. Wow, that’s impressive John! Keep up the good work!