Updated at 3:01 p.m., Saturday, November 10, 2007
Hawaiian bracelets to be given to 25 foster care girls
Advertiser Staff
HONOLULU — Kokua 'Ohana, a foster family recruitment and support program, will once again join Royal Hawaiian Heritage Jewelry owner Patrick Breeden and Hawai'i State Department of Human Services Director Lillian Koller on Monday in presenting 25 girls — up to 18 years of age — in foster care with personalized Hawaiian bracelets.This is the third consecutive year for this giveaway, which will start at 10 a.m.
Last year, the jewelry story partnered with Kokua `Ohana to donate and distribute 25 bracelets to girls in the state's child welfare system. Hawaiian bracelets have traditionally been given as tokens of love and in recognition of great achievement. This year, Kokua 'Ohana received over 40 nominations sent in by DHS social workers, foster parents, and other foster care agency workers who submitted stories that captured the girls' sense of perseverance in foster care.
Program organizers said that narrowing the list to 25 bracelet recipients was very difficult, as all of the girls nominated were well deserving of the gift.
The presentation will begin at 10 a.m. at the Royal Hawaiian Heritage Jewelry store, 1130 Bishop St., where the girls and their foster families will have the opportunity to tour the jewelry factory. The girls will be able to choose the design and emblem color of their bracelets.
Kokua 'Ohana is a foster family program dedicated to recruiting and supporting Native Hawaiian foster families and to improving cultural harmony in the child welfare system by encouraging churches, community organizations and families to unite and nurture foster keiki. Kokua 'Ohana is administered by the Partners in Development Foundation, with support from Gov. Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. James R. "Duke" Aiona Jr., DHS and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
