Community Donations Provide School Supplies for Homeless Keiki

Courtesy of Project Hawaii, Inc.

More than 400 homeless children on the Big Island started the 2020-21 school year new backpacks, supplies and more with help from local nonprofit organizations.

Project Hawai‘i, Inc., a nonprofit that supports the needs of homeless keiki statewide, received a grant from Hawaii Community Foundation to provide the kids with new backpacks, school supplies, new outfits, shoes and school uniforms.

Although in-classroom instruction is on hold, these children will be fully prepared when they are able to go back safely, officials from Project Hawai‘i, Inc. stated in a press release Monday afternoon.

“One might not understand the feeling of being unprepared when a child is asked to take out a supply, or get a folder from their backpack or have the glue they need to complete a project in school,” the release stated. “One might know the feeling of being left out of sports or physical activity because they don’t have a pair of shoes. One might know the feeling of being shamed and laughed at because they wear a dirty shirt to school instead of a school uniform. Our children face this daily.”

Supplies were provided to students islandwide, with the majority of the children from Hilo to Volcano to Puna to Blacksands. There were a few dozen kids provided supplies in Ka‘ū and some up Hāmākua side. No deliveries were made in Kona.

“Our children know what it feels like not to be enough,” Project Hawai‘i, Inc. stated. “Our children hold on to the hope of a better future because they know we are always there for them.”