Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
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HO?OWAIWAI
HAWAI?I ISLAND ASSET BUILIDNG FRAMEWORK AND ROAD MAP
OHANA DIALOGUE REPORT ? 5th Draft
COUNTY OF HAWAI?I
DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
HAWAI`I COUNTY RESOURCE CENTER
HAWAI`I ALLIANCE FOR COMMUNITY BASED ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
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Table of Content
1.
Introduction
2.
Methodology
?
Ohana Dialogue Process ? literature review, exploratory interview,
popular education, and systems map.
3.
Results
?
Community Wealth and Family Legacy
?
Big Ideas and Dreams
?
Current Realities
?
Creative Tension, Structural Barriers, and Patterns
?
Support and Action ? What?s Working Well
Appendix
A.
Demographic Profile
B.
Detailed Methodology
a.
Exploratory Interview Questions
b.
Synthesizing Family Stories
c.
Overview of Whole Systems Map (not included in this draft)
C. Excel Tabulation
D. Narrative Notes
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1. Introduction
Purpose of Ohana Dialogue
The purpose of the ohana (family) dialogue with families was to gather information and
perspectives of how families themselves regard ?wealth?, including, but not limited to
the financial and economic issues that affect them and their community. The
development of Hawai`i County?s asset policy roadmap is based on:
?
what families and communities themselves define as ?wealth?;
?
their observations on and analysis of what?s already ?working well? and what?s
preventing them from building the assets they believe they need to be self
sufficient ? having the ability to exercise choice and control in their lives; and
?
their analysis of information relevant to the issues and concerns they believe are
critical to addressing issues of asset poverty.
Thus, the primary objectives of the family dialogue were to:
?
ground the asset policy agenda in the perceptions and immediate needs of
families, especially low income (broadly defined) families ? the goal is to facilitate
conversations that will provide for gut level responses to underlying
assumptions, language, and underpinnings of an asset policy agenda.
?
mobilize participants to engage in asset policy agenda formation and action ?
the goal is to share framework concepts in order to provide a vision of asset
building opportunities.
During May 2008 to December 2008, the Ho?owaiwai project weavers (team)
conducted:
?
ten one?on?one interviews with local social service practitioners;
?
twelve Ohana Dialogues in East and West Hawai`i; and
?
four follow up large group meetings.
To gain diversity of perspectives, Ho?owaiwai team talked with youth, couples, and
kupunas (elders) from various ethnic and age groups (56 participants). The full
demographic profile can be found on appendix A.
The results from the ohana dialogue will shape the asset building strategies and help
develop the Ho?owaiwai Framework.
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2.
Methodology
Background information was acquired through a literature review and exploratory
interviews. For the exploratory interviews the project team utilized popular education
process to create a learning space for project team and facilitate empowerment of local
families. Both progressed to provide a more complete understanding of reality and
opportunities for asset building on Hawaii Island.
Literature review: An in depth literature review was undertaken in the areas of asset
building, community wealth, sustainable economic development, existing local
government documents, academic studies, and community based plans. In depth
literature review can be referenced separately in the Policy Research Documents.
Table 1 ? List of Major Documents Reviewed
County of Hawai`i
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General Plan 2005
?
General Plan Annual Report (contains 77 island indicators) 2009
?
Community Development Plans (North and South Kona, Puna, North Kohala and
South Kohala) 2008
?
Baseline Energy Analysis 2007
?
County of Hawaii Energy Sustainability Plan 2007
?
Hawaii Island Whole System Project (local food economy) 2007
?
Accelerating Progress Toward a Sustainable Hawai`i Island 2007
?
County of Hawaii Agriculture Plan Draft 2009
?
County (Hawaii) Economic Development Strategy 2004
State of Hawai`i
?
Asset Building Opportunities & Transit Oriented Development 2008
?
Economic Well?Being in Hawai`i: Family and Individual Self?Sufficiency 2007
?
Asset Building Inventory
?
Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan 2007
?
Asset Policy Roadmap: A strategy for advancing financial security and opportunity
in Hawai`i 2007
?
Asset?Building Policy for Hawai`i 2006
National and
Global
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CFED Guide to the Assets and Opportunity Scorecard 2007?2008
?
Canadian Index of Well?being: measuring things that matter
?
Bridges Out of Poverty: Strategies for Professionals and Communities
?
Building Assets While Building Communities 2006
?
A Community?Building Workbook ? ABCD Institute
?
Sharing the Wealth: Resident Ownership Mechanism 2001
?
