With sensitivity to both staff and families directly impacted, the program started a new Parent Hui on Maui, creating a gracious space for connecting and healing together. Tūtū and Me’s Parent Education Hui aims to provide a lifeline for caregivers on Maui by emphasizing the importance of self-care, offering essential parenting insights, and fostering a sense of community among caregivers.  

“This is just one of the ways that we are working to uplift the community of Maui as they continue to grieve and heal from the wildfires,” Amanda Ishigo, Tūtū, and Me Project Manager, shares. “Our entire Tūtū and Me team continues to look for ways to respond to the needs of our keiki and families on Maui. We hope to provide the additional support our families need for however long they need it.” 

Tūtū and Me began serving the Maui community in 2008 and currently operates four sites serving a little over 650 Maui keiki and families each school year. This culture-based education program serves families with keiki ages birth to five in underserved communities on the five major islands in Hawaiʻi. The goal of Tūtū and Me is to meet the educational and emotional needs of families so that keiki will enter school ready to learn and succeed.  

One of the remarkable features of Tūtū and Me is its adaptability. It is a traveling preschool that can go to communities, setting up joyful learning locations where they are most needed. When the program’s previous site in Lahaina became unsafe for families, the dedicated Tūtū and Me Maui team jumped into action to find alternative sites at parks that provided a safe space for the 72 keiki and caregivers who attended that location. They reopened three of the four sites the following Monday. 

Mele Hooper, the Tūtū and Me Site Manager for Maui, expressed the mutual need for connection during challenging times, saying, “Our kumu needed to see our keiki as much as our keiki needed to see our kumu and play with their friends. We just wanted to be there for our keiki and families and provide a sense of what life was like before the fires. It has been heartwarming to see our keiki play and enjoy their time at Tūtū and Me.” 

Staff were seeing children and families in great need, so the Maui Tūtū and Me office, which once held preschool supplies and books, is now stocked with new clothing, toiletries, and toys that were gathered from the Tūtū and Me families and PIDF staff and supporters.  

Funding in part from the Maui Strong Fund of the Hawai’i Community Foundation has enabled the Partners in Development Foundation to extend a helping hand to families and staff affected by the wildfires. This support includes vital monetary assistance to aid in recovery efforts and more hands on deck to support the caring staff. Additionally, PIDF has received a significant in-kind donation of school supplies and backpacks from Kamehameha Schools and the Molokai community, further enhancing their commitment to the community’s recovery.  

President and CEO Shawn Kanaʻiaupuni summarizes the organization’s collective sentiments, stating, “We all felt the devastating impact of the wildfires — the entire PIDF team, the families we serve, our staff and supporters. That motivated us to do everything possible to assist Maui families and keiki.”  

Partners in Development Foundation is working to raise funds to bring its Ka Paʻalana preschool, serving families with young children, ages birth to five, with a literacy-rich, science-oriented, culturally grounded curriculum and instruction that also integrates trauma-informed care, crisis counseling, childcare, financial, and family strengthening into its daily program. 

Following the success of its first campaign that ended in April, the Hawaiʻi Energy Waimānalo Appliance Trade-Up program will begin its second campaign for additional residents to trade up their appliances. Hawaiʻi Energy will offer up to 75 refrigerator or freezer exchanges. A grant from The First Hawaiian Bank Foundation for $25,000 will enable PIDF and Hawaiʻi Energy to exchange an additional 50 washers or dryers. The collaborative program and funding will allow residents to trade up their old, energy consuming appliances for only $250, for a total savings of $750 per appliance. 

Hawai‘i has the nation’s highest electricity rates with costs generally around three times more than the national average. An old refrigerator uses about twice as much energy as a new ENERGY STAR certified refrigerator. Energy conservation and efficiency is the easiest and most affordable way for residents to save money on their electric bill.

“The energy usage consumption, especially when you’re retired, and on a fixed income, any way you can save money and learn how to reduce your carbon footprint on our planet is a plus,” said Edward Kaiama, Waimānalo resident and long-time participant of Nā Pono No Nā ʻOhana. 

The Waimānalo residents who participated in the Hawaiʻi Energy program are also eligible to join the Energy UNPLUGGED community educational workshop as well as the Energy Smart 4 Homes program, which are free services that will pair residents with trained professionals and educational resources to best equip their homes. Participants in the program will receive products such as energy-efficient LED light bulbs, advanced power strips and more, valued at over $150 and can reduce electricity costs for each household by up to $160 per year. 

“A key focus area for Hawai‘i Energy is to make energy-saving programs and tech more accessible and more affordable to residents and businesses across the state,” said Caroline Carl, Executive Director of Hawaiʻi Energy. “Families like those that PIDF serves are often on fixed incomes or have larger households, which means they stand to benefit even more financially than the average resident from having a lower electric bill, and they can direct more of their household income toward other needs.”

