Posted on: Friday, October 1, 2004

Waipahu at-risk families get aid

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Central O'ahu Writer

Forty families at risk for substance abuse will receive support and assistance through a program financed in part by a $100,000 Drug-Free Communities federal grant awarded to the Waipahu Community Association.

"The family-strengthening program that will be delivered under this grant will complement Waipahu's on-going youth substance abuse prevention program, which is being funded by a $369,300 state incentive grant from the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division of the state Department of Health," said Darrlyn Bunda, executive director of the Waipahu Community Association.

The grant to Waipahu Community Association was one of 227 awarded nationally to anti-drug coalitions, said Hawai'i Congressmen Neil Abercrombie (D, 1st District) and Ed Case (D, 2nd District) who made the announcement Wednesday. The grants totaled $21.9 million.

There were 512 applicants, according to Bunda.

Through the family-strengthening program, Ho'oulu I Na 'Ohana, at-risk families will receive support from home visitations, community events, parent leadership development, community representation, workshops on cultural coherence, crisis intervention and case management. Support and assistance will involve Waipahu's schools, churches and social service organizations.

One of the objectives stated in the Waipahu Community Coalition's grant application is to recruit and train a minimum of six adults and four youth leaders from the family-strengthening program to plan and implement community strategies that promote restoration of family life affected by substance abuse.

"It's part of the whole initiative about social and economic revitalization of Waipahu and families are going to benefit a lot from this," Bunda said.

Reach Rod Ohira at 535-8181 or rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.