MAY 2026 REGULAR MEETING

Wednesday, May 13, 2026 - 11:00 AM

O‘ahu Veterans Center • 1298 Kukila Street, Honolulu HI

A very successful Visitor Industry Charity Walk for participating Assistance League of Hawaii member volunteers and supporters. More details below.

May 2026 Newsletter

End of Fiscal Year Reflections

As we reflect on the 2025–2026 year, we are filled with deep gratitude and pride for all that our Assistance League of Hawaiʻi ‘ohana has accomplished together. This has been a year of growth, expanded reach, and heartfelt service across our islands. A BIG MAHALO to our incredible volunteers.

Your dedication, compassion, and amazing commitment have made it possible for us to expand our philanthropic programs beyond Oʻahu and into neighboring islands — touching the lives of keiki and families statewide. Because of you, more children are supported, more families are uplifted, and our mission continues to thrive in communities that need us most.

Our programs do not happen by chance — they happen because of you.

• The silent heroes of our Thrift Store who sort, organize, and beautifully display donations, ensuring our primary source of funding remains strong.
• The volunteers who spend countless hours planning, coordinating, and connecting with community partners to extend our reach.
• Those volunteers leading resource activities, writing grants, and securing the support that pays for programs.
• And the many volunteers who show up consistently, giving their time, energy, and passion — week after week — including sharing our story throughout the broader community.

Your collective efforts have created a powerful ripple effect. By sharing our mission and demonstrating the impact of our work you have inspired others. Their donations have strengthened Assistance League of Hawaiʻi, allowing us to continue delivering essential support to our keiki and their families.

This year has shown us what is possible when we come together as an ‘ohana — where every act of service, no matter how visible or behind the scenes, plays a vital role in transforming lives.

Join us for our final meeting and luncheon of this fiscal year on Wednesday, May 13.

We hope to see many of you there as we come together once more to celebrate this remarkable year. During the meeting, we will vote on the proposed 2025–2026 Budget and install our Board of Directors and Appointed Chairs for the coming year — an important moment as we look ahead to our continued growth and service.

With deepest appreciation — mahalo for all that you do.

Assistance League of Hawaii invites all members to attend the upcoming May Regular Business Meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, May 13 at the O‘ahu Veterans Center. Located at 1298 Kukila Street in Honolulu, the event will open for registration at 10:30 am, followed by the official meeting from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm. Lunch is priced at $16.00 per person, and the Hospitality Committee kindly requests that all participants bring their own water bottles. 

Those planning to attend must submit their RSVP to Lorna Motas no later than noon on Friday, May 8, to ensure a seat at this important gathering.

Mahalo to all who attended the April meeting at Wolfgangs in Waikiki last month.

Welcome New Members for May

We are very happy to introduce you to our newest Assistance League of Hawaii member, Martha Nguyen. She recently retired, after owning her own nail salon. Now she is eager to volunteer with us. Martha has already begun working upstairs at the Shop. She is a friend of member Kim Nguyen, and Kim will be her mentor.

When you receive this newsletter, we will have already had our Open House on April 26th. A lot of work went into planning this event, and I would like to thank all of the Membership Committee Members and volunteers who helped with all the preparation and who were there to make the day worthwhile and meaningful for our guests! The purpose of the Open House was to introduce our programs and Thrift Shop to the community, friends, and family. Another goal was to encourage new people to join us as volunteers.

New members joining since our Open House include the following individuals: Francia Hamnett, Teela Garcia, and Jackie Choo, (left to right, photos below).

We are always seeking new members who bring with them a desire to give their time in service to our keiki and community.

OWL Visits Students at Lahaina Schools

The Operation Wildlife (OWL) team went on its final Neighbor Island visit for this school year, from April 6 to 10. There were enough schools to keep two teams busy on this trip, including three schools in Lahaina! Throughout the year, we received support from Hawaiian Airlines with baggage waivers, which allowed each traveler to check in two bags free, regardless of how the tickets were purchased. With six volunteers flying over from Honolulu and 10 bags in total, the waivers really came in handy! Many thanks to Hawaiian Airlines for their ongoing support of the OWL program over many years.

Our visit to Lahaina included an opportunity to visit Front Street and also the hills above the Bypass road where a lot of new construction is going on. We got to see the Banyan tree, which is recovering quite nicely. 