Nā Pono No Nā ʻOhana is a free, comprehensive family education program in Waimānalo where ʻohana come to learn together. Through its Parent and Child Together (PACT), child education, parent education, and adult education services, Nā Pono serves over 250 ʻohana members a year, most of whom live in Waimānalo.

Honokaʻa High and Intermediate School are Title I eligible schools located in a rural, primarily Native Hawaiian populated community on Hawaiʻi Island. Funding for the Ka Hana Noʻeau initiative will consist of three mentorship tracks rooted in Hawaiian culture and STEAM, including model rocket building, fine arts, and Hawaiian ethnobotany. The program partners with the schools to match students with positive adult role models to grow intellectually, interpersonally, and emotionally.

“The mentorship program provides invaluable support to participants, such as access to resources that are otherwise unavailable, especially for those struggling socially and emotionally,” said Angella Brandt, Ka Hana Noʻeau Project Coordinator. “One mentee shared that our program gave them a ‘sense of place.’ We encourage students to strive for higher education, especially because some families do not have that mindset as they struggle to make ends meet.”

The Kupa ʻAina natural farm in Kailua will use the funding to continue services to support and mentor Hawaiʻi’s most at-risk and vulnerable ʻōpio (youth ages 14-24). The youth will connect with the ʻāina while participating in services centered on workforce development, mental health, and college pathways. The farm is located on the Kawailoa Youth and Family Wellness Center, adjacent to the Hawaiʻi Youth Correctional Facility. Because Hawaiʻi imports more than 80% of its food, Kupa ʻAina partners with state and community organizations to focus on natural farming as a path towards sustainability, reconnecting with traditional Hawaiian practices and educating the community to transform Hawaiʻi’s food systems.

Nā ʻŌiwi Kāne is a certified Native Hawaiian Organization with a mission to grow the reach of its community impact and strengthen the Native Hawaiian community. The organization supports programs and projects focusing on transferring the skills, values, and practices of the traditional Hawaiian way of life to the most vulnerable members of the Hawaiʻi community. PIDF is Nā ʻŌiwi Kāne’s first beneficiary, from which several programs have benefited since 2005. 

“Nā ʻŌiwi Kāne is able to reach many Native Hawaiian keiki, ʻōpio and their ‘ohana with the help of PIDF and their programs. It takes a village to raise a child and together with PIDF we are doing it one keiki and ʻōpio at a time,” said Maylisajoy Kamakeeaina, Director at Nā ʻŌiwi Kāne. 

To learn more about Partners in Development Foundation and its ten free programs and services, including Ka Hana Noʻeau and Kupa ʻAina natural farm, go to pidf.org.

“Our Kahiau partners have shown unwavering dedication to serving the community, providing essential services and bringing hope to those who need it most,” Ann Teranishi, president and CEO of ASB, said in a statement.

American Savings Bank announced Monday that its annual Kahiau Giving Campaign raised $368,268 this year. Funds were distributed to local nonprofits including Child & Family Service, Kapiolani Health Foundation, Kupu Hawaii, Partners in Development Foundation and local United Way chapters, according to the announcement.

This year’s donation represents the financial institution’s largest Kahiau donation since the program’s inception in 2011, with nearly 94% of ASB employees having participated in this year’s workplace giving initiative. The campaign received $218,268 in employee donations, with the bank contributing a matching donation of $150,000 to further increase the impact, according to ASB.

“Our Kahiau partners have shown unwavering dedication to serving the community, providing essential services and bringing hope to those who need it most,” Ann Teranishi, president and CEO of ASB, said in a statement. “We are honored to support their missions and proud of our 1,100 teammates for their ongoing commitment to making a positive impact.”

This year’s Kahiau theme was “Planting Seeds for a Thriving Community.” In Hawaiian, the word “Kahiau” means “to give from the heart without expecting anything in return,” as stated in the announcement. Since 2011, the Kahiau Giving Campaign has raised more than $2.9 million, according to ASB.

“We extend our heartfelt appreciation to American Savings Bank for its invaluable partnership in our mission to enrich the lives of Hawaii’s residents,” John Fink, president and CEO at Aloha United Way, said in a statement. “American Savings Bank’s generous support through its tremendous Kahiau Giving Campaign enables AUW to drive significant impact in addressing important community needs, from education and financial stability to health and well-being.”

Original story published on Honolulu Civil Beat by Jackie Mader, click here to view, and on The Hechinger Report, click here to view.

In the basement of a church at the foothills of the Koolau mountains, Darrylnn Ferreira perched on a plastic chair at the edge of a large blue rug while her 4-year-old granddaughter, Talia, settled down for circle time. Three teachers welcomed other families as they trickled in and sat down, then launched into a morning greeting song in English and Hawaiian. 

Ferreira followed suit, clapping along and singing, before settling back in her chair and paying close attention as a teacher held up a picture book about the Honolulu Zoo and started to read to the class.

