Community partnership provides hope to needy family October 19, 2010

Working with homeless and at-risk families poses its share of challenges; but it also provides opportunities to witness everyday heroes coming to the aid of those in need. One such opportunity presented itself when we found out that one of our preschool families was struggling to obtain bare necessities.

Aikuj, Cynthia, Manasseh, and Mitch have been a part of our preschool family for the past year and a half. About a year ago, the family moved out of an emergency shelter and into a transitional shelter. Manasseh (age 5) recently graduated from our preschool program and is doing well at a nearby elementary. Mitch (age 4) currently attends our preschool program. The family appeared to be doing well, but during a recent home visit, Ka Pa‘alana staff discovered that the family had some basic needs that were not being met.

When church members at Grace Fellowship in Waipio found out about the family’s situation, they were eager to help. In less than a week, church members gathered basic necessities such as two fold-out beds, bedding, pillows, food items, blankets, toys, school and cleaning supplies, and donated the items to the family.

Seeing the smiles on the family’s faces when they were presented with the donation proved that great things can happen when many hands come together for the good of those in need. Because the donations did more than just provide basic necessities; it provided hope to a family at a time when they most needed it.