We visited both Princess Nahi’ena’ena Elementary and King Kamehameha III Elementary. King Kamehameha III was the campus close to Front Street that was completely destroyed in the fires two years ago. We visited the fourth graders in their temporary classrooms in their temporary school. Staff and students appear to be adjusting to their new surroundings; they all said they like their new campus!

The third school we visited in Lahaina was Sacred Hearts Catholic School, whose campus was also destroyed by the fire. They too are in temporary quarters but welcomed us warmly. All the students who got to visit with the OWL biofacts thoroughly enjoyed their experience!

Students Impacted by Kona Low Floods

Could Use Your Help Through Donations

Outreach is ramping up due to recent Kona Low storms in March 2026, which caused widespread flooding across Hawaiʻi, creating urgent needs in our school communities. Many students and their families have been significantly impacted, displaced from their homes and faced with ongoing hardship. We are working diligently to provide timely and meaningful relief.



Assistance League of Hawaiʻi has partnered with the Department of Education’s (DOE) Community Engagement Branch, which works directly with students and families. Through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, students experiencing homelessness, including those displaced by the Kona Low flooding, are eligible for support. This federal law broadly defines homelessness to include individuals lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, such as those living in shared housing due to hardship, motels, shelters, or other temporary situations.

Statewide DOE liaisons are on the front lines, identifying students who have lost essential belongings or are facing new barriers, including transportation challenges. To respond effectively to these diverse and immediate needs, the following items are in high demand:

• Hygiene supplies (soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, feminine hygiene products)
• Essential items such as clothing, school supplies, and temporary storage containers (e.g., ice chests for use in temporary housing)
• Emergency items as needs arise

Funding these needs presents a challenge. Many of these items cannot be purchased using state or federal funds, making nonprofit support critical. While Assistance League of Hawaiʻi maintains an annual budget for one-time emergencies, the scale of this disaster exceeds those resources.

In response, the Board has approved earmarking recent donations specifically for this effort. Our total initial budget for expenditures is $9,000. We anticipate participating with the DOE for multiple years.

Should others wish to support this initiative to help students and families affected by the March flooding in Hawaii, all contributions will be directed to a designated fund as we continue our collaboration with DOE community engagement liaisons to meet the evolving needs of affected students and families.

We anticipate participating with the DOE for multiple years, as we did with the Lahaina Fires a couple of years ago.

OUTREACH DONATION PAGE (Look for PAYPAL logo)

Visitor Industry Charity Walk Is A Successful Event for

Assistance League of Hawaii Awareness, Donations.

More than thirty member volunteers and Assistance League of Hawaii supporters showed up for the annual Hawaii Visitor Industry Charity Walk. The majority of donations taken in by the event goes to many charities who have registered with the walk, including Assistance League of Hawaii.

Walker Hazel Sumile said “The event turned out to be a great walk this year. There was lots more to eat than last year. We are becoming connoisseurs of the Charity Walk food!”

Based on this year's success, it is highly encouraged that you participate in next year's walk.

Our team wore matching Malama Bear T-shirts designed by Mary Li. Photos above from the start of the walk.

Successful Open House Creates Interest

Thanks to our Membership Chair, Helen Taufa’asau, and her Membership Committee, nearly 30 invitees from our community attended an Open House on Sunday, April 26 at our Thrift Shop building. It was so gratifying to hear from all the attendees how impressed they were with our organization and all that we accomplish.

They enjoyed their tour of our facility, and many commented on how organized, clean and attractive our Thrift Shop is. Those who were already customers also mentioned that all of our volunteers were always very welcoming and professional. They were amazed at all we do to process donations and freshen the merchandise on the sales floor. One lady said, “It seems like little elves come in the middle of the night, because there are always new things to see every time I come in.” Everyone agreed that they were especially happy to spend their money and give donations to a store that uses the proceeds to do such wonderful work in the community. 

As a result of the Open House, we have several new Community Volunteers and three new Members. All of them are ready to get started helping at the Thrift Shop or assist with our programs in the community.

It takes all of you, our member/volunteers, to make our Thrift Shop a place that customers want to frequent. They tell their friends and relatives about the nice people at Assistance League who do great things for children. They brag about the great bargains they get and the fun they have while shopping. They tell their coworkers to give only their “nicest things” to an organization that has been helping Hawaii’s keiki for so many years. It takes many hands to make the work light in this busy place. Mahalo for all that you do to keep our main source of funding humming along.

May 2026 Thrift Shop

Calendar for Cashiers & Rovers

Thrift Shop Days & Hours:

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

Saturdays 9:30 am to 3:00 pm

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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