Partners in Development Foundation (PIDF) is pleased to announce a significant grant of $75,000 from the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation to support the Waim\u0101nalo Early Education \u02bbUpena project through the N\u0101 Pono No N\u0101 \u02bbOhana program. This funding will enable the continuation of high-quality, community-centered services for keiki and \u02bbohana of Waim\u0101nalo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are 743 keiki (ages birth to 5) in Waim\u0101nalo, 76% of whom are Native Hawaiian. 75% of these families in this community are economically disadvantaged, with annual incomes of $66,378 or less to support a family of four. By increasing school readiness and supporting the families within the community, the Waim\u0101nalo \u02bbUpena project aims to strengthen a streamlined continuum of care and support for keiki and their families, improving early childhood development, kindergarten readiness, and academic achievement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Waim\u0101nalo \u02bbUpena includes more than 30 partners ranging from health care providers and family support organizations to public and public charter school leaders, early childhood educators, families, and community members. The \u02bbUpena builds a collective response to community identified priorities. Over the last two years, these partners have been meeting regularly to ensure that all young keiki (ages 0-8 years old) have access to the support and services they need to develop a healthy, safe, and thriving life by the time they reach kindergarten. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Formerly led by Early Childhood Action Strategy and Pewa Project, the Waim\u0101nalo Early Education \u02bbUpena now transitions leadership to an organization rooted in the community, Partners in Development Foundation\u2019s program- Na Pono No N\u0101 \u02bbOhana, a program serving Waim\u0101nalo for over 20 years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The N\u0101 Pono No N\u0101 \u02bbOhana program provides Early Childhood Education\/Family Education services through a unique blend of the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) Family Education model with N\u0101 Honua Maoli Ola (Hawaiian cultural guidelines). This innovative curriculum approach aims to increase family self-sufficiency by providing culture-based comprehensive educational support, including home visiting services and connections to community resources. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We are grateful for the opportunity to keep this project going,” shared N\u0101 Pono No N\u0101 \u02bbOhana Project Director, Brittney Pescaia. “The keiki of Waim\u0101nalo deserve a close-knit, culturally driven community that uplifts and supports them from a young age. Through this collaboration, we\u2019ve built pilina (relationships) with dozens of professionals who lead with aloha inside and out! Waim\u0101nalo has the most heart-driven, \u02bbakamai (intelligent), hard-working group of leaders that I\u2019ve ever met. I am deeply humbled to serve Waim\u0101nalo alongside of them.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The \u02bbUpena program responds to the needs of the Waim\u0101nalo community through aligned strategies to promote culturally centered early learning opportunities and foster stronger connections between families, schools, and service providers. Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, in addition to its grant award, has provided valuable insight and an action-focused partnership to champion the success of the Waim\u0101nalo Early Education \u2018Upena for years to come. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To learn more about the program, visit pidf.org\/napono and waimanalo.healthysafethriving.org\/. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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