{"id":231728,"date":"2026-04-06T10:24:26","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T20:24:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=231728"},"modified":"2026-04-15T09:33:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T19:33:35","slug":"restoring-hope-at-hawaii-cc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/06\/restoring-hope-at-hawaii-cc\/","title":{"rendered":"A lifeline restoring hope at Hawaiʻi CC<\/abbr>"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Jerry
Jerry Kanakanui says the Kahuaʻola<\/span> Basic Needs Center provides a crucial safety net for students.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After raising a family and building a decades-long career in the restaurant industry, Jerilyn “Jerry” Kanakanui decided it was finally time to pursue a lifelong dream: go to college. Getting to the classroom, though, was a daunting process.<\/p>\n

As a mother of six who had never attended college, she remembered previous attempts where she tried to navigate the complex web of registration and financial aid, only to back out thinking, “Oh, no, it\u2019s not for me.”<\/p>\n

Read more 糖心视频<\/abbr> Giving Day stories<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

She enrolled in Hawaiʻi<\/span> Community College in 2024, and credits programs such as the TRIO Student Support Services<\/a> and the Kahuaʻola<\/span> Basic Needs Center<\/a> for helping her find her footing. Today, she gives back to the campus community by serving as a TRIO peer mentor to help other students navigate their own educational journeys, while also occasionally working next door at Kahuaʻola<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Struggling with the basics<\/h2>\n

“Many kids tell me they are grateful to have a resource like Kahuaʻola<\/span>,” Kanakanui said. “Some of these students struggle with the basics, so when they can pick up a free bag of rice or a journal they need for classes, it really helps them a lot.”<\/p>\n

\"A
Maiya “Akahai” Kepoʻo-Deconte<\/span> helps organize the plastic bins of food at the Kahuaola Basic Needs Center.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chancellor Susan Kazama said that learning cannot thrive when a student is worried about food, housing or other essential needs.<\/p>\n

“As a kauhale (community), we are committed to supporting the whole person so our students can focus on their education, their families and their futures,” Kazama said.<\/p>\n

Restoring hope<\/h2>\n

Kahuaʻola<\/span> Coordinator Randiann Tokeshi assists roughly 48 students daily with essentials. Some grab a quick meal, while others need help applying for SNAP<\/abbr> benefits, or finding healthcare, childcare and housing.<\/p>\n

“Basic needs are more than just providing resources to our students. It’s really about restoring hope, dignity and the opportunity for students who may be facing some of the hardest moments in their lives,” Tokeshi said. ”Every meal that is shared, every referral that is made, every conversation where a student feels seen and supported can really change the trajectory of someone’s life.”<\/p>\n

This Giving Day<\/a>, gifts to the Hawaiʻi<\/span> Community College Advancement Fund<\/a> help ensure students have the backing they need to stay enrolled and continue building their futures. Your support goes even further this year: Kazama is matching up to $1,000 in total donations to Hawaiʻi<\/span> CC<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n

Read more about the Hawaiʻi<\/span> Community College Advancement Fund<\/a> and more Giving Day opportunities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pursuing an educational dream is tough without basics like food or housing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":231738,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[61,1772,71,319,1726],"class_list":["post-231728","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-hawaii-community-college","tag-student","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-uh-foundation","tag-uh-giving-day","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t