Throughout the day, board members and leaders were guided by the dedicated program teams who serve these communities every day. Mahalo to the project directors and staff who led the visits and offered firsthand insight into each program’s impact!

From participating in Parent And Children Together (PACT) time, to sitting in on Parent Education classes, to walking through a puʻuhonua created for youth at Ke Kama Pono, the day was filled with powerful moments of pilina (relationship-building) and ʻike (understanding). Each site visit offered a closer look at how PIDF’s programs support families through culturally grounded approaches, and how staff and participants continue to shape these spaces with care, resilience, and aloha.

At the close of the visit, the Board and Leadership Team left with a renewed understanding of why this work matters—and the collective commitment that makes it possible. As the ʻŌlelo Noʻeau reminds us, “ʻAʻohe hana nui ke alu ʻia”—no task is too big when done together. That spirit was felt throughout the day in the way PIDF comes together to uplift one another and strengthen Hawaiʻi’s communities.

We extend a sincere mahalo to the staff and participants who welcomed the Board and Leadership Team with such warmth and aloha. Your stories are the heartbeat of this organization, and a meaningful reminder of the purpose that guides this work.

Kālua pork served at the event had been prepared by the boys through an imu they carried out prior, a regular part of the activities done at Ke Kama Pono to reinforce teamwork and Hawaiian culture — and to have a little fun.

The boys performed an oli, gave presentations about their work and experiences at the Safehouse, and talked about their futures. It was an inspiring event and we were grateful for the opportunity to bring together the boys, their families, and the Ke Kama Pono staff and partners.

Mahalo nui loa to all of the staff, judges, officers, teachers, and others who make this incredible program possible!

There are thousands of youth in the juvenile justice system across Hawaiʻi. A 2016 survey had 3,717 juveniles arrested on Oʻahu alone. The majority of these offenders are young men, and most offenses involve “status offenses” (crimes committed by minors like underage drinking and smoking), theft, or drug offenses. Most of the juveniles that are arrested are Native Hawaiian.

Native Hawaiians are repeatedly at the negative end of all kinds of state and federal statistics. Rates of poverty, lack of education, homelessness, drug abuse, health problems and more all add up to make Native Hawaiians among the most disadvantaged economic groups in the country.

These long-term rates and trends have severe implications for the well-being of our Native Hawaiian youth. Numerous studies have shown that poverty and other poor socioeconomic factors have a significant effect on children’s educational outcomes, self-esteem, and even mental health.

Besides affecting education, families experiencing income issues often result in the parents or caregivers being absent from the home for extended periods of time. This lack of supervision or family interaction can also have a negative impact on youth.

Mike Kahue is the Program Director of Ke Kama Pomo, a program of Partners in Development Foundation (PIDF). Ke Kama Pono works with adjudicated boys aged 13 to 17. “When we get them, all of them don’t want to be here. They have chips on their shoulders, they come with attitude problems, all they want to do is fight. All they want to do is rebel, to not be here,” says Mike.

Jordan is one young man who went through the Ke Kama Pono program. Derrin “Jordan” Araki is a 21 year-old from Japan. He came to Hawaiʻi with his biological father as a child, but soon found himself in foster care. He got involved with drugs and into trouble at school. After completing what he calls “just another program,” he was given the option of returning to his foster family or going to Ke Kama Pono. He chose the latter.

Jordan wasn’t new to the system. He, like 82% of Hawaiian youth according to a report by the State of Hawaiʻi Office of Youth Services, offended multiple times. This rate of recidivism is shocking on its own, and even more so when compared to the national average of 55%.

It takes a village

The ultimate goal of Ke Kama Pono is to reunite adjudicated young men with their families. It’s a similar goal of other state-sponsored programs and initiatives like foster care, and it puts a spotlight on the numerous factors that can contribute to the boys getting into trouble.

They come to Ke Kama Pono through the court system, usually arrested for crimes like truancy (skipping school), substance abuse, or minor assaults (typically on family members), says Mike. He remembers when Jordan first came to Ke Kama Pono, saying that when someone first comes in, he and the staff always look to see how they do with everyone else in the program’s house.

“They all think that [Ke Kama Pono] is not for them,” says Mike of the boys. “They all think they would do so much better on their own. But the reason they’re here is because that’s where they’ve failed — doing this on their own.” Mike says Jordan always “tried extra hard to be the tough guy” because of his small stature.

But it didn’t take long for Jordan’s attitude to turn around. He became close with the other boys in the program, adapted to the routines, and worked hard at the tasks he was given. He frequently helped Mike with building projects around the site, and enjoyed working with his hands. “This kid is going to be something someday,” Mike remembers thinking.

Jordan says he now knows the value of hard work and appreciates everything ‘Uncle’ Mike taught him. Although it was tough in the beginning, it felt great knowing that he wasn’t alone and that every one of the boys at Ke Kama Pono was struggling. Even if they didn’t get along every day, there was a bond between them and they supported one another.

Poʻokela – fostering excellence

Deni Araki first came to Ke Kama Pono as an intern while finishing her degree in social work at the University of Phoenix. After completing the community service component and earning her degree, she was hired on as an on-call Direct Care Counselor.