As a grandmother, Ferreira is as much a member of the target audience for this free, traveling preschool program as Talia. Named Tutu and Me after the Hawaiian word for “grandparent,” the program introduces children to early academic and social skills as well as Native Hawaiian language and culture.

At the same time, caregivers, many of whom are grandparents, learn about child development and how to navigate toddler tantrums, support early language and math skills and help children learn through play.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, Ferreira and Talia drive up a narrow, winding road, flanked with deep green foliage, to a hilltop church in Kaneohe. They amble down to a basement classroom that mimics a traditional school or center-based program, with multiple teachers for the dozen children, a structured routine and thoughtfully designed activity centers, each of which includes a poster for caregivers with instructions and tips to encourage exploration and learning.

When circle time ends, Ferreira and Talia rotate through the centers to Talia’s favorite activities: drawing, painting and — on at least one day — riding a small tricycle in dizzying circles. 

“This is amazing,” Ferreira said, motioning around the room as toddlers and preschoolers, trailed by their caregivers, dashed from one activity to the next. “We have this resource that gives this for us to learn.”

Tutu and Me is one of several family-child interaction learning programs in Hawaii that offers support to the state’s large number of non-parental caregivers who provide child care each day. At least 43% of young children in Hawaii were watched by friends or relatives in 2019. The state has the highest percentage of families — 72% — that use federal funds to pay for unlicensed care, such as that provided by grandparents and friends. 

These caregivers — mostly women and largely invisible within the broader child care ecosystem — are often isolated in their homes and can’t always access the funding and training critical to offering the best care possible during a pivotal time of children’s brain development.

“What they learn in our program, what we’re trying to teach them, is that they are that child’s most important educator,” said Shawn Kanaʻiaupuni, president and CEO of the Hawaii-based Partners in Development Foundation, which runs Tutu and Me. “Nobody is born knowing how to be a parent or caregiver, we all have to learn it.”

Ferreira, who brought another grandchild to a different Tutu and Me location more than 15 years ago, has seen immense benefits for Talia. The preschooler is now more prepared for kindergarten, Ferreira said, and has learned aspects of Native Hawaiian culture that are meaningful to their family. Through the program, Ferreira has learned how to teach Talia how to form letters.

 “She won’t do that here,” Ferreira whispered, as Talia eyed some handwriting practice sheets before opening a drawing journal and coloring in a picture with a thick pink crayon. “But I’m doing it at home, just to reinforce it,” she added. 

At home, Ferreira infuses more counting into their day, as well as reading, English and Hawaiian songs, and creative activities, like painting and making homemade playdough. She and Talia have attended field trips and live theater, and Ferreira has enrolled Talia in gymnastics, a program she learned about through Tutu and Me.  

“We’re very fortunate this program is here,” she said. 

A Necessary Form Of Child Care

For generations, families have relied on friends, family members and neighbors to help care for young children during the day. Friend, family and neighbor — FFN — care is the most common form of non-parental child care in America. Experts estimate at least 60% of children under age 6 spend their days in such arrangements with more than 4 million caregivers — mostly grandparents or aunts — a number that has grown over the past decade. 

This type of care is especially common in low income communities, among families with limited English proficiency, in immigrant communities and for children with disabilities. During the pandemic, friend and family caregivers were a lifeline for many parents; recent data shows parents continue to desire and value it. Child care provided by relatives or other informal caregivers can offer valuable benefits for children, such as consistency of care, support of native language and culture, flexibility and affordability. 

As states work to stabilize the child care industry in the wake of the pandemic, experts are calling for more support for all child care settings, including the informal, home-based care, where so many children spend their days.

“The individuals that provide FFN care are doing a huge service to young children and their families, and they’re also doing a considerable service to the community and the economy,” said Natalie Renew, executive director of Home Grown, a nonprofit aimed at increasing the access to and quality of home-based child care.

“Our high-priority children and families are often in this setting, and if we really want them to be ready for kindergarten and able to thrive, we really need to care for them in this setting with these caregivers,” she added. 

In Hawaii, friend, family and neighbor care is valued both culturally and by necessity. Extremely high real estate costs coupled with a high cost of living means several generations of families often live together. While many working families choose and prefer ohana, or family, care, while their children are young, other options are scarce. Before the pandemic, the state had only enough licensed infant-toddler center spots for one out of every 37 children under age 3. 

The state lost 12% of its child care spots during the pandemic. In some parts of Hawaii, including the islands of Kauai, Molokai and Lanai, there are no child care centers serving infants and toddlers. The average cost of center-based infant child care, when it is available in Hawaii, is more than $1,700 a month, several hundred more than the national average. 

Nationwide, aid for family and friend caregivers is rare. In 23 states, there are no known statewide supports for relatives and friends who provide child care. Many of these providers don’t view themselves as educators, but rather as caregivers who are simply helping their families. Few attend educational workshops or get help from a home visitor or coach. During the pandemic, when family members and friends were a critical caregiving lifeline, only 13 states used federal stabilization funding to invest in these providers. 

