About Ka Pa‘alana

The Ka Pa‘alana Traveling Preschool and Homeless Family Education Program serves houseless families on the Leeward coast of O‘ahu.  Through collaborative partnerships with Leeward coast outreach agencies, Ka Pa‘alana assists families by delivering or providing access to essential services, such as a parent-child participatory preschool, FoodBank, toiletry, and dental supplies distribution, and more.  Ka Pa‘alana also serves as an initial contact agency for families who are ready to transition to local shelters or temporary housing facilities.

There are five components to the Ka Pa‘alana Traveling Preschool and Homeless Family Education Program:

Mālama Mobile . . . A “first contact” homeless outreach that provides a modified center-based preschool experience for at-risk families near coastal beach parks and homeless families living at beach parks.  Families receive canned and dried goods as well as educational and social services with partners from local shelters, outreaches and government agencies.  Ninety-five percent of the families we serve are Native Hawaiian.

Traveling Preschool . . . A parent-child participatory preschool that provides services at three family shelters on the Leeward Coast.  The two-hour-a-day, two-day-a-week program provides pre- and post-testing, portfolio assessment, parenting classes and TANF education.  The curriculum of the preschool meets the Hawai‘i Preschool Content Standards and the “Learning to Grow” Infant and Toddler Development standards.

Family Education Services . . . A four-hour-a-day, four-day-a-week comprehensive Family Education Service.  Parents interact with their child for the first two hours of the program, then participate in various adult education and life skills programs while their children receive an intensive, developmentally appropriate education through preschool teachers and assistants.  A drop-off service is provided for parents who meet the criteria of the program.

Youth Mentoring Program . . . Children ages 6-17 participate in after-school, intersession, and summer break programs.  These programs include academic tutoring, support service counseling, and activities that promote the Hawaiian culture that are geared to build self-esteem.  Staff members also offer parenting classes aimed to build stronger family relationships.  Ho‘oponopono or family healing services are also offered to further assist families in need.

‘Ike No‘eau . . . Traveling program provides developmentally appropriate, culturally relevant math and science preschool curriculum to families at the shelters and at Hawaiian Homelands in Wai‘anae and Waimānalo.

Ka Pa‘alana is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Kamehameha Schools, Hawaii State Department of Human Services, and the Administration for Native Americans.

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