She was amazed by the work of the program, and admired how Mike and the rest of the staff worked to instill values, responsibility, and greater self-esteem in the young men. “The values that are shared with the boys not only represent our culture, but help the boys to realize that whatever theyʻre going through, they have a place to call home.”

Since its inception, Ke Kama Pono has been hugely successful at reuniting boys with their families and helping to prepare them for future success. Compared to the state recidivism rate of 82%, Ke Kama Pono boasts a figure of only 26%. Clearly, Mike and his staff are on to something.

While working at Ke Kama Pono, Deni helped the boys with their school work, cooked and acted as a chaperone for other daily activities. She says she wasn’t particularly close with any of the boys, but tried to keep an open mind and support them however she could.

“Deni did marvelous things with the boys,” says Mike. “We could see that her passion with these boys was genuine.”

Deni’s relationship with Jordan started because of a dream she says she had for weeks, of she and her husband walking Jordan out of the Ke Kama Pono house and into their lives,. Despite never having had more than the most basic interactions with Jordan before, and after some weeks of conversations with her husband, Deni approached Mike with her intentions.

She pursued her decision, contacting an attorney and going through all of the adoption processes. It wasn’t easy. Deni says there were multiple counseling sessions where she was reminded of Jordan’s history, issues, his broken home, and his anger. She had every opportunity to back out, but she never did. Deni left Ke Kama Pono to avoid conflicts of interest and, while she was sad to leave, she felt called to show Jordan a life of love.

Jordan was shocked when staff told him someone wanted to adopt him. He was even more surprised that it was Deni — someone he had very few interactions with during his time at Ke Kama Pono. He had so many mixed emotions about the adoption process and both he and Deni knew it would be a long road. But given a choice, Jordan chose Deni.

Not bad, just broken

As soon as Deni got word she would be able to adopt Jordan, she told him, “you’ll never have to feel like you’re not loved ever again. We’re going to love you for the rest of your life.”

Since Jordan joined the rest of the Araki ʻohana, it has been an adjustment and learning experience for everyone — with some positive surprises along the way. All of the Araki kids play the piano, and Deni wasn’t going to let Jordan be the exception.

Before long, it became apparent that Jordan had a natural talent: he could play piano by ear. His natural talent with instruments has led him to be part of the worship team for his family’s church, where he plays piano for the congregation.

To anyone in his situation, Jordan says “don’t give up.”

Currently a Program Specialist with the Department of Education, Deni believes in the power of programs like Ke Kama Pono to help youth in need. She believes the kids that come through aren’t bad — they’re just broken. Jordan agrees.

“A lot of times when kids are acting out, they just need love. I know that because I’m loved right now, and it’s a great feeling… A lot of kids just need love and attention. If they get that, they’ll behave. Just love them, and they’ll be good kids.”

PIDF’s Nā Pono No Nā ʻOhana’s (Nā Pono) Program was awarded $15,000 to maintain the accessibility and delivery of its comprehensive Family Education program housed at Blanche Pope Elementary School in Waimānalo Homestead Land. Nā ʻŌiwi Kāne Funds received will support program activities such as Nā Pono’s high school equivalency portion of its Adult Education (AE) component, as well as other Family Education components including Home Visiting. The AE component focuses on reaching the 639 Homeless or at-risk individuals in Waimānalo, including approximately 40-45 Competency Based students, 92% who are Native Hawaiian and range in age from 16-77. Home visiting brings additional one-on-one support for children and families, many of who are considered “hidden homeless,” families who stay with others because they cannot afford rent/mortgage on their own and would otherwise be homeless.

PIDF’s Ke Kama Pono Safe House (KKP) was awarded $10,000 to maintain its Education Component, which includes Department of Education (DOE) certified teachers who teach the residents and provide necessary curriculum on site. Through this component, KKP residents are able to receive credits and letter grades for completed assignments of good quality while they are going through the program, which are then transferable to public schools affiliated with the DOE to ensure they stay on track and are able to graduate. KKP is a twelve-bed residential facility for adjudicated male youth between the ages of 13-17. With an average length of stay at six to eight months, all residents receive guided care and instruction during this time from adult role models in order to make positive changes in their lives. Native Hawaiians make up 40% of residents who have gone through the program. The total recidivism for the KKP program currently stands at 29%, whereas the national average for this same age group remains at an alarming 75%.

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ABOUT NĀ ʻOIWI KĀNE
Na Oiwi Kane (NOK), is a nonprofit Native Hawaiian Organization as defined by the Small Business Administration (SBA) incorporated in 2002 to serve the needs of the Native Hawaiian Community. NOK’s mission is to serve at-risk families in the Hawaiian Community who are missing a responsible male role model within their households. It is through the family that children learn to be responsible men and woman in our communities. It is through the family that children learn to respect and care for each other and their communities. NOK provides for program support to like-minded organizations in the Native Hawaiian Community who share our mission and values.

ABOUT HAWAIʻI COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
With over 100 years of community service, the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation (HFC) is the leading philanthropic institution in the state. HCF is a steward of more than 850 funds, including more than 250 scholarship funds, created by donors who desire to transform lives and improve communities. In 2017, HCF distributed more than $59 million in grants and contracts statewide, including more than $6 million in scholarships. HCF also serves as a resource on community issues and trends in the nonprofit sector.

