Assistance League of Hawaii Regular Meeting
Wednesday, September 14, 2022 • 10:30 am to 1:30 pm
Nasunoya Tea House • 1935 Makanani Drive
Honolulu, Hawaii • Deadline to reserve: September 9
|
|
September 2022 Newsletter |
|
Transforming Lives - Strengthening Community |
|
WE LOVE DONATIONS! Agents from the Honolulu office of Merrill Lynch, Karen and Rick Handy along with Chinli Sun delivered several items we can use for Operation School Bell Kokua Clothing Boxes. See story at the bottom of this Newsletter.
|
|
It is that time of year again when Assistance League of Hawaii programs get under way and our reason for existing becomes clear. To quote our Mission Statement: "Assistance League volunteers transforming the lives of children and adults through community programs.”
There are many volunteer opportunities throughout our organization. Our Thrift Shop is the major source of funding for our programs, and help is always needed there. Contact Peggy Monell or Sharon Ehrhorn if you have a few spare hours to help out at the shop. If you are interested in helping with one of our programs, just contact Helen Taufa’asau, and she will put you in touch with the appropriate program chairperson. Would you like to be on the Hospitality Committee, Resource Development Committee, Marketing /Communication Committee, Membership Committee, or Property Management Committee? Any of these committees would be happy to have additional help. It takes the time and talents of many individuals to keep our organization running smoothly, and we hope you will join us in our commitment to the people of Hawaii.
See the Resource Development article below to learn more about Foodland’s annual Give Aloha campaign, which we affectionately call KWAK (Kokua With Aloha Kala). This is a great opportunity to get more bang for your donation buck during September, as Foodland adds an additional 20% to to every dollar donated to Assistance League of Hawaii. Please mention this to your friends and relatives.
We hope to see many of you at our first Membership Meeting and luncheon of the year on Wednesday, September 14, at Natsunoya Tea House. See the details in the Hospitality article below. Because our meeting takes place during Aloha Week, we encourage you to wear Aloha attire that day. If you need a new Hawaiian-print dress, we know a great Thrift Shop where you can buy one at a bargain price.
Mahalo for all that you do.
|
|
September Regular Meeting to Be Held at Natsunoya Tea House |
|
The September Regular Meeting will be held 10:30-1:30 Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at the Natsunoya Tea House, 1935 Makanani Drive, Honolulu (Liliha-Kapalama area).
The menu - White Rice, Oriental Salad, Hibachi or Baked Chicken, Agedashi Tofu, Shrimp & Vegetable Tempura, Teriyaki Beef, Noodles, Potato Salad, and Fresh Fruits. Drinks include hot tea and iced water. There is a handicap ramp for access to the dining/meeting room, which is air conditioned. Free parking is available and carpooling is recommended.
Reservations are being taken now by email at althrift281@gmail.com and the deadline for sign-up is Friday, September 9. Cost is $36.00.
We regret that the cost for these luncheons has risen. Cost is one of our considerations when we select a location, but unfortunately, the prices we are being quoted have risen significantly in the past year, and some venues we have used in the past are now out of our price range.
|
|
Kicking Fall Off With Give Aloha |
|
The Resource Development Committee continues to work diligently on securing resources beyond the Thrift Shop to augment the funds to touch the lives of more keiki in Hawaii. This committee is responsible for the following events for the year: Foodland's Give Aloha (KWAK) campaign, Change for Change (C4C), Grants, and other new projects as they come up.
We will continue to meet our goals of increasing the level of participation among Assistance League of Hawaii members. Building a team approach in accomplishing projects, while creating a "fun environment" for all is one of those participation goals.
We hope you will help us share Assistance League of Hawaii with your families and friends.
A big Mahalo to all who supported Change for Change during the Spring campaign. Funds were designated for homeless youth Waikiki Health's Youth Outreach shelter. Members and friends increased our earnings to over $1,800.00. This summer, in collaboration with We Care, members of the Resource Development Committee delivered 100 individual first aid kits and towels to Youth Outreach.
Beginning September 1 and through the 30th, the first event for Assistance League of Hawaii is Foodland's Give Aloha, internally referred to as KWAK (Kokua With Aloha Kala). Foodland's Annual Community Matching Gifts Program honors its founder Maurice J. "Sully" Sullivan. This program continues his legacy of giving back to the community. Assistance League of Hawaii applies donated funds from Give Aloha to finance Operation School Bell and other programs that help Hawaii's needy students and children.
When shopping at any Foodland this month, use your Maika’i Card or phone number when making a donation through Give Aloha. As you check out, let the clerk know that you are making a donation to Assistance League of Hawaii. Use code 77759. Any amount up to $249 is appreciated, and your donation is tax-deductible. Thank you to members who donate annually.
