HCAP Weekly June 15, 2015

In this week’s issue:

HCAP Youth Services Class of 2015 Graduates
Na Lima Hana – Employment Core Services Hosts Trainings for New Clients
Central District Service Center Community Services Manager Raises $1155 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association
Kumuhonua Resident Receives Help from “Shelter Plus Care” Program
Head Start Kunia Classrooms Feature Parent and Child Artwork in Gallery

HCAP Youth Services Class of 2015 Graduates

On June 18, 2015, HCAP Youth Services (HYS) held the Class of 2015 Graduation Ceremony at McCoy Pavilion.

The ceremony began with a live performance of “The Star Spangled Banner” and “Hawaiʻi Ponoʻi” by HYS graduating student Beauty and her father Via. Following the opening songs, Chairman of the HCAP Board of Directors Representative Isaac W. Choy preceded with the Chairman’s Address and Robert N. E. Piper, Esq., MBA, HCAP Executive Director, shared a fond aloha with the students. Both speeches aimed to teach and motivate the young adults to stay focused despite their struggles and to continue working hard for a brighter future.

HYS Youth Trainer Cristal Garan then delivered “A Word to the Class,” which followed with an uproar from students who favored her as a mentor and a teacher. Graduating students Geoffrey and Natalya also shared their personal stories of hardships that brought them to HCAP Youth Services, and praised the program for the opportunities it gave them. After students received their Hawaii Adult Community School Diploma, the crowd joined together exuberantly to close with the class song “World’s Greatest” by R. Kelly.

Mahalo and congratulations to the HCAP Youth Services Class of 2015! We wish you a future full of success and bountiful opportunities.

Na Lima Hana – Employment Core Services Hosts Trainings for New Clients

Last week, HCAP’s Central District Service Center and Kalihi-Palama District Service Center conducted Employment Preparation Training sessions for ECS clients. Thanks to a partnership with Module 20 Work Furlough Programs and TJ Mahoney Hale, HCAP was able to provide employment training to several new ECS participants. The training focused on various employment skills such as interview preparation and resume building. At the end of the session, select participants were referred to contact ECS’s newest partnership Aerotek for possible employment opportunities.

Central District Service Center Community Services Manager Raises $1155 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association

HCAP’s Central District Service Center Community Service Manager Katy Perry became a Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Jailbird for the 2015 West Oahu MDA Lock-Up fundraiser.

I’m sure you want to know what she did to wind up in this predicament. Well, Katy was charged with having a big heart and representing the outstanding service that HCAP provides to the community. Katy was “arrested” by the MDA staff and went “behind bars” at MDA’s Hawaii District to help support MDA’s life-saving mission and defeat life-threatening muscle disease.

With the support of generous HCAP employees, family and friends, Katy was able to raise $1155.00. The money raised will help save and improve the lives of people fighting muscle disease, fund treatments and cures, provide life-enhancing programs like clinic and support groups, and send kids with muscle disease to MDA summer camp.

Katy Perry would like to thank all who helped her raise bail and support her in this important mission. Your gift will speed MDA’s progress in muscle disease research and care, and make a difference to children and adults living with muscle disease right here in our own community.

Kumuhonua Resident Receives Help from “Shelter Plus Care” Program

In March 2015, Kumuhonua Transitional Living Center resident Tiesse secured housing; she had been a resident at Kumuhonua since January 2014.

After overcoming many personal and financial difficulties, Tiesse was fortunate to be awarded Shelter-Plus for a successful transition to permanent housing. According to the Institute for Human Services, “The Shelter Plus Care Program is a supportive housing program that provides housing subsidies along with long-term supportive case management services to chronically homeless individuals who also have a disability. Individuals pay 30% of their income toward rent with the program subsidy providing the remaining dollar amount.”

Congratulations to Tiesse, who was able to move to a location near her grandchildren, and is now able to spend more time with them. Best wishes, Tiesse!

Head Start Kunia Classrooms Feature Parent and Child Artwork in Gallery

During the 2014-2015 school year, the Head Start Kunia classrooms created a “Meet the Artist” gallery at the Head Start Kunia building. The art gallery showcased artwork from both parents and children, in which various types of art techniques were used. On the opening day of the gallery, both children and families had the opportunity to walk through the gallery and see their featured artwork