Catholic Charities Hawai‘i hosts 2025 ‘Heroes and Helpers’ event at Hilo Target

Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Hilo Target and several first responder agencies brought gifts and holiday cheer to local teens and younger keiki Dec. 6 during their annual “Heroes and Helpers” event.

The annual event welcomed 50 young participants year to Hilo Target store.

Focused on keiki and youth living in Hilo, the celebration brought holiday cheer while fostering positive relationships among youth, officers and other first responders.

Each child was paired up with members from the several “Hero” agencies listed below and given a $125 Target gift card, made possible by funds donated from several agencies and organizations, also listed below.

Community volunteers also gift-wrapped the items selected by the children.

The Heroes

Heroes — the officers and personnel who were part of Saturday’s event — were staff members from the following law enforcement, military and other agencies and organizations:

• Hawai‘i Police Department.
• Hawai‘i Fire Department.
• Hawai‘i Air National Guard.
• Hawai‘i Army National Guard.
• Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement.
• Hawai‘i County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Hawai‘i County Prosecutor Kelden Waltjen plu one
• And Santa Claus himself, Neil Azevedo with Hawai‘i County Department of Public Works.

The Helpers

Keiki and others participating were able to fill up their carts while shopping Saturday at Hilo Target because of the program’s annual Helpers:

• Target Stores.
• Catholic Charities Hawai‘i.
• Hawaiian Electric.
• Starbucks.
• Hawai‘i County Office of Prosecuting Attorney.
• Hawai‘i Police Department.
• JeiAngel Digital Design.

The Donors

None of the work or holiday cheer that was clear and present Saturday morning during the event would be possible each year without the generosity of the following program donors:

• Target Stores.
• Catholic Charities Hawai‘i.
• JeiAngel Digital Design.
• State of Hawai‘i Organization of Police Officers.
• Hawaiian Electric.
• Veterans of Foreign Wars Hilo Post 3830.
• Punalu‘u Bakery.
• Starbucks.

Visit the Catholic Charities Hawai‘i website for additional information about the organization, its projects and its services.