Plan to evict Waimanalo health program protested
By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer
WAIMANALO — A dozen people picketed in front of the Waimanalo Health Center yesterday to protest the center's decision to evict a popular federal program that provides nutrition and healthcare programs for low-income women and children.
But the center's interim executive director held out little hope that its management team would reconsider its decision, saying the center needs the space to expand its programs and reach out to serve more area residents.
The federal Women, Infant and Children program, or WIC, is scheduled to move in October. It provides milk and cereal coupons to low-income pregnant women, new mothers and young children. The Waimanalo office also provides breast-feeding expertise, dental and nutritional education, car seat safety checks and referrals to other agencies.
It has operated out of the health center fulltime for more than five years, and the state has provided the facilities rent-free.
Christina Shoemaker Simmons, WIC Waimanalo director, said she has asked the Waimanalo Neighborhood Board to help find a new location, although she has no money in her current budget for rent.
The next closest WIC office is in Kane'ohe, which would make it difficult for many single mothers who lack transportation to receive services, clients and supporters say.
Waimanalo residents, current and former state representatives, neighborhood board members and WIC program clients carried signs yesterday to support continuing the program at the health center.
"The community's future is our children and they're taking away from our children," said Kathi Huihui, 35, and a mother of six who benefits from WIC programs.
But Dr. Charman Akina, the center's interim executive director, said the center wants to serve more Waimanalo people and has plans to open programs for asthma, obesity, pain management and preventive medicine. The new programs need the space used by WIC.
The WIC program doesn't generate income for the center and it is not integrated with the center's other programs, Akina said.
"If the community is so strong in keeping WIC in the community, they can easily find another place in the community," Akina said. "WIC is movable."
Simmons said she prefers staying at the center because it makes it easier for her clients to get all the services they need.
"What's best for the clients is for us to stay," she said.
According to WIC records, 821 of its 1,522 clients are from Waimanalo. In addition, Simmons said, 79 percent of the center's women patients are WIC clients and 89 percent of the center's pediatric patients use WIC services.
Protester Liz Martinez said the program brings thousands of dollars into the community when women redeem coupons at Shima's Market and Mel's Market.
Of the $600,000 the WIC Waimanalo office distributes in coupons, clients spend $200,000 at Mel's and Shima's markets in Waimanalo, the program's records indicate.
"The economic ripple will affect the stores in the community," Martinez said. "But primarily we see (WIC) as a necessary component of healthcare."
Waimanalo Neighborhood Board member Kawika Eckart urged Akina to sit down with the community to share his information. Eckart was also delivering a letter to Akina from the neighborhood board that said it supported keeping the WIC program at the center.
Reach Eloise Aguiar at 234-5266 or at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com.
Correction: Of the $600,000 in food coupons distributed at the Women, Infants and Children program in Waimanalo, clients spend $200,000 at Mel's and Shima's markets in Waimanalo. A previous version of this story gave different information.
