HCAP WEEKLY July 20, 2026

First Generation Daughter Achieves Nurse Aide Certification Through ECS

Victoria is a first-generation immigrant whose family moved to Kauai when she was a child. As Victoria got older, her mother sent her to O‘ahu to take care of her grandparents. Her mother wanted Victoria to succeed in life, and be able to gain valuable work experience, and pursue a higher education on O‘ahu as well.

Victoria has always been a dedicated and hard-working individual. She supported herself throughout high school by taking multiple food service and cashiering jobs, all while taking care of her grandparents, attending school, and being active in extracurricular activities like DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) and volleyball. Victoria was inspired to pursue a career as a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) after seeing her mother working hard and helping her relative who owns a care home business.

Immediately after graduating high school, she began looking for schools that she could earn her certification at. She found Professional Healthcare Educators (PHE) but needed financial assistance since she stopped working in order to fully focus on her studies. Victoria also did not want to burden her family with paying for her schooling, that’s when PHE referred her to HCAP’s Nā Lima Hana Employment Core Services (ECS) program for tuition assistance. 

Through HCAP’s assistance Victoria was able to complete Job Readiness Training and receive resourceful information regarding creating a resume, job interview skills, and financial literacy training. She was approved for tuition assistance with the ECS program and had her tuition paid in full so she could focus all of her energy on excelling in school. She finished the program in just over a month, and HCAP couldn’t be prouder of her accomplishment. HCAP staff are confident that Victoria has a bright future ahead as a CNA, and wish her luck on all of her future endeavors. 

Click here to learn more about Nā Lima Hana.

Kumuhonua Participant Gains New Opportunity as Resident Aide

Kumuhonua Emergency Shelter (KES) is proud to congratulate program participant, D, on securing employment as a Resident Aide (RA) in July 2026.

D began her journey at Kumuhonua in June 2026, when it was still operating as a transitional shelter. In the short time she’s been at Kumuhonua, she has worked hard to stay on track and push through her barriers. One of the biggest challenges D faced was managing the mental health issues she lives with every day. Despite everything that led to her homelessness, she never gave up and pushed forward.

When D learned that a Resident Aide position had opened up, she was thrilled and wasted no time reaching out to her Case Manager to apply. Drawing on her prior experience, she was able to secure the position.

D shared how excited she is about what the future holds now that she’ll be earning a paycheck. She’s also looking forward to working closely with her case manager to build stronger budgeting skills so she can manage her income each month. Above all, D hopes to stand on her own two feet and have a place to call her own very soon.

Kumuhonua staff are incredibly proud of D’s accomplishments so far, and look forward to watching her continue to grow as she works toward long-term stability and independence.

Click here to learn more about Kumuhonua.

Head Start Students Learning through Lunch

Head Start promotes healthy eating and nutrition in all of its classrooms. Through approaches such as eating “family style”, mealtime discussions, and food exploration, the children grow their knowledge of what a healthy meal should look like. In class, teachers have been focusing on involving children in conversations about the foods they eat. Through questions about the color, amount, and taste of food, teachers help the children explore shapes, sizes, and counting skills using nutritious examples. 

Additionally, fine motor skills like the ones used to operate their utensils, boost self-confidence and social skills, are expanded as they benefit from eating “family style” facing their peers. Opportunities for recall and prediction are provided as the class reviews what was served for breakfast and discusses what will be served for lunch. From breakfast through lunch, teachers intentionally weave learning into everyday routines, allowing children opportunities for discovery and growth in a natural and meaningful setting.

Click here to learn more about Head Start.