A wellbeing framework for Scotland: A better way for measuring society?s progress
in the 21
st
Century 2008
Exploratory interviews: Exploratory interviews were undertaken with local social service
practitioners, families and youth to gain feedback on ways to approach asset building,
island style.
Three formats were used to engage local practitioners and families in dialogue around
asset building:
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
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1.
one?on?one conversations with practitioners ? the project team met with local
social service agencies to discuss the project and gain feedback on potential
questions and methodology.
2.
family ?talk story? group discussions ? the group discussion include 8 to 12
participants (youth, married couples, single parents and elders) and lasted no
more than 2 hours. A focused and deliberate ?talk story? with individuals about
opportunities and challenges that their families face as they strive for increased
self?sufficiency. The family ?talk story? was conducted in safe and familiar
surroundings. There typically was at least 1 facilitator and 1 recorder and in
some cases 1 resource person. Participants were offered an honorarium for
their participation.
3.
family report back large group discussions ? the team followed up with group of
families to share and gain additional feedback about their observations,
experiences, dreams and actions.
The following was the general guideline for the exploratory interviews:
?
Safe and familiar space
?
Culturally appropriate family engagements styles
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Deep and regenerative listening
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Share information in their own language
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Show appreciation for their participation ($20 gift card)
Appendix Bb contains detailed information on exploratory interview process.
Popular Education: This capacity tool is being
piloted for Ho?owaiwai ? asset building initiatives.
Typically the intent of popular education is to
build an alternative education approach that is
more consistent with social justices, but we are
focusing more on how we can shape holistic
policy recommendation from our conversation
with families impacted by the economic crisis
through this process. The stories from the
dialogue and policy analysis will be screened
through a FSSD to determine short?term
programs to provide avenues for families to build
genuine wealth and well?being.
Creation of the Whole System Diagram: To honor the integrated world view of Kanaka
Maoli, the whole system map was created from family stories. Policy makers often
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
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define problem too narrowly, without identifying their causes or connections. Using the
literature review and information from family stories, a whole system map of Hawaii
Island Family Asset Building was created to determine the interrelation, barriers and
opportunities for asset building in Hawai?i Island. The map demonstrates system?s
complexity. One of the main benefits of a whole system analysis is that it highlights the
?barriers? within a system. Barriers are obstacles to desired outcomes within a system
that cannot be easily circumvented. These blockage points occur when one of the five
types of capital (financial, physical, human, social or natural) is unavailable, has been
misused, or is under some form of extraordinary pressure.
The full analysis will
accompany the Policy Research.
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3. RESULTS
Community Wealth and Family Legacy
?What helps in times of difficulties ? the wonder of the community?
Kona Participant
Hawai?i Island?s unique cultural and rural lifestyle seems to exemplify family definition
of wealth. While economic security was a key component for most families to wealth
creation, many described the importance of community wealth and family legacy as a
primary reason for asset building. Below are comments from youth, couples and kupunas
about what makes their community special, despite the hardship in current economic
turmoil. Most peopled talked about importance of family, relationship, trust, cooperation,
and sharing their time and resources to build community well?being together. Below are
selected comments from local families:
?
All the money we made (previously) used for the kids. Money doesn't mean anything
to me ? means to an end ? If I had money but alone without no one, life wouldn't be
good.
?
Trust: no one locks their doors
?
Everyone is family: Good people who help each other. OK to ask anyone for help.
?
Shared resources: vegetables for fish, help each other, watch each other?s children
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Siblings, aunts/uncles share resources, live together to make ends meet.
?
Everybody in town is like family.
?
Family, growing yard, fishing, helping family, swimming, building canoe, and having
fun.
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Family working together: harvesting mac nuts or coffee, fishing.
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People to look up to and play with, talk to, and learn from.
?
Quality of life has so much less to do with money. We live in neighborhood and we
all get dogs, bike all over the place, safe to ride bikes at end of our
neighborhood?we know everybody, and look at sunrise, neighborhood should stay
that way.
?
Good beach close to home.
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There are many people to play and enjoy. I can play, talk, learn, and share my life.
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People take care of each other.
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Everyone works together, good feeling.
?
Emotional asset ? it's okay to accept and help each other.
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Wants better for children and grandchildren.
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Daughter?s best interests, having the opportunities to learn and grow up happy.
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Kids to grow up and guarantee they will do well.
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Live more secure, be financially stable so they can do whatever they want as a
family.
?
