HCAP WEEKLY June 17, 2024

Hā Initiative Visits Polynesian Cultural Center

Aloha! Talofa! Kia Ora! Malo e Lelei! Bula Vinaka! ‘La Ora Na! Greetings from the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Last week, the Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program took a trip to the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) where they immersed themselves in the polynesian cultures.

At the Samoa section of PCC, the keiki learned that “Sa” means Sacred and “Moa” means Center. They visited the Sacred Center and enjoyed learning about the nifo oti, also known as the fire knife. The keiki also learned how to weave and cast to catch an iʻa or fish.

When the group visited Aotearoa, the keiki learned about poi. Here, poi is a form of dance involving hand coordination with two woven flax strings attached to spheres that are swung in a rhythmic pattern. Some of the boys participated in learning the haka, a fierce warrior dance passed down from Maori descendants.

Moving over to Tonga, the students were introduced to the art of handmade tapa mats adorned with intricate geometric patterns that are delicately placed to represent social status amongst Tongan villages. They then learned a lakalaka dance, which means a brisk and careful step in Tongan.

In Fiji, the keiki received washable tattoos and learned the meaning of each tattoo pattern. With a derua, a bamboo stamping stick used as percussion in Fijian tradition, the students created beats together.

Discovering Tahitian culture, the students sampled Tahitian coconut bread and shook their hips to rhythmic beats of the pahu drums.

The Hā Initiative ended their journey in Hawai`i where the keiki learned about the Iosepa and ancient wayfinding, Hawaiian kalo or taro, and played some games often played at Makahiki celebrations and festivals.

It was a fun-filled Saturday afternoon of learning for the Hā Initiative keiki, with some of the students experiencing their first field trips and others immersing in their own cultural backgrounds.

Click here to learn more about the Hā Initiative.

Central Client Paves a Path to Self-Sufficiency

Mahealani contacted the Central District Service Center in January 2023 for assistance with obtaining employment support through HCAP’s Nā Lima Hana Employment Core Services program. She had been recently paroled and had been living in clean and sober housing. Mahealani was interested in attending the phlebotomy courses of an HCAP partner organization, Professional Healthcare Educators (PHE). She completed the required intake forms and participated in the Job Readiness Class. During intake, Central District staff engaged her in job interview preparation. Through ECS resources, the program was able to assist Mahealani with obtaining hygiene products and tuition assistance for her phlebotomy courses.

In February, Nā Lima Hana assisted Mahealani with a HOLO Card for the next 2 months in order for her to attend vocational training classes and conduct job searches. During this process, she was also able to benefit from HCAP wraparound services and filed her taxes through HCAP’s Income Tax Services & Earned Income Tax Credit Program.

Mahealani had passed the written portion of the Phlebotomy course at PHE, however needed more time to complete the Practical Skills portion of the course. She had updated HCAP staff that she was hired as a Special Projects Manager at Makana O Ke Akua Inc. as a full-time employee. ECS then assisted her with obtaining work attire in order for her to be able to start work.

Mahealani has kept in contact with Central District staff and consistently submitted her pay stubs as proof of employment, to which ECS provided her with gift card incentives for maintaining employment through 30, 60 and 90 day milestones. She expressed how HCAP’s services were extremely helpful for her and others in similar situations to obtain employment. She also shared that “the training aspect of your services are a necessity. I was able to work in an awesome job that allows me to give back to our community.”

Mahealani recently shared that she still has the option of finishing her course at Professional Healthcare Educators that will allow her to continue helping her community. She is hoping that this will help her further her goals to obtain self-sufficiency and independence.

The Central District staff are so excited and proud of all that Mahealani has accomplished so far, and will continue to support her in her future endeavors. Staff express that Mahealani has been a joy to work with, and through every step of the process, has continued to communicate effectively to update them with every milestone she has reached.

Click Here to learn more about Nā Lima Hana.

Kupuna Receives Water Heater Through Weatherization

Selene, a kupuna who was introduced to the Honolulu Community Action Program (HCAP) by a friend, lives within her means in an older home. She mentioned that her water heater was no longer producing hot water, and she was stretching its use until it produced only cold water to decide to replace the water heater. When a Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) Specialist called her to tell her the good news that she was eligible to apply for WAP, Selene was glad to know that she could receive assistance for her home utilities given the state of her utility systems and her budget. With WAP services, Selene was happy to receive a brand new hot water heater installation. She expressed her happiness with how the hot water heater was installed to her home by the plumber with a shed to protect it outdoors.

During the WAP Specialist visit for Selene’s home energy audit, they were able to assist her in replacing her older light bulbs with LED light bulbs in her high ceiling home where the lights are difficult to reach. Selene expressed much gratitude for her brand new hot water heater when she needed it most and the help of the WAP Specialist.

Click here to learn more about WAP.