HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0126.005 2002-2004 To the Human Services and Economic Development Committee:
Thank you for allowing Ka Hale O Na Keiki the opportunity to speak before your committee. I
promise to be brief, as I know your schedule is tight, and I need to catch, a, plane after this
meeting.
I read your committee's recommendations and agree with them in principle, as well as
understand and empathize with your difficult financial situation. However, since my siblings
delayed my father's funeral because 1 had planned to testify at this meeting, I felt it imperative
that I should carry through with those plans today.
Financial times for our County are nut going to improve quickly, nor in the next year or [wci. For
success to happen in the long run, we all know that education is the key, education is the answer.
Yet, less than one-half of one percent of the non-profit budget is currently being allocated to
education. Simply put, if our County is going to get back on its feet we are going to have to start
supporting education and stop using aband-aid, after-the-fact approach to our problems.
Of the 42 grantees, only two are for education. Article 25 puts "educational concerns" first on
the list for appropriation of funds, yet it is last on the budget list. In an effort to help our County
make aturn-around, because education is the key, we would like to propose the following: that
the County Council take $100 from each of the other 40 non-educational grantees and
allocate this $100 per grantee to Ka Hale O Na Keiki.
One hundred dollars from each grantee would not hurt the other grantees; but again allocating
only $2000 to Ka Hale O Na Keiki could gravely affect our program, a program that is based on
building a successful future for our community. Education can prevent child abuse. Education
can prevent homelessness. Education can prevent drug abuse. Education can prevent needless
health problems and diabetes. That is what Ka Hale O Na Keiki is about and what we are doing.
We educate and care not only for the child but for the family and the community. And, in caring
for the community, we are providing jobs and job training.
We are not asking from permanent granting from the County. Everyone is currently sacrificing
for Ka Hale O Na Keiki, even my own siblings, who have never even seen our school. Financial
stability will take us a while We need temporary assistance from the County until we can secure
both Federal and State funds for our programs.
One hundred dollars from each of the other 40 programs would be a blink of the eye to each of
them, but a $6000 grant to Ka Hale O Na Keiki would be a God-send to our program, even
though it is still Tess than we truly need from you. This is the Council's chance to begin to turn
things around, and to show uur County that you, too, value education.
Again, thank you for your time, your patience, and your tolerance. Ka Hale O Na Keiki can help
turn this County around; we just need the Council's assistance for a while.
Respectfully submitted this 15th day of April, 2003:
R~C~iVpb ~Z S
Kathy Oshiro, Director Cornm. No.
Ka Hale O Na Keiki 0ni°°-' aY"-~~~ Ref. T
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date-_.--County Counci{ Ref. hate