Local business for local people. I moved back to Hawaii because of the people. They
are the biggest assets. Can't depend on tourism. Based on what we can do here, we
can do so much.
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Big Ideas and Dreams
?I learned that I should never let my dreams be dreams; I should make them reality.?
Youth Participant
A. Community Self Reliance: Strengthen community gathering spaces to promote
healthy interaction, exchange of goods and time, and skills and knowledge building for
self?sufficiency.
B. Education for Family and Youth: Promote and provide locally accessible educational
opportunities for family and youth, so people have the skills, knowledge and ability to
succeed in life and be healthy.
C. More Local Jobs and Income Options: Families would like to earn and keep wealth
by supporting the creation of more local job opportunities through a development of
locally?based economy that provide living wages. They also like to see an increase in
minimum wage.
D. Opportunities for Land and Home Ownerships and Rentals: Families are looking for
opportunities to own a piece of land and home to build their assets. East and West
Hawai?i both needs more affordable rental and housing options for families, elders and
young adults.
E. Save Money: Families would like to keep their wealth through programs, such as
Individual Development Account (IDA), which will support and encourage people to save
their income and grow their wealth.
F. Transportation and Local Service Options: Families support further development of
an affordable, frequent, efficient and reliable public transportation system with defined
and sheltered stops. Families would like to see more community retail and service
centers that provide basic needs, jobs opportunities and services for the residents to
shorten the need to drive.
G. General Policy and Program Suggestions: Families would like to see a more common
sense approach and accountability from government and business entities.
H. Subsistence: Families desire access to basic necessity such as water, electricity and
food.
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Current Reality
?Not enough income to cover bills and buy food. 1st time I had to go to the food
distribution center. Can't qualify for support because we make $100 too much. Never
thought I'd be here in my life.?
Pahoa Participant
With ever rising cost of rental and housing, gas, health care, and food, many families are
struggling to survive. On top of this, families encounter major losses in quality of their health,
loss of income, and loss of life partners through death and divorce. Many families incur debt
from high cost of living, major losses or involvement in some sort of addictive behaviors. Many
single mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and other families members are working 2 to 3 jobs to
make ends meet, leaving little time for parents to spend time with their children. These two
reinforcing feedback loops produces rapid growth or collapse that makes staying out of debt
quite difficult while trying to achieve
basic family self?sufficiency.
There are 6 common family impacts:
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Cost of Living
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Major Loss
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Addiction and Abuse
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Income (lack of)
?
Debt
?
Family (raising children)
The Hawai?i Island Family Impact
Diagram shows the relationship
between common themes. The s
arrow shows the strengthening impact
while o arrows highlight the opposing
forces that families are experiencing.
For example, a combination of high
cost of living and major health loss creates a very difficult situation for families that could lead
to addictive behaviors to cope with loss or incur big debt, which makes surviving harder.
Families that lived through addictive and abusive behaviors can lead to a break up of family, a
major loss. Addictive behaviors can also cause debt. All of this impacts how families raise their
children.
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Creative Tension, Structural Barriers
and Patterns
This categorization tries to capture and detect
the archetypes and reinforcing processes in
stories we hear from families.
By detecting and surfacing mental models of
poverty and wealth, we can start to recognize
and map the leverage points to inform our
policy and program recommendations. This
section is sorted according to the layers of The
Iceberg. Our previous discussion has focused
on another ?lens? or mental models to discuss
wealth (five capitals) and poverties (human
needs), which can be referenced in the
technical paper.
Creative Tension ? Values and Beliefs = Mental Models
?Greed ? values of greed and life built on greed is destroying our country.?
Puna Participant
The mental models are our values and beliefs that are sometime unspoken. Families
and youth are currently faced with conflicting social values and norms. On one hand
they understand the importance of cooperation, yet on other hand consumer culture
promotes individualism and materialism. There seems to be a creative tension between
these two dynamics. Below are some comments from families and youth.
?
People cooperate for child care, each other.
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We need to change the attitude from we be to we are.
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Enhance what living in this island is suppose to be, make it stay Hawaii.
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Greed runs our system and those without the mentality suffers.
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They are selling the island.
?
Kids today have attitude problems; don?t realize what is important in life.
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Children work for themselves, not for the family or community.
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Materialistic wants more important than saving for the future.
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Structural Barrier ? System
?Certain rules contradicts building assets ? As soon as they save money or have money in
a savings account, they get kicked off welfare because they have too much assets.?
