HCAP Weekly January 4, 2016

In this week’s issue:

The Hā Initiative Central STEM Exploration Center Holds December Family Night
Former Kumuhonua Resident Secures Affordable Senior Housing
Keiki Holiday Camp Held for Children Living at the Waianae Boat Harbor
HCAP Staff and Partners Gathered on Christmas Morning to Serve the Less Fortunate
HCAP in Pacific Business News Book of Lists
HCAP Head Start Now Accepting Applications for the 2016-2017 School Year

The Hā Initiative Central STEM Exploration Center Holds December Family Night

The Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program Central STEM Exploration Center recently held its December Family Night. The Family Night focused on the engineering aspect of STEM and the students built gingerbread houses. The class was given gingerbread house kits and an assortment of candies to decorate their houses. The students had to figure out where to spread frosting to “glue” together the walls and roofs. The children worked together in groups, holding and gluing walls and roofs to their structures.

After the houses were erected, the students began to decorate them. The children used colored frosting, hard candies, gummy candies, and candied sprinkles to create holiday themed masterpieces. The students demonstrated creativity and each of their houses were different and uniquely decorated. Some houses’ roofs had zigzag patterns made with frosting and small candies to represents Christmas lights. One house was given frosting icicles, which hung off of the roof. Windows were decorated, trees were frosted, and the children had a wonderful time.

The evening festivities concluded with a showing of the movie “White Christmas.” Earlier in the week the class had a meteorology lesson about what is needed in order for it to snow. The movie, “White Christmas” was about a winter resort suffering from a snowless New England Christmas. The students were sad to see the night end, but left the STEM Exploration Center happy and full of holiday spirit.

Former Kumuhonua Resident Secures Affordable Senior Housing

Personal circumstance forced MaryTona to leave the home that she lived in for more than 18 years. She had difficulty finding permanent, affordable housing with her fixed monthly income. With no family or friends that she could stay with, MaryTona became homeless for more than one year.

In early 2015, MaryTona moved into Kumuhonua Transitional Living Center. While living at Kumuhonua, MaryTona made many positive changes. In addition to reestablishing a support system for herself, MaryTona also began the journey of healing. She adopted a better lifestyle that allowed her to feel refreshed and motivated.

Difficult times fall on everyone, and MaryTona was no exception. While living at Kumuhonua, MaryTona faced many obstacles and challenges. Despite the hardships, her strength helped her push through. Her charisma and humor brought smiles to the faces of many Kumuhonua residents.

MaryTona took advantage of the case management services provided at Kumuhonua. Together with her case manager, MaryTona was able to identify affordable housing projects that fit her budget. She and her case manager also created an Individualized Service Plan, a plan that enabled MaryTona to identify all of her goals. In her Individualized Service Plan, MaryTona wrote out the steps that would lead her to accomplishing those set goals.

After nine months of living at Kumuhonua, all of MaryTona’s hard work and efforts paid off. MaryTona recently secured permanent housing in an affordable senior housing project, and is now living in a one-bedroom apartment in Kapolei. Kumuhonua staff are thankful to have had the opportunity to be a part of MaryTona’s journey and would like to wish her all the best!

Keiki Holiday Camp Held for Children Living at the Waianae Boat Harbor

During the Christmas interim break, the Leeward District Service Center sponsored a Keiki Holiday Camp for children living at the Waianae Boat Harbor. The camp was collaboration between Head Start and the District Center, funded by the Horizons Foundation in San Francisco. Kids ages five to eleven enjoyed four days of crafts, fun and meals that were facilitated by Leilani Ulu (Community Worker), Samantha Keawe (Head Start Assistant Teacher) and Bethany Lewis (Head Start Health Education Specialist).

HCAP Staff and Partners Gathered on Christmas Morning to Serve the Less Fortunate

Central District Service Center’s Community Services Manager Katy Perry and her husband spent Christmas Eve morning serving breakfast and passing out Christmas gifts to a few hundred homeless and less fortunate families in Haleiwa at the 24th annual Operation Toy Box gathering at Haleiwa Beach Park. Central District Service Center has supported this special project for many years by donating food and gifts under the leadership of the late Pastor Ron Valenciana, whose goal was to ensure homeless and less fortunate families in the Haleiwa area were treated to a delicious hot breakfast and beautifully wrapped Christmas gifts for every child attending.

Since the passing of Pastor Ron, the new owner and editor of the Haleiwa North Shore News, Linda Seyler, has continued this tradition with the help of the great volunteers and coordinators of the Once A Month Church North Shore Food Bank in Haleiwa.

This year’s festivities were made possible through many community partnerships and donations such as Waimea Valley and the YMCA Camp Erdman who prepared the delicious breakfast served. This was truly a perfect example of how communities can come together for a good cause and be successful with a lot of hard work, perseverance and great people.

HCAP in Pacific Business News Book of Lists

HCAP was listed in the 2015-2016 Pacific Business News Book of Lists as the tenth largest Nonprofit Service Provider in Hawaii, as ranked by 2014 revenue. In addition, HCAP had the second highest number of volunteers during the year- totaling 4,982! The Book of Lists is a compilation of lists that appeared in the weekly issues of Pacific Business News during the previous year.

HCAP Head Start Now Accepting Applications for the 2016-2017 School Year

Are you or someone you know in need of free or affordable preschool? Spread the word! HCAP Head Start is now accepting applications for children 3-5 years for the 2016-2017 school year. Families are encouraged to apply by calling (808)847-2400 or visiting our website.