The current ongoing project at the Safe House is the construction of a Hale Wa’a (Canoe House), which is being built just outside the existing fence. In order to secure it for long-term storage, additional fencing is required. When Ben recently visited the Safe House, he asked what the boys had been working on and if they were behaving well. Upon hearing of our plans to add more chain-link fencing, Ben immediately inquired about getting involved.

It has taken almost a month to get the required paperwork completed, but now that it is done, we are ready to begin the work. To start, we’ve begun digging the necessary holes and setting the posts for the fence. If all goes according to plan, the fence extension project will be completed by the end of this month.

When asked why he wanted to be a part of the fence project, Ben replied, “I love this place…it taught me a lot and this is my opportunity to give back. I want to see some of these boys do good too; maybe they can learn a trade and make their families proud of them.” Ben has acquired a lot of experience and knowledge since leaving the Program. He said the KKP Program taught him how to be respectful, to keep his focus on the work, and to save money for the better things in life.

We look forward to having the KKP residents work alongside Ben, allowing him to step up as a mentor from his former role as a mentee.

Annie Sinclair Knudsen Memorial Fund
Restricted to support programs/projects benefitting Kauaʻi.

Marisla Fund
Funds restricted to support programs/projects benefitting Kauaʻi.

Reverend Takie Okumura Family Fund
To support programs that support healthy development of Hawaiʻi’s young children (birth to 5 years old) and youth (ages 6-20 years old).

Richard Smart Fund
Funds restricted to support programs/projects benefitting Waimea.

Tai Up Yang Fund

Henry A. Zuberano Early Education Fund

Funds received will benefit PIDF’s Tūtū and Me Traveling Preschool, Hui Hoʻomalu Foster Care program, Ke Kama Pono Safehouse for adjudicated youth, Nā Pono No Nā ʻOhana Family education program on the islands of Kaua‘i Hawai‘i and Oʻahu, as well as PIDF operations statewide. We are most grateful to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation and FLEX Grant funders for supporting our work within the many communities in our state.

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With over 100 years of community service, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) is the leading philanthropic institution in the state. HCF is a steward of nearly 800 funds, including more than 200 scholarship funds, created by donors who desire to transform lives and improve communities. HCF distributes over $47 million charitable dollars to support improvements in our local communities annually. HCF also serves as a resource on community issues and trends in the nonprofit sector. For more information, visit www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org.

PIDF, a nonprofit public charity incorporated in 1997, serves at-risk families and communities in Hawai‘i through a wide range of free programs in early childhood education, parent education, adult education, support for adjudicated youth, and other social services including civic engagement. The organization consists of nearly 300 employees and 10 programs. All of our programs have collectively served over 80,000 people in over 50 at risk communities across the state. PIDF’s mission is to inspire and equip families and communities for success and service, using timeless Native Hawaiian values and traditions. To learn more, visit pidf.org. Serving Hawai‘i’s Families, Living Hawaiian Values.

Uncle Aaron Mahi coordinated the event and was responsible for uniting our organization with the two community groups for this service project. He labeled the event, “E Pū Pa‘akai Kākou Ma Pai‘olu” or “Let’s share a meal at Pai‘olu.” He went on to say, “Each food item may be different or may be the same; however all in all it is the recognition that we bring what we have, great or small to share with one another hence by this union we all become benefactors of our caring one to another – Mālama ke kahi i ke kahi.

The event was a great success and was enjoyed by all who were involved. The families that enjoyed the food felt blessed and were very thankful. We look forward to continuing our partnership with these two community groups as well as partnering with other community groups in the future to do similar events.

In Polynesian circles, it is common to involve everyone with projects of this magnitude, but this one was special because there was an additional agenda, which was to have all the participants imbibe PIDF’s five core values into the project from beginning to end. Each person was given the task of understanding the significance associated with the Native Hawaiian values Aloha, Mālama, Lōkahi, Pono, and Po‘okela. Then, as they worked side by side with each other, they had to determine which of the values they were using to accomplish each task. To my surprise, the families enjoyed the challenge and were seen talking to each other about the values while they worked.

The workshop went on without a hitch and was one of the smoothest activities we have ever hosted. I believe the key was the opening circle on the morning of the first day when Anakala ‘Iokepa DeSantos introduced PIDF’s core values and discussed each one at length. An example is when he talked about being Pono and how it relates to our ancestors being present all the time, and how we should be mindful of our language in their presence. He went on to share about how it is not Pono when someone swears for no reason, which has become a common occurrence with so many people these days. Needless to say, it made a significant impact at the workshop because the swearing decreased to zero by the lunch hour of the first day and remained absolutely absent throughout the second day.

All in all, a total of 5 children, 8 youth, 6 parents, 3 volunteers, and 19 staff were on-hand to contribute to the activities and enjoy the experience. The project was such a success that we are looking at doing these parent/family imu workshops on a regular basis. Our next imu workshop will take place during the week of Thanksgiving 2010. Mark your calendar!