Kupuna Maku?u
Families sometime feel system is out to get them, rather than to help them. Many
people are trying to build their assets and be self?reliant, but once they reach a
threshold, they get cut off from housing and food assistance, which significantly
increase their cost of living and drive them back into poverty. Below are some
comments from families:
?
They don?t want us to prosper!
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Welfare, only half or 1% are working the system and they ruin it for all of us.
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Doing real good and get penalized, like trying to save money.
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Restriction ? social security and county housing, you have to make the minimum,
take two steps forward and get five steps back.
?
It's like a dike, put one finger and creates another leak. Have to look at the whole
system. Everything has to be looked at. It's like a book, so many layers that's
integrated to see the whole picture.
?
Zoning and Building codes make it difficult for people to build their homes
inexpensively.
?
Miloli?i falls into a rift with agencies. Sometimes it falls under East Hawaii
jurisdiction and sometimes West Hawaii then it changes.
?
It's not the people ? it's the systems ? policy change systems ? more likely
because of current income gap
?
Illegal vs. Legal housing, people, including county look down on them and make
them criminals because they?re just trying to survive. Y
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Young families get cut off even if they?re working and trying to save, doesn?t
make sense.
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Too many restrictions, County housing, I got a $20 raise, so they cut my housing.
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Illegal vs. Legal housing, people, including county look down on them and make
them criminals because they?re just trying to survive.
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Patterns
?Now you need education for everything, experience doesn?t get you anything.?
Kupuna
Patterns are built on collections of experiences. Many families feel the changes that are
occurring on the island are creating larger barriers to asset building. In an island
ecosystem and economy, size of land and population and resource constraints produce
extremely fast feedback loops. There are signs that continental style solutions, such as
idea of detached single family home for everyone, needs to be seriously evaluated to
create solutions that are better tailored to the rural island with a limited resources.
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I'm hearing the same story for 30 years/nothing has changed.
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The asset program is not working.
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Does not want to deal with any kind of agency because of treatment. Hard to ask
for help or ask the right questions because English is not first language.
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Food stamps: Went to apply for Food Stamps. Worker not friendly at all.
"Micronesians are NOT qualified for food stamps" as soon as discussion started.
After that experience, did not want to go for any kind of assistance. Need case
worker to get better assistance.
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County housing a disaster.
?
County Housing, Section 8: Applied for Section 8. Wanted to add baby to her
application. Advised she cannot add baby to application, she is not on a list and
she needs a case worker. Not helpful, not nice.
?
Nobody seems to know the meaning of ?affordable housing.?
?
Before it was what you knew, or your skills, now it is based on your education
you have.
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Starter houses aren?t available like they used to be.
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Cannot make it like before, not possible.
?
There is a problem with ?This island? people cannot even make the bare
minimum, even with overtime.
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Support and Action ? What?s Working Well
?Bartering helps the family, not worry so much, everyone likes to help out.?
Maku?u Kupuna
Despite the enormous challenges faced by families, they are able to survive because of
strong support network at the family and community level and assistance they received
from community based organization, such as Neighborhood Place of Puna, Family
Support Services of West Hawai`i, and County of Hawai`i, Office of Housing and
Community Development.
The diagram explains how families
are coping with impact they are
experiencing in their life and
where they are getting the
support to take actions towards
improve their families lives. The
most effective supports seems to
come from authentic people that
are genuinely caring, willing to
share, and help connect people to
resources, so families can improve their lives.
Community based organization play a critical role for empowering families in crisis.
Below are comments from families:
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Helped us to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
?
NPP ? Helping me raise my daughter. Stop buying her everything, gave her
couple responsibilities, by creating a task chart, made the daughter earn it, every
Friday something to look forward too.
?
FSSWH ? Helped figure out Quest insurance. Helps with parenting skills and
educating parents on child development.
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Bay clinic is great. Life saver.
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Looked into resource and found "Lanikila" housing ? DSS worker helped.
?
Getting in touch with people ? they are here, care, find resources, and get it done
(results).
?
Empowering us to do our own.
Creative solutions by community and individuals and efforts of local employers keep
families intact in time of difficulties:
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Grocery Store built in Pahoa, was good because it gave a lot of the young kids
the jobs they need.
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Employer promises job back after birth. Café 100 good employer cause has
medical coverage, Sundays off.
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Transport: One woman uses her own van to take others to doctors. Will not
accept cash. Give food because lady has big family.
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Baby sitting coop: some watch children so other moms could go to work or to
school. Exchange baby?sitting for cleaning house, washing clothes, etc.