Policymakers have mixed views on whether grandparents, neighbors, and family friends should be included in formal child care policy, said Patricia Lozano, executive director of Early Edge California, which advocates for high-quality early learning programs in a variety of settings. “It’s complicated,” she said. “It’s really difficult to have policies that apply to all.”

But a few states, such as Alabama and California, do offer formal training specifically for this population. In California, where one in five FFN caregivers watch four or more children, the state runs play groups and training for caregivers through a child care agency. Other states offer programs like those in Hawaii: play groups for caregivers and children, featuring key aspects of formal preschool programs, as well as educational materials through the mail. 

Several states, including Colorado and Massachusetts, have expanded home visitation programs to serve relatives and friends who care for children. This model is especially promising, helping ensure that informal caregivers don’t feel they’re being pushed into the regulations and oversight involved in formal child care, said Linda Smith, director of the early childhood development initiative at the Bipartisan Policy Center. 

“There’s this constant debate … ‘If I’m the grandparent, do I want somebody coming in and telling me how to care for my grandchildren?’” she said. “The other side of that coin is, ‘Hey, I haven’t been around little kids in a long time. What do I need to know now, that I didn’t know before?’” she added. “How do you support grandparents in this whole role, without regulating them and telling them what to do?”

Fewer Resources

Despite the benefits these caregivers offer, there are also challenges. 

Children in informal care settings may have fewer resources than their peers in formal, licensed child care programs, spend more time watching television and have lower cognitive and school readiness scores. Research has found some caregivers are less likely to play with children and engage in the back-and-forth conversation known to stimulate cognitive development. In some states, caregivers can care for up to six children without a license, mirroring more formal home care settings, but without the support provided to licensed programs. 

Without access to information or training, caregivers may rely on their own child-rearing experiences, which, for some, could be limited. 

The essential components of “identity and love and affection and reciprocity,” are already baked in to care provided by family friends and relatives, said Renew from Home Grown. “And with more resources, I think we could do so much more to intervene on the cognitive pieces of the development.”

Caregivers nationwide largely report that they’d welcome help and information, especially on health and safety, how to offer nutritious meals and navigate state systems, as well as how to use materials to support play and learning. 

And some caregivers simply need immediate tips on how to handle challenges with the children they watch each day. 

On a recent Wednesday morning in Kapolei, Hawaii, caregivers followed children inside two brown yurts sitting in tall grass on the grounds of two homeless shelters. Although this program, the Ka Paalana Homeless Family Education Program at Hope Shelter, is aimed at families experiencing homelessness, many local families drive to the homeless shelter to take advantage of the free early learning opportunity.

Ka Paalana’s shelter-based location is of such high quality, it is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Like their counterparts at Tutu and Me, the teachers with Ka Paalana, which runs the shelter location and several traveling sites, see themselves as guides for caregivers of young children. For a portion of the class at Hope Shelter, teachers mind the children while caregivers receive instruction on topics like child development and career and life skills. 

Inside one of the yurts, Cece Kailiwai trailed a boisterous 1-year-old, who recently has been experimenting with climbing, pushing and was experiencing big feelings. Kailiwai, whose own children are grown, lives at one of the shelters and watches the toddler, who also lives in the shelter, as a favor for the child’s parents while they work. She chatted with teachers and watched their interactions with the boy when a tower of blocks fell over and he erupted in tears, kicking at some of the blocks.

Kailiwai said the program benefits them both. Without it, the toddler would miss out on socialization with other children and the stimulation of educational activities and toys. Kailiwai would be on her own to learn how to manage tantrums and behavior, how to play in ways that support his development and make sure he is on track with age-appropriate skills. 

The program has impacted her as a caregiver. “For me, it’s learning patience and structure … and learning that when you’re consistent, things will flow,” she said.

A growing body of research shows support programs for informal caregivers can make a positive difference, increasing caregiver knowledge of child development and decreasing caregiver depression and isolation. 

There are also long-term benefits for children. In Hawaii, a study of a small group of Tutu and Me graduates found 86% were proficient in reading and math by third grade, nearly 20 percentage points higher than the statewide average. Ninety-eight percent of children leaving Tutu and Me met school readiness standards on state tests, and Native Hawaiian graduates of the program were generally performing at the same levels as their non-Native Hawaiian peers, closing a persistent gap among children in the state. 

A longitudinal study of Keiki Steps, a family-child interaction program in the state similar to Tutu  and Me, found similar positive results: A survey of 80% of the first seven cohorts of Keiki Steps graduates found they all graduated from high school on time and 75% were college bound. These results are particularly stunning in a state where the Native Hawaiian population faces “generational effects of colonization,” said Maile Keli’ipio-Acoba, CEO of the Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture, or INPEACE, which runs Keiki Steps.

