RES 453 Draft 01 2024-2026 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Project Information * 49. Project Title EXHIBIT A Hamakua Youth Center Programs 50. Project Start Date 08/01/2025 51. Project End Date 06/30/2026 52. Please select all areas of Hawai'i Island where the project will be administered, delivered, and implemented. Hamakua 53. Please select the district of the Council Member from which you would like to apply for Contingency Relief Funds. Council District 1 * 54. In 2,000 characters or less, describe the project. Hamakua Youth Foundation, Inc. (HYFI), offers a range of youth programs designed to support cultural grounding, social -emotional development, and overall well-being. Its after -school care program provides academic and social - emotional support while incorporating traditional Hawaiian practices such as kilo and oil welina, and, when weather permits, prioritizes outdoor time to promote positive mental health outcomes. The Cultural Connections Summer Program is rooted in Native Hawaiian philosophy. It focuses on environmental kinship, offering hands-on learning opportunities with community partners and excursions to culturally and environmentally significant locations. HYFI is also piloting a new'Opio Readiness Program to meet the evolving needs of teenagers, ensuring continuity of youth support through key developmental phases while fostering job readiness, leadership, and ecological stewardship through culturally grounded, skills -based activities. HYFI's Athletics Club, a volleyball program organized by age groups 10 and under, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, and 17-18, provides opportunities for personal growth through teamwork, perseverance, and leadership development. Additionally, HYFI administers a quarterly food assistance program to address food insecurity among Hamakua youth, emphasizing culturally relevant foods and encouraging dialogue about food sovereignty. HYFI strives to meet realistic goals that address challenges in the region, including limited opportunities for innovative learning experiences in rural Hamakua, the vulnerability of Hawaiian culture to commodification, and the elevated risks faced by food -insecure, low-income youth in their social -emotional development. *55. 501(c)(3) Mission Statement To open doorways to the world by sharing life skills rooted in the Hawaiian values of kuleana, aloha, laulima, and mahalo. * 56. In 1,000 characters or less, explain how the 501(c)(3) is connected to the project. Hamakua Youth Foundation, Inc. (HYFI), serves as the governing body of the Hamakua Youth Center (HYC). HYC was founded in 1996 with initial support from the YWCA and officially incorporated as a 501(c)(3) under the name Hamakua Youth Foundation in 2009. HYFI is led by a four -member Board of Directors and a staff of five, including a Program Director, two Program Specialists who oversee program delivery, an Organizational Manager who manages administrative operations, and a Development Coordinator who oversees grants and funding partnerships. HYFI also works with a contracted bookkeeper who is a longtime and trusted member of the extended HYC'ohana. All programs occur at the Hamakua Youth Center unless held offsite, such as volleyball training or other off -campus learning experiences. The center currently operates out of a rented storefront on Main Street in Honoka'a. * 57. Please upload a completed CRF Grant Budget Form. CRF Budget Form.xlsx