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<br /> <br />Diane L. Ley <br />Harry Kim <br />Director <br />Mayor <br /> <br /> <br />Riley Saito <br />Deputy Director <br /> <br /> County of Hawai‘i <br /> DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT <br /> 25 Aupuni Street, Room 1301  Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720-4252 <br /> (808) 961-8366  Fax (808) 935-1205 <br /> E-mail: chresdev@hawaiicounty.gov <br /> <br />October 21, 2019 <br /> <br />News Release <br /> <br />Media Contact: Tom Callis <br />Tom.Callis@hawaiicounty.gov <br />808-961-8729 <br /> <br />Student Art Contest Winners to Receive Unique Savings Accounts <br /> <br />Students participating in the Nā ‘Ōpio o Puna Art Contest have an opportunity to <br />save for success through individual development accounts (IDA) awarded to the top <br />three winners. <br /> <br />Hawai‘i County’s Kīlauea eruption recovery team is partnering with Hawaiian <br />Community Assets (HCA) and its community development institution, Hawaii Community <br />Lending, to provide these savings accounts as part of the contest – which asks students <br />attending Puna high schools to illustrate what it means to be “Hawai‘i Island and Puna <br />Strong.” <br /> <br />“We don’t want to just ask them what it means to be Puna Strong,” said Bob <br />Agres, the County’s recovery engagement manager. “We want to help them become <br />Puna Strong. These accounts will give them a leg up by helping them build assets that <br />can be used for educational or entrepreneurial expenses.” <br /> <br />An IDA of $1,000 will be opened for the first-place winner, $750 for the second- <br />place winner, and $500 for the third-place winner. <br /> <br />IDAs are restricted savings accounts that have been used for career training, <br />education, starting a small business, first month’s rent, and other similar expenses. <br /> <br />HCA, a non-profit community development organization, has helped hundreds of <br />adults and keiki get on the path to financial success through similar programs. Since <br />2011, it has provided 664 IDAs and $1.3 million in total match funds. <br /> <br />“Individual development accounts have inspired our low-income children and <br />families to save, even if they are on fixed income and living paycheck to paycheck,” said <br />HCA Executive Director Lahela Williams. “By pairing the accounts with financial <br />education, not only are our people gaining access to capital for important financial goals, <br />but they are also learning long-term financial habits that will help them become more <br />economically self-sufficient. We look forward to partnering with the County and private <br />sector partners to create greater economic opportunity for Hawai‘i Island youth.” <br />Hawai`i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer <br /> <br />