HCAP WEEKLY March 22, 2021

Lopaka
HCAP Programs Help Family Weather the Pandemic
Food Box Deliveries Support Kupuna Living On His Own
Hā Initiative Challenge Team Designs Accessible Basketball Hoop for the FIRST LEGO League Hawai’i Region Championships
Art Projects Help HCAP Head Start Keiki Learn New Skills!


HCAP Programs Help Family Weather the PandemicLopaka

Tiane first contacted HCAP’s Central District Service Center for assistance with past due rent and electric bills after losing her job due to the pandemic. As a single mother of four children, Tiane was unable to find new employment that would allow her to work around her school aged children’s distance learning schedules. The family had been doing odd jobs around the community to make ends meet. 

Tiane was referred to HCAP’s Hale Kākou Program to apply for assistance with the family’s past-due bills, and both Tiane and her adult son Lopaka were referred to the Nā Lima Hana Employment Core Services Program. The Nā Lima Hana Employment Core Services Program assists unemployed and underemployed individuals in job training and placement. 

Thanks to HCAP’s Hale Kākou Program, Tiane and her family are now caught up with their rent and utilities payments! We are also happy to share that Lopaka was able to find employment at Island Recycling as a General Laborer shortly after enrolling in the Nā Lima Hana Program. The program also provided Lopaka with the work shoes and jeans he needed to start his new job. With their bills paid off and Lopaka’s newfound employment, the family is now in a better position to keep up with their future expenses. Our staff at the Central District Service Center are continuing to work with Tiane to help her secure employment so her family can continue to thrive and weather the pandemic.

To learn more about HCAP’s services and program, visit our website: https://www.hcapweb.org/our-programs/


 

Food Box Deliveries Support Kupuna Living On His Own

Glenn

Glenn was a former HCAP Senior Community Services Employment Program participant at the Leeward District Service Center, where he received job training in janitorial services.  Although Glenn is legally blind, he showed up to work extra early and was always ready to work.  Glenn is also a participant of the Kūpuna Independent Life Series and attended the Kūpuna Classes in Fall 2020. Recently, Glenn has also become a participant in our Kōkua Food Assistance Program. Since Glenn utilizes the Handi-Van, having a food box delivered to his home helps to alleviate the need to carry the necessary food up the stairs to his home. Glenn is very grateful for all of the support he has received. We look forward to continuing serving community members like Glenn so they can continue to live independently throughout the remainder of the pandemic.


 

Hā Initiative Challenge Team Designs Accessible Basketball Hoop for the FIRST LEGO League Hawai’i Region Championships

STEM Robot

The Hā Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program’s Challenge Team recently participated in the 2021 FIRST LEGO League Hawai’i Region Championships. 

The team met with the judges to discuss the proposed robot, innovation project, and core values. Team leader Dylan presented the team’s project, a simple, inclusive, and portable basketball hoop. The basketball hoop would be made out of graphene, a light material that would make it more portable, and no tools would be needed to set it up. This would provide accessible, fun exercise that could decrease the risk of developing heart disease. The team wanted to make sure that everyone, including kids and adults with disabilities, would be able to have fun and stay active with their innovative basketball hoop design.

STEM Hoop

While this has been a difficult season for the team to research and work on their project remotely, it has also been a great learning experience. We would like to thank the judges who volunteered to assist in the tournament and the organizers who made it all happen. The team is excited to compete again next year! 

Want to get involved in STEM? To learn more about the Hā Initiative Program, please email hcapstem@hcapweb.org. 


 

Art Projects Help HCAP Head Start Keiki Learn New Skills!

It’s not all numbers and letters…HCAP Head Start keiki also love to have some fun with art! Here are some fun art projects our children and families engaged in these past few weeks.

KahiauHS

Drawing Strawberries

Kahiau from Pohakea I explored creative arts by drawing strawberries from the book “See It Grow – Strawberry” by E. Merwin. Kahiau’s favorite part of the book was the part describing when the strawberries are ready and ripe for picking and eating, so he chose to draw ripe strawberries. 

ZhanderHS

Fruits That Grow on Trees

Zhander from Pohakea I learned about fruits that grow on trees, and was able to describe features like color, shape, size, texture, taste, and smell of different fruits that grow on trees. Zhander used watercolor paints in a variety of colors to paint an apple tree. His mom modeled how watercolors are used, and explained that paintings need to dry before they can be displayed. 

BriannaHS

Do-It-Yourself Watercolors

Brianna from Kaiulani II made her own watercolors using a few ingredients at home. Brianna’s mom helped her follow the instructions by mixing baking soda, white vinegar, light corn syrup, corn starch, and food coloring. Then Brianna used an ice cube tray as a painter’s palette and explored the visual arts by painting her own picture! You’ll be drawing like Van Gogh in no time Brianna!