Look for our banner hanging in the Kailua Foodland supermarket.
|
|
Busy Programs Can Use Your Help |
|
As your new Philanthropic Programs Chair, I’d like to let you know what has been happening over the summer! In addition to preparing for the upcoming year, there is already lots of activity in our programs. This year, the goal for Philanthropic Programs is to increase volunteer participation. We want to encourage you to learn about the various programs and get involved, depending on what is of interest to you.
In this first newsletter, I have included the chairs of each of our programs and how to contact them directly. They will gladly let you know how you can help.
The Operation School Bell Program (OSB) provides new clothing for children in Title I schools throughout the state. The program also includes Literacy Services and tutoring, headed by Carol Hasegawa (cchasegawa@aol.com).
Operation School Bell is up and running. Letters have been sent out with return postcards to the 56 schools OSB will be serving this year. Responses have already been received from 18 schools as of the middle of August. Also, as of that date, four schools have already ordered t-shirts.
Kokua Clothing Boxes: They are looking for some volunteers on Friday, September 16, at 9:30 a.m. in the Ohana room to help sort and containerize Kokua Clothing for our 67 school recipients. Please let Mary Monohon (humpohon@gmail.com), know if you are interested in helping.
WE CARE: Chair: Linda Tsark (808) 343-1107 or ltsark@gmail.com) We Care is a program that addresses the humanitarian basic needs with “care packages” to many populations including new mothers, homeless teens, homeless families, transitioning foster youth, domestic violence victims, and Shriners Hospital patients. We Care has been quite busy during the summer months, continuing to serve the community and provide services within the various programs.
Expanded services have included new agreements with the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of East Hawaii for Malama Bears and with The Queen’s Medical Center for Malama Bears and Lullaby Layettes.
Services during the summer have included: a layette packing party held at Mary Kay Junk’s home. Linda Tsark, Linda McColgan, Peggy Monell, Ku'ulei Pai, Betty Parinas, and Mary Monohon helped Mary Kay pack 259 layettes (138 girls and 121 boys).
Carol Jones delivered 80 layettes to Kapiolani Hospital, Linda Tsark delivered 120 Malama Bears to Wahiawa General, Mary Monohon delivered 20 Malama Bears to Children’s Justice Center, Linda Tsark delivered 24 layettes to Wahiawa General, and Linda Tsark delivered 4 boxes (sizes 1,2,3 & 4) to the Domestic Violence Action Center. Reiko Stiver delivered travel toothbrushes and tooth paste to Shriners Hospital.
|
|
Linda Tsark and members of the Resource Development team (Helen, Joan Helbling, Linda Anderson, Carol Hasegawa) that spearheaded the C4C campaign for Youth Outreach, delivered first aid kits and bath towels which were purchased with C4C donations. At the same time, an ice maker, 10 lbs. of hamburger, 12 chicken thighs, pencil sharpeners, 10 spiral composition books, non-perishable snacks, and 4 boxes of ice cream bars were also delivered. A water cooler has recently been delivered, again thanks to money collected as part of the C4C campaign. YO sent a letter of appreciation along with pictures of the “shiny and new” water cooler.
SHARE: Chair: Karen Kehoe (808-754-7755), Vice Chair: Marty Kehoe (916-215-0950): The Share Program coordinates with non-profit organizations in the community who have need for surplus items donated to Assistance League of Hawaii. The Share Program assists children and adults in the community according to their specific needs.
Assistance League of Hawaii donations are delivered weekly to both the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Waianae and the Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services Agency. The Share program also donates Rx glasses to the Lion’s Club periodically. In June 760 persons were served with Assistance League of Hawaii donations. In July 570 persons were served.
The Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services Non-Profit Agency held a Back to School Gala on July 29 for the students in the community. The students selected clothes and school supplies for the new school year. The Back to School Gala was made possible with Share donations!
OUTREACH: Chair: Miho Teipel (alohabutterfly888 @gmail.com) This program consists of one-time emergency assistance (one and done). You can contact Miho if you are interested in volunteering or if you know of any one-time need that might qualify for this service.
OPERATION WILDLIFE: Chair: Hazel Sumile (hazelsumile@gmail.com) Operation Wildlife (OWL) is an educational program for 4th grade students in our schools about animal endangerment and preservation. Hazel and her committee have already had a planning meeting and are looking forward to serving Oahu and neighbor islands, starting with the Big Island, depending on manpower. Hazel is eager to hear from interested volunteers for this amazing program. The program has been finely tuned and is very user-friendly – just ask any volunteer who presented it this past Spring.
|
|
You Can Help Craft Our Next Action Plan |
|
A special Mahalo to all of our members who participated in our 2021-2022 evaluation meetings. The Strategic Planning Committee will be implementing many of your ideas and suggestions into our 2022-2023 Action Plan in the upcoming months.