More Support Needed

Despite the promise and success of these programs, the state provides little funding for these efforts. Tutu and Me and Keiki Steps get most of their funding from the federal government, an amount set aside for Native Hawaiian Education programs, as well as from foundations and other private donors. The state’s Executive Office on Early Learning funnels some $300,000 into two other family-child interaction programs, held at two elementary schools.

FFN support programs also receive some funding from the state’s Department of Human Services, which invests about $188,000 toward these programs. The bulk of this investment is steered toward Learning to Grow, an outreach program for FFN caregivers and home-based providers, run by the University of Hawaii at Manoa and Windward Community College. Every month, caregivers across the Hawaiian Islands who are registered with the state can receive packets of educational materials centered around a theme, like learning through play and early brain development.

Hawaii has been largely focused on expanding pre-K for 3-year-olds and constructing pre-K facilities — investing $200 million last year toward efforts to do so. This approach ignores the family-and-friend settings that advocates say many parents choose and, in many cases, prefer.

“Our Native Hawaiian population really continues to hold a cultural value of their child being raised at home with their families,” said Keli’ipio-Acoba, instead of in an “institutional, educational kind of setting” for young children. 

More funding could help expand the reach of programs for informal caregivers, advocates say. But in the meantime, the caregivers who have access to this support say it’s made a difference.

Four days a week, teachers from Keiki Steps fan out across the islands to set up makeshift classrooms in nine communities. On a recent morning in Waianae, on a farm tucked away on the edge of Makaha Valley, a half-dozen families roamed around activity centers under a lush canopy of macadamia nut, jackfruit and ulu trees. 

On the edge of the large, outdoor classroom, Dee Kila crouched down next to her 2-year-old granddaughter, Hi’iaka, at a painting station.

“Can you say blue?” she asked as Hi’iaka picked up a paintbrush and smeared turquoise paint on a piece of cardboard depicting Hawaiian goddess Pele’s journey home.

“Dab, dab, dab,” Kila said as her granddaughter dipped her paintbrush in more paint. Kila gently put her hand over Hi’iaka’s hand and moved it back and forth, showing her how to create long strokes that resembled waves. 

“Nice job, high five!” she said, high fiving the toddler.

Kila watches Hi’iaka and her 1-year-old brother five days a week, from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., for free. “It’s very exhausting,” Kila said. “I am underpaid,” she added, laughing. Kila said her grandchildren are benefiting from the activities, songs and books at Keiki Steps. But the program has helped her, too. In addition to her grandchildren, Kila also cares for her 81-year-old mother, a combination Kila said can be overwhelming. 

The biggest change she’s noticed since she started coming to Keiki Steps is in herself. Having a place to bring the children to learn and socialize with others, where she can also learn about child development and interact with other caregivers, has been helpful, Kila said, especially since no such programs existed in her community when she was a young mom learning how to be a caregiver. 

“It’s made me more calm, and taught me how to be more patient,” she said. “Now that I’m caregiving, I’m like, I gotta go to Keiki Steps, so I can learn.”

This story about informal childcare was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for the Hechinger newsletter.

When Michelle Omerod was in high school, she witnessed many of her friends and peers shuffle in and out of foster homes. Some homes, she remembers, were less than ideal for youth in need of extra emotional support.

“My friends were really traumatized,” she said.

That’s why, when Michelle and her husband, Aaron, bought their home in Keaʻau, they opened up their doors to hānai (care for) keiki in foster care – especially teenagers. They currently have six hānai keiki and three biological keiki – and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Since 2020, the Omerods have fostered over 20 ʻōpio (youth). They have also extended a helpful hand to including numerous other keiki in the community who just wanted a safe place to stay and feel loved, even if only temporarily.

Aaron Omerod is a correctional officer. With his background and training, he shares with Michelle how to identify behavior indicative of trauma. Together, they support their keiki as best they can.

“Nobody wants to take on teens because of their ‘baggage.’ But this is their last chance before they become an adult,” Aaron said. “This is our chance to make a difference before we see them on the other side of the bars.”

In Hawaiʻi, there are approximately 1,200 keiki in foster care, and nearly 300 are teenagers. More than half of the incarcerated youth and adult population in Hawaiʻi have a Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander background, and many of those were involved in systems of foster care, child welfare, mental health services, special education, or family court.

“We really value the foster homes we are privileged to work with and have a special place in our hearts for our teen homes like the Omerod ʻohana,” said Alana Power, project director of Project Pilina. “What they communicate to these young lives in foster care is that you are worth loving and investing time in – and that kindness they share in providing a safe home makes such a difference. We hope to empower more community members to do the same.”

Project Pilina is a statewide program that recruits and guides resource caregiver applicants through the first steps of the general licensing process. The program, under Partners in Development Foundation, seeks to build relationships within island communities by raising awareness about foster care. For anyone ready to start the application process, a community liaison will serve and assist in the initial steps of the general licensing process to foster keiki.

