Parents And Children Together Kicks Off Daycare And Early Childhood Education Programs At Kahauiki Village

HONOLULU – July 24, 2018 – Parents And Children Together, a local nonprofit family service agency, opened its daycare and preschool programs for families at Kahauiki Village. The program is modeled after Head Start and Early Head Start, promoting school readiness for children from low-income families by enhancing their cognitive, social and emotional development. Kahauiki Village residents with children ranging in age from six weeks to five years old are able to enroll free of charge.

Kahauiki Village is a one-of-a-kind, public-private partnership that addresses the urgent need for affordable housing on Oahu. All residents are formerly homeless families with infant, preschool and school-age children. Parents And Children Together is initially working with approximately 20 children residing at Kahauiki Village, and that number will grow significantly as more homes are built and new families move in.

“Keiki are the heart of every community, and Kahauiki Village is no different,” said Duane Kurisu, local businessman and the driving force behind Kahauiki Village. “We are so fortunate to have Parents And Children Together serving the families in our community to help ensure these children have a great start to their educational journeys. On-site early childhood education will help our adult residents work during the day without having to worry about their children.”

Kahauiki Village residents must be employed in order to cover monthly rent, and the availability of on-site childcare helps make the community’s model sustainable for its residents.

“Kahauiki Village is an amazing project that could be a model for cities all over the country,” said Ryan Kusumoto, President and CEO of Parents And Children Together. “We are honored to play a role in helping Hawaii’s most vulnerable families overcome difficult circumstances, and to give the children in this wonderful community every chance to succeed in school.”

Capital funding for early childhood education programs at Kahauiki Village provided by Freeman Foundation. Program and operational support provided by McInerny Foundation and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.
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Parents And Children Together
For 50 years, Parents And Children Together has provided community-based services starting at Kuhio Park Terrace and growing into a multi-faceted organization with over 400 employees throughout the State of Hawaii. Today, Parents And Children Together is Hawaii’s leading social services nonprofit that establishes meaningful and healthy relationships between parents and children, while protecting vulnerable relationships with individuals and families and turning them into positive ones. Through its social and educational programs in five areas of focus, the local service agency helps 15,000 parents, children, individuals and families every year.

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