Any members interested in serving on our committee, please email Cathykissel@gmail.com or call me at (808) 392-1213.
|
|
Membership Approved the Budget |
|
The 2022-2023 Budget was approved by the Membership at the May 11, 2022 regular meeting. It is posted at the Thrift Shop on the upstairs bulletin board. Officers and committee chairmen received Budget information at the Board Orientation on August 31, 2022.
|
|
Plenty of Donated Items to Sort and Sell |
|
We have been blessed with an abundance of great donations this month. Our upstairs runneth over. Big Mahalo to all the many menehunes who answered the call to help sort, price and put the items on the sales floor.
We now have a new “Outdoor Pooper Scooper” to clean up the “you know what” outside on our property. It’s wonderful!
We always think of new things to do in the store. Ku’ulei Pai and crew are planning for Aloha Week with special displays and muumuus for sale. Around the same time the “Pow-Wow” display with Southwestern silver jewelry and Kachina dolls will be held to coincide with the local events. Of course, Linda McColgan, our marketing whiz, will have some great pictures on the internet through our social media.
The Thrift Shop Committee remains intact. Sharon Ehrhorn will continue as Assistant Manager. Not sure what lies ahead for me as far as treatment is concerned. Thanks to all of you who have sent cards and showed concern over the past few weeks.
Again, thanks to all of you – Peggy
|
|
September 2022 Thrift Shop Calendar |
|
Thrift Shop Days & Hours:
Tuesday & Thursdays 9:30 am to 1:00 pm
Saturdays 9:30 am to 3:00 pm
REMINDER: Regular Meeting on September 14 • 10:30 AM
Natsunoya Tea House, 1935 Makanani Drive, Honolulu
(Liliha-Kapalama area).
|
|
Send In Your Service Hours |
|
The Thrift Shop continues to boom and many people are putting in long hours, I know. Meanwhile, Assistance League of Hawaii once again needs to count your hours for this month. Please send me all of your hours, including meetings and transportation, promptly to be included in the grand total for our organization.
To do so, just email (vandwfay@mac.com) or call me at (808) 282-0878. Mahalo, Vicki Fay
|
|
Marketing Committee
Busy Producing Content
|
|
Our new Marketing and Communications Committee consists of returning members Linda McColgan (chair), Melvin Ah Ching, Mary Monohon and new member Chris Pelletier.
New Business Cards are now available for you to share with the community. Pick some up at the Thrift Shop and share with people you meet. Be sure to point out the back of the card – it highlights some of our philanthropic accomplishments from last fiscal year.
Year at a Glance Calendar: Please put the member lunch dates on your personal calendars. As more information is known throughout the year we will update and share the calendar. The calendar can be accessed at this link:
Marketing our Services in the Thrift Shop: A new TV monitor is now hanging behind the cashiers. Videos will run in a loop showcasing who we are and what we do. If you have ideas for other videos please contact one of our committee members.
A one minute informational video was created for the National Assistance League Conference using some of the clips mentioned above. More pictures were added with the video ending with a segment shot at Ala Moana Beach Park last year. You can view that on our website at this link.
You can view all of our informative videos as well as news items about Assistance League of Hawaii on our YouTube channel page. There are three produced videos and several linked ones.
|
|
Honolulu Office of Merrill Lynch Donates Items for Operation School Bell |
|
Chinli Sun, Karen and Rick Handy from the Honolulu office of Merrill Lynch delivered 2 boxes of children’s underwear and 3 boxes of children’s slippers to our Assistance League of Hawaii Thrift Shop on Wednesday, August 10, 2022.
Approximately 50 employees from the Honolulu office of Merrill Lynch take part in quarterly community outreach projects, and they decided the Operation School Bell's Kokua Clothing Boxes were worthy of their efforts.
Chinli, Karen and Rick were given a tour of our facility and photos were taken of the group with Operation School Bell Chair Laurelyn Berger, Vice President and Kokua Clothing Box Coordinator Mary Monohon, Finance Chair Margie Van Swearingen, and President Nancy Sparacino.
|
|
Amazon.com donates 0.5% of qualifying AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice. Why not choose Assistance League of Hawaii? Here’s how it works:
2) Sign in with your Amazon.com credentials (Amazon Prime can be used too.)
3) Select Assistance League of Hawaii as the charitable organization.
4) Start shopping!
5) You can add a bookmark for smile.amazon.com to make it easier to return again to shop at AmazonSmile.
Once you have Assistance League of Hawaii registered with your Amazon Smile account, every time you shop at Amazon that .5% of your purchases help us!
|
|
Newsletter Editor: Melvin Ah Ching assistanceleaguehimarketing@gmail.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