For those who are unsure about taking the first steps in becoming resource caregivers, there are many other ways to support children in the Hawaiʻi foster care system.

Every month, Project Pilina hosts virtual statewide information sessions with community liaisons open to anyone interested in learning more about foster care, volunteer opportunities, and other ways to get involved. Participants may also have an opportunity to hear directly from former youth in foster care or current resource caregivers.

Community events like the East Hawaiʻi’s Job Readiness Fair are designed to help youth in foster care and those with resource caregivers. The event focuses on workforce preparedness and basic financial education and youth who attend will be able to choose gift cards for Old Navy, Macy’s, or Jean’s Warehouse to purchase job-ready attire. The next job readiness fair will be held at the Connect Point Church in Hilo on Saturday, May 6 from 8:30 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. and all interested youth are encouraged to attend.

While the Omerod ʻohana will continue to open their heart and home to keiki in care, they urge the larger community to support the overall foster care system.

“Honestly, it’s not even just for foster homes, really. Other people, too, should try to provide assistance for the state because they need help. There’re so many kids and there aren’t enough social workers. It’s not their fault. The foster care system struggles because they need more help,” Michelle said.

The Omerods sometimes experience challenges raising their hānai and biological keiki together, but they say that the rewards of supporting youth in foster care far outweigh the adversities.

The couple agrees that seeing the keiki overcome each boundary and obstacle thrown their way because of the situation they were born into inspires them to keep going.

Project Pilina

The next statewide information sessions are:
May 1 at 6:00 p.m.
June 7 at 12:00 p.m.
Sessions will be on Zoom
To learn more go to: pidf.org/projectpilina

Get ready for a special presentation, “Thrive by Five Presented by Commit to Keiki,” airing tomorrow on KHON2 and KHII. In this insightful episode, we’ll delve into the efforts of individuals across the state who are making significant strides in promoting mental health awareness and supporting the well-being of our children aged 0 to 5.

Living808 offers you a sneak peek at the episode, featuring a preview from Terry George and Kerrie Urosevich of Commit to Keiki. Terry explains that Commit to Keiki is a non-partisan partnership with government leaders, aiming to prioritize Hawaii’s youngest keiki in the state budget. The organization’s goals are three-fold: improving access to high-quality, affordable, and accessible childcare and early learning, reducing family violence, and strengthening the system of care for children with mental health issues.

Kerrie Urosevich adds that Commit to Keiki is a collaborative effort involving philanthropy, business owners, direct service providers, and county partners. The organization was established because Hawaii ranks 7th from the bottom in state investments in children, and they want to change that. By prioritizing young children and partnering with elected officials, Commit to Keiki aims to demonstrate the importance of investing in early childhood development.

Terry highlights the long-term benefits of supporting early childhood development, stating that it is the best single public investment for both the children and the state. Children who receive a good start in life perform better in school, are more prepared for the workforce, and demand less from state support systems.

Kerrie envisions a future where every child in Hawaii enters kindergarten ready to learn and every baby has a bright start to life. Prioritizing prevention and supporting families would significantly impact communities, workplaces, and the state at large.

Don’t miss this impactful special tomorrow, April 20th, airing at 7:30 pm on KHII and 9:30 pm on KHON2. To learn more about the invaluable work of Commit to Keiki and how you can contribute to their mission, visit their website at committokeiki.org. Join us on Living808 as we explore the essential efforts of Commit to Keiki in ensuring a brighter future for our children.

Project Pilina, a program of Partners in Development Foundation (PIDF)focused on sourcing foster care families, received nearly $7,000 from the Ohana Fuels “Fuel Up. Do Good.” program to support graduating youth in foster care. During the months of October through December, Ohana Fuels donated a portion of every gallon of gasoline purchased at all Ohana Fuels stations in that community to directly support foster care youth in East Hawaiʻi.

Funds raised from the Ohana Fuels “Fuel Up. Do Good.” program will aid East Hawaiʻi high school students in foster care to purchase caps and gowns, prom attire and any additional self-care essential items needed. Remaining funds will be used to distribute meal gift cards for foster homes to host a welcome dinner for newly placed youth. 

“For some teenagers in foster care, especially those living in shelters while attending high school, participating in graduation or prom can be costly and oftentimes not a priority,” said Alana Power, Project Pilina project director. “Our hope is to help them celebrate these milestones and let them know that they deserve everything they worked for and have fun with their class.”

On any given day in Hawaiʻi there are more than 1,250 keiki in foster care, of which more than300 are 13 to 17 years old. Project Pilina recruits and guides resource caregiver (foster parent)applicants through the initial steps of the general licensing process to foster in Hawaiʻi. The program seeks to build relationships with island communities by raising awareness about foster care and connecting with resource caregiver applicants.