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Form HUI where WIC recipients shared extra WIC food amongst other families,
some like beans, others don't.
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Farmers share their crops at the Poi Bowl.
?
Her parents buy the kids diapers and sometimes food too.
?
Moved here finding a job difficult, so started a landscape maintenance business ?
do things no one wanted to do.
?
Families need to stay on benefits, but try to work to get ahead, so they do cash
jobs so they can balance their hours to not be taken off of services.
?
Currently lives with auntie who has 5 boys. (Site visit: house is nice, area clean
and shows upkeep of property.)
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Appendix
A.
Demographic Profile
Date
Name
Male/Female
Age
Ethnicity
Location/Residence
Other Detail (working?
Married? Etc.)
7/8/08
Ralerie
Female
55
Hawaiian/filipino
Born in Kailua
Single mom with 2 jobs (7?
11 and D.O.E.)
7/8/08
Waltan
Female
38
Hawaiian/mix
Born on O`ahu, moved
to the Big Island 15 years
ago
Married for 8 years; 4
daughters; looking for a job;
spouse is working
7/8/08
Shawn & Doreen
Male/Female
50?s
Part Hawaiian,
Portugues and
Hawaiian
Shawn lived half his life
in the mainland; Doreen
lived all her life in Puna
Shawn quit job; having a
hard time getting a job due
to medical issues; Doreen
got hurt on the job; second
marriage to Shawn
7/8/08
Connie
Female
50?s
Caucasian
Born in Northern
California, currently
living in Puna
Single mom with 4 kids (age
7?20); was in an abusive
relationship with ex?
husband
7/8/08
Ginger
Female
40?s
Caucasian
Born in Utah, moved to
Hawaiian Beaches in 6
th
grade
Lives with her 6 kids and
granddaughters; Physically
unable to work, but does
volunteer work in Puna
7/8/08
Lawaii
Female
60?s
Portugues
Works at Super Cuts; was a
widow at 25; grandma
raising 5 grandchildren
7/9/08
Lehua
Female
26
Part Hawaiian
Born in Waimanalo,
moved here in 9
th
grade
Parents divorced; married
since 17, one daughter (5)
7/9/08
Maureen
Female
50+
Caucasian
Born in California
Son is autistic, daughter in
20?s; living check to check
7/9/08
Charlie
Male
72
Caucasian
Moved here in 2000 to goof
off; finding a job is difficult;
started his own landscape
maintenance business; got
married to a women with 2
sons
8/11/08
K
Female
60
Part Hawaiian,
Caucasian
From Waianae
Got married to a creep and
had 3 kids
8/11/08
E
Female
50ish
Part Hawaiian,
Filipino
Divorced; worked for 7
years after divorce; on
section 8; adopted
grandchildren from
daughter who is doing
drugs
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
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8/11/08
G
Female
50ish
Part Hawaiian,
Caucasian,
Chinese
Was in 9 year abusive
relationship; 3 children;
divorced for 15 years;
current husband is a pastor;
works for VISTA; has a good
life
8/11/08
J
Male
40
Part Hawaiian
On disability DSS; ?other
half? has diabetes and
works side jobs to make
ends meet
8/11/08
T
Male
40
Part Hawaiian
Had children at 30; life was
good, now lives month to
month; husband got
disabled 3 years ago
8/12/08
H
Female
19
Part Hawaiian,
Chinese
Born and raised in Puna
Pregnant and will give birth
in 2 weeks; father of child
was a ?drug baby?
8/12/08
L
Female
20
Yappi
From Yap Island
Just had a baby girl 2 weeks
ago; worked at McDonald?s
8/12/08
M
Female
35
Part Hawaiian,
part Caucasian
Father abused mother and
children; ex partners
abused her; 18 year old
daughter on drugs and
abuses her
8/12/08
T?A
Male
25
Filipino,
Hawaiian
Partner of M for 3 years;
working at Subway
10/16/08
Denise
Female
Early
20?s
Hawaiian,
Filipino
(Boyfriend
Caucasian)
Kona
Boyfriend from mainland;
met while at drug rehab;
have 3 children (6, 2, & 14
mos.);
10/16/08
Michelle
Female
Mid 20?s
Caucasian
From California, moved
to Kona 11 years ago
Recovering addict; works 2?
3 days a week; met
boyfriend while in drug
court; have a 1 year old
daughter
10/17/08
Ke`ala and Jason
Female/Male
Mid 20?s
Hawaiian,
Portuguese
In high school; