JANUARY MEMBERSHIP MEETING

Wednesday, January 14, 2026 - 10:30 AM Check-in

Oahu Veterans Center • 1298 Kukila Street / Honolulu

January 2026 Newsletter

ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF HAWAII has commissioned a children's-themed Hawaiian-style mural on the large back wall of our building. It creatively highlights our programs.

A New Year, Renewed Energy

and Continued Impact

We begin this New Year with renewed energy and gratitude as we continue to touch the lives of many throughout our community. With purpose and hope, Assistance League of Hawai‘i moves forward—strong and united in service.

All of our philanthropic programs, Operation School Bell and Operation Wildlife, continue to expand, reaching more individuals and families than ever before. Each program reflects our shared commitment to uplifting keiki, strengthening families, and supporting community partners across our islands.

The Share and We Care programs continue their community outreach, building new partnerships that extend our reach and deepen our impact. The Share program is pleased to welcome two recent community partners—the Institute for Human Services (IHS) and the Waianae Comprehensive Health Center. Through these partnerships, essential clothing and goods are distributed to individuals and families, helping to meet immediate needs while strengthening long-term community connections.

None of this would be possible without the dedication of our incredible volunteers. Assistance League of Hawaii volunteers have generously contributed their time, talents, and energy—most notably in supporting the daily operations of our Thrift Store, our primary source of income. From sorting to working behind the counters, our volunteers greet shoppers with warmth and aloha; together they ensure the Thrift Store remains welcoming and successful.

As we step into the New Year, we celebrate the spirit of teamwork, compassion, and service that defines our organization. Together, we are ready to build upon our accomplishments and continue transforming lives, one act of kindness at a time.

Mahalo for being part of our Assistance League of Hawaii ‘ohana.

As we get ready to step into the New Year 2026, mark your calendar for the January business meeting happening on:

• January 14, 2026
• O`ahu Veterans Center,
• 1298 Kukila Street Honolulu (near the Aloha Stadium)

Registration begins at 10:30 am. Meeting starts at 11:00am.

RSVP will be due by January 8th to lornamotas33@gmail.com

Information on cost will be forthcoming.

The December Assistance League of Hawaii Christmas celebration was fun, filled with joy and warm fellowship! For all who attended bringing holiday cheer, desserts and smiles, a big mahalo.

Mahalo and looking forward to seeing you all.

Balsam Hill’s Generosity

and “Wrapping” Up 2025

Balsam Hill Studios is graciously offering 20% from sales of the Hibiscus ornament to Assistance League through March. If you haven’t been to the store yet, it is located at Ala Moana shopping center, a few shops away from the Center Stage. Their beautiful hand crafted ornaments are designed with Hawaii in mind. They can be displayed year round and are meaningful gifts. Thank you, Balsam Hill Studios, for your generosity.

A week before Christmas was another gift wrapping event at Macy’s. We were located by the jewelry department and had great exposure and wrapped many gifts. Macy’s had a chocolate and cookie sampling all day and many shoppers were curious about Assistance League of Hawaii. We passed out flyers and cards and received many donations to our organization. 

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy 2026 from the Resource Development Committee.

Mary Li, Ruby Jung, and Linda Andersen at the wrapping event.

Local Youth Program Receives Watch Donation to Promote Punctuality and Work Readiness

Youth participants at Kinai ‘Eha are one step closer to mastering professional responsibility thanks to a recent donation of wristwatches from Assistance League of Hawaii.

The donation aims to teach the importance of punctuality as the young men in the program prepare for and maintain employment. By providing the tools to track time accurately, Assistance League is supporting one of the core vocational lessons of the Kinai ‘Eha curriculum, being on time for work.

Impact on the Program

The gift has been met with high praise from program leadership. In a message to Assistance League, the Kinai ‘Eha coordinator emphasized that these donations do more than just provide a utility; they remove barriers to success.

"With the donations of the watches, we have no excuse to be late for the holidays and work," the coordinator stated. "Please know that your kindness and contributions change lives."

A Growing Partnership

This latest contribution marks the continuation of a long-standing relationship between the two organizations. Assistance League of Hawaii has previously provided "Welcome Kits" to the program, which help new participants settle in comfortably as they begin their journey toward career development and personal growth. Kinai ‘Eha focuses on providing high-risk youth with the education and workforce training necessary to secure a stable future.

Building Artwork Attracts Attention

We are excited to bring more attention to our Thrift Shop with a mural on the back wall! This has been a marketing dream and luckily the Board agreed and approved. Come see the artists in action. They started on the weekend of December 28th and work is still in progress.

Also, we are very fortunate to have a new member, Ella Garcia (left), who is a very talented artist. Ella painted a fun Christmas scene on the Thrift Shop windows. Come check it out before it is gone.



Thrift Shop Exceeds Expectations

and Running on All Cylinders

The Thrift Shop has had a fabulous holiday season. Both November and December exceeded expectations and proved to be very profitable, with lots of happy customers to boot. Thanks to all who put in extra time and effort to make this happen. Think of all the keiki who will benefit from our massive Thrift Shop sales.

Be sure to put on your sunglasses the next time you enter the shop, as our floors are sparkling clean and shiny, after being waxed. This really makes our Shop look fresh and sophisticated. We are ready to start the New Year in tip-top shape.

January tends to be a time when many folks want to start the New Year by clearing out their unwanted belongings. This means that we get LOTS of donations of merchandise. We aren’t complaining, as that supports our business model. However, we can always use some extra hands to sort through it all and get it on the sales floor. Stop by whenever you have an hour or two to spare, and we will put you to work.

Mahalo for all that you do!

January 2026 Thrift Shop

Calendar for Cashiers & Rovers

Thrift Shop Days & Hours:

Tuesday & Thursdays 9:30 am to 1:00 pm

Saturdays 9:30 am to 3:00 pm

Login to our Members Page on the website to view another copy of the current Thrift Shop Calendar.

Submit Your Service Hours

Turn in your monthly service hours to: alhservicehours@gmail.com Enter your first name, last name and the hours you worked (please do not enter any text – just numerical hours).

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