“We’re grateful for this opportunity to partner with Project Pilina,” says Kimo Haynes, president of Hawaii Petroleum. “Their work with foster keiki is invaluable for our community and we want to thank the community for supporting them through the ‘Fuel Up. Do Good.’ program.”

The Hilo Crescent Lions and Hilo Crescent Leos clubs waved signs that read “Fill up for Foster Care” in front of Puainako Minit Stop during the weekends. The club members volunteered their time for Project Pilina’s free car wash events where donations totaled $941. Together with the support of the community members from over eight Hawaiʻi Island Ohana Fuels locations, the Ohana Fuels campaign raised $6,920.82.

“It was amazing to have the whole community come together for this. We are so appreciative to Ohana Fuels for this donation and looking forward to giving back to our youth in Foster Care, and the gracious Resource Caregiver homes,” said Power. 

There are several ways to support Hawaiʻi’s keiki in foster care. Every month, Project Pilina hosts live virtual information sessions where participants have an opportunity to hear directly from resource caregivers (foster parents), experts in the field, and other voices in the community. For more information, go to pidf.org/projectpilina.

Nourishment

Leanne walked the PIDF staff members into the kalo mala, or dryland farm for a nourishing activity. They selectively separated keiki kalo plants sprouting off the makua (parent) plant so that they could be replanted and soak in more nutrients. Likewise, outplanting the keiki kalo on their own allows them to retain nutrients without having to share with a larger plant. The team also prepared huli, or kalo stems, from previously harvested kalo so that they could be replanted. This age-old way of planting connects today’s people with ancient Hawaiʻi, so that the kalo plant may continue feeding the people of Hawaiʻi. This activity not only nourished the kalo, but also emotionally nourished themselves knowing they are investing in the well-being of future generations, too. 

Mālama

Celeste guided members of the administration in connecting to the ʻāina by pulling weeds. They grounded themselves with hanu (breath), and allowed their minds to clear through the practice of one of PIDF’s core values of Mālama, to take care. The staff plucked weeds from kalo patches, that can quickly become overgrown if not attended to. Weeds can strangle plants as well as take nutrients from the crops. Removing weeds is just as important as all the other steps that cultivate healthy growth for the food crops and stands as a reminder to take care of what takes care of us. 

Pilikia

Machijah paved a way for his group to address pilikia (frustration or tensions), that individuals may have felt built up that they wanted to relieve. The members of this group were given machetes used to slim and replenish the overgrown banana trees that populate the acreage. They were encouraged to cut through tough feelings as they sliced through the wilted limbs of the tree. This activity reflects how to let go of what no longer serves you, allowing energy to flow to what you want to grow. 

Healing

Mana led the activities that prompted healing. The team members took oʻo (large digging sticks) to puncture holes into the ground and tuck ʻōlena roots in. ʻŌlena, or turmeric, is a root in the ginger family used frequently as a spice in cooking, for dying clothes, and especially in lāʻau lapaʻau, or spiritual and medicinal healing practices. The team took turns digging and planting, and fell into a rhythm of rooting the ʻōlena roots so they may bloom in the months to come. The staff learned that though the growth will be slow, in the months to come, roots full of nutrients and vibrant colors are growing underneath the surface and will eventually sprout.

Nonprofits help everyone from keiki to kūpuna in everything from healthcare to childcare, to providing shelter, putting food on the table or simply sharing a hot meal. But rising costs including wages and persistent calls for help from the community, continue to be a challenge for many of these organizations, making it difficult for them to survive.

HONOLULU (HI Now) – Partners in Development Foundation believes that providing services and support for Hawaiʻi’s keiki, youth and caregivers will lead to thriving communities. Their work to inspire and equip families has led them to take up Initiatives centered around early education, family strengthening, and sustainability.

Over its 25-year history, PIDF has impacted the lives of over 128,000 individuals across our state through its direct services, including mentoring organizations like We Are Oceania and managing a quarantine hotel.

To donate to their $25 for the 25th campaign, visit www.pidf.org/donate. For more information about Partners in Development Foundation’s free programs and services, visit www.pidf.org.

Keola Klaus Virtual Toy Drive

For the second year in a row, Raising Cane’s teamed up with 102.7 da bomb’s Keola Show to raise money for PIDF’s keiki and ʻohana this year. Not only that, they collected toys that were gifted to keiki participants of Ka Paʻalana preschool. Thanks to Hawaiʻi’s listeners and their generosity this holiday season, Keola and his team helped raise $17,500! Plus, Raising Cane’s matched up to $7,500, for a total of $25,000 that fed directly into PIDF programs. Our hearts are overjoyed by the aloha we felt this season! 

Nomi Health Book Drive 

Ashley from Nomi Health was inspired to launch a book drive campaign that collected over 250 preschool books for keiki in PIDF’s early childhood education programs. Only two years before, Ashley and her husband benefitted from PIDF’s Open Arms Harbor Iso-quarantine Facility that provided a safe place for those exposed to or tested covid positive to heal. Since then, she’s been inspired by the health field and is dedicated to giving back. 

“It means a whole lot to me being able to give back, especially to the keiki of Hawaiʻi. I’m just so honored to be able to bless as well as being blessed,” said Ashley. 

We are so grateful to all the community members who donated books, as well as to Ashley and the Nomi Health team for supporting keiki education and providing fundamental health support to our Hawaiʻi communities. 

Friends from Duke’s Waikiki, Hula Grill Waikiki, & Outrigger Beach Resort 

Our long-time friends from Duke’s Waikiki, Hula Grill Waikiki, and the Outrigger Beach Resort donated 140 wrapped and ready to receive makana (gifts) for our keiki enrolled at Nā Pono No Nā ʻohana and Tūtū and Me keiki. This holiday season, our programs are especially grateful to give to ʻohana who continue to feel the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Smiles stretched from ear to ear as PIDF staff handed their program keiki their gifts this year. 

Project Pilina – Fuel up. Do good. 

Project Pilina was selected as the upcoming beneficiary of the Ohana Fuels ‘Fuel Up. Do Good.’ program. A portion of all sales from October until the end of December at participating Hawaiʻi Island Ohana Fuels locations have been donated to Project Pilina in support of foster care youth in Hawaiʻi. 

The funds raised from the Ohana Fuels ‘Fuel Up. Do Good.’ program will be used to support graduating East Hawaiʻi high school students in foster care to purchase prom attire including hair and makeup, as well as caps and gowns. Remaining funds will also be used to purchase meal gift cards for foster homes to host a welcome dinner for newly placed youth.

Plus, the Hilo Crescent Lions Club and Hilo Crescent Leos Club volunteered their time at the Car Wash Events held on Nov. 11 and Dec. 12 at the Puainakou Minit Stop in Hilo. The teams willingly showed up with their youth Leos and helped Project Pilina wash cars as part of the ‘Ohana Fuels Campaign. The car washes were both free and accepted donations. Collectively they raised $941 in car wash donations from both events which will directly benefit teenagers in East Hawai’i Foster Care.

Tūtū and Me Traveling Preschool & Kupa ʻAina

Keiki and their ʻohana on Oʻahu ended their school year with their hands digging deep into ʻāina! Participating families enjoyed a farm scavenger, in which keiki took their map key of plants and plant foods they could find on the 5-acre farm. They spotted fruit like ʻulu and maiʻa, which many saw for the first time growing on a tree and even got to try the fresh apple bananas. 

Next, the preschool mahiʻai (farmers) potted plant foods like kalo to take home and enjoy. Many caregivers learned about new ways to cook and enjoy recipes using locally grown produce. Whenever possible, Kupa ʻAina engages with our community members to share more about the many impacts that our eating habits have, especially living on an island. The keiki were so excited to learn more from the farmers. 

Nā Pono No Nā ʻOhana

Nā Pono No Nā ʻOhana keiki went on a huakaʻi to their neighborhood site, Nalo Keiki Paniolo. Families interacted with animals like horses, goats, alpaca, pigs, and more. The keiki learned about what it’s like in the day of a Waimānalo paniolo, who shared about what kinds of foods and special facts each of these animals are known for. Keiki watched and even helped to use common command words like “whoa” that tell a horse to stop. 

PIDF early childhood education programs are so grateful for these opportunities to explore their communities with their ʻohana! The team at Nalo Keiki Paniolo invited Nā Pono to tour their ranch and experience the livelihood of the animals in a very exciting way. 

Ka Paʻalana 

Ka Paʻalana invited all of their ʻohana and staff to its 8th annual health fair and celebrated being “healthy, merry, and bright!” Keiki and their ʻohana stopped at booths with community partners like the Wai‘anae Coast Comprehensive Coast Center, Family Hui Hawaii, The state Department of Health, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Ke Ola Mamo, and more. They played games like toss the ring over the Christmas tree or bean bag toss that landed on healthy practices like balancing a gift on their head while walking in a straight line or hopping five times.

ʻOhana learned about the importance of a balanced diet and nutritional foods, healthy habits like flossing and brushing teeth regularly, safe practices for social events, and how to recognize certain health concerns and when to get help. And with a focus on Native Hawaiian health and practices, keiki and their ʻohana learned about lomi lomi, lāʻau lapaʻau (traditional Native Hawaiian medicinal and spiritual practices), and the benefits of paʻakai (salt).

No Ka Paʻalana health fair is complete without a party! ʻOhana celebrated in the holiday spirit with their kumu and #KaPaalana preschool team who put together a Hawaiian Winter Wonderland! Keiki engaged in activities alongside none other than the grinch himself, as well as baby shark, a minion, and Santa Claus. Keiki, their ʻohana, and the whole team left the party with full hearts, smiles, and more equipped to care for themselves.