HCAP Weekly January 16, 2017
In this week’s issue:
Beautifying Pu’u ‘o Kapolei
Need Help With Your Taxes?
Lessons in Good Living
Na Lima Hana Program Helps Client Find a New Job
Rock Candy Lab
Finding Shade
Beautifying Pu’u ‘o Kapolei
In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Starbucks partners around the world commemorated the day with a nationwide day of service. Starbucks partners and HCAP Youth Services chose to restore and beautify Pu’u ‘o Kapolei, a hill located at the top of Kapolei Regional Park. The students helped to paint the inside of a WWII bunker, remove weeds from the hula mound, and do minor landscaping of the grounds.
Guest speakers included Mikiala Lidstone, the Executive Director of the Ulu A’e Learning Center and Vandeth “Ali” Sek, from the office of Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. Sek urged students to find what they’re most passionate about, set goals aligned with their passion, and then work hard to achieve these goals.
Need Help With Your Taxes?
In partnership with the IRS and as part of the Hawaii Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) & Financial Empowerment Coalition, HCAP’s Income Tax Services program helps working families and individuals get the federal tax credits they have earned. As part of the program, HCAP will be offering free tax preparation services from February 1, 2017, to April 7, 2017.
The success of the Income Tax Services program has been tremendous. Last year, 779 tax payers electronically filed their federal returns at the Honolulu Community Action Program’s sites, with returns totaling $1,416,236. ‘The refunds that are brought into the local economy benefits not only the families, but the entire community,” said HCAP Executive Director, Robert Piper. “We encourage all those who may qualify to seek HCAP’s Income Tax Services.”
Returns are prepared for working Hawaii families that have an adjusted gross income (AGI) of less than $55,000 are required to file a relatively simple federal return. Volunteer preparers will e-file both the federal and Hawaii State return for FREE.
All sites require appointments to have your taxes prepared. Contact the District Service Center nearest you to make an appointment or call the HCAP Main Office for more information at 521-4531. Appointments are available on a first come, first served basis during the following days and times:
• Central District Service Center (Phone: 488-6834) Mondays & Wednesdays 9am – 12pm
• Kalihi-Palama District Service Center (Phone: 847-0804) Tuesdays & Thursdays 10am – 12pm & 1pm – 3pm
• Leahi District Service Center (Phone: 732-7755) Tuesdays & Thursdays 9am – 12pm
• Leeward District Service Center (Phone: 696-4261) Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays 9am – 12pm & 1pm – 3pm
• Windward District Service Center (Phone: 239-5754) Mondays & Tuesdays 9am – 12pm
• HCAP Main Office (Phone: 521-4531) Thursdays & Fridays 8:30am – 12pm (February 1st through March 3rd only)
Lessons in Good Living
Community Workers from the Kalihi-Palama District Service Center staff met with residents and staff at the Maluhia Elderly Housing to prepare for the start of HCAP’s Kupuna Independent Life Series next week. Residents were given flyers and the schedule for the upcoming program, and had an opportunity to ask any questions they had regarding the program.
HCAP is offering the Kupuna Independent Life Series to assist seniors 55 and older to “age in place” through health and wellness workshops, exercise, support groups, free nutritious lunches, and more. The Kupuna Independent Life Series is a is a multi-generational effort to provide seniors, age 55 and older, with health education, support for living productive independent lives, and proactive civic engagement.
“We are excited to once again offer this valuable program to kupuna throughout the island of Oahu. This program will empower our kupuna with the skills they need to be healthy and happy in 2017,” Tehani Diaz, HCAP Director of Community Services, stated.
The upcoming Kupuna Independent Life Series will be held at four locations throughout the island of Oahu, including Maluhia:
Kalihi
Maluhia Elderly Housing
1111 Hala Dr.
Honolulu, HI 96817
Wednesdays from 9am – 1:30pm
January 25, 2017 to April 19, 2017
Contact Number: 847-0804
Leahi
St. Augustine By-The-Sea Church
130 Ohua Ave.
Honolulu, HI 96815
Wednesdays from 9am – 1:30pm
January 25, 2017 to April 19, 2017
Contact Number: 732-7755
Leeward
Leeward District Service Center
85-555 Farrington Highway
Waianae, HI 96792
Thursdays from 9am – 2pm
January 26, 2017 to April 20, 2017
Contact Number: 696-4261
Windward
Kahuku Elderly Hauoli Hale
56-154 Pu’uluana Place
Kahuku, HI 96731
Thursdays from 9am – 2pm
January 26, 2017 to April 20, 2017
Contact Number: 239-5754
Na Lima Hana Program Helps Client Find a New Job
Lori was recently let go from her position as manager at a retail store. A US Mainland native with no strong professional ties, Lori sought employment assistance at the Windward District Service Center. Although Lori was resilient and applied for many employment opportunities, she soon developed job interview anxiety after repeated rejections. After enrolling in the Na Lima Hana Employment Core Services (ECS) Program, Lori gained back her confidence and eventually found employment at Safeway in Kaneohe. With continued support from her case worker, Lori is working hard and is hopeful a possible promotion could be in her future.
Rock Candy Lab
This week at the Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program’s Palolo STEM Exploration Center, the class grew rock candy crystals. This rock candy lab enabled the children to learn and understand the science behind making rock candy.
The process can take about 7 days to fully form a nice size rock candy. The class created a supersaturated solution by first heating a saturated sugar solution (a mixture of 3 parts sugar to 1 part water) to get the sugar to dissolve, and then allowing it to cool. As the mixer sat at room temperature and the water evaporated, the sugar molecules formed crystals. At this point, the children carefully dipped a wooden rod coated in sugar into the sugar/water solution. The rod gets used as a nucleation point – a site where crystals can bond, giving way to more crystallization. Over the course of several days, the class observed the ongoing growth of the crystals. By the seventh day, the once tiny seed crystals had consolidated into large sugar crystals. The class had successfully grown rock candy!
After the rock candy lab was completed, the children were treated to stories about how rock candy came to be. There are a few different stories about where rock candy was initially created and what it was made for. According to one origin story, rock candy was initially discovered in China and used to sweeten tea.
Finding Shade
The children of Salt Lake Pre-Plus Head Start have been engaging in a study of mammals. This week, the children are learning about the mammals of the African Savanna. To introduce the children to the harsh conditions of the hot, sunny savanna, the children explored the outdoor area on a sunny day. They made connections between how mammals in the African Savanna keep themselves cool and how people can keep themselves cool: by finding shade. Since there weren’t any shady trees nearby, the children used the class umbrellas as a way of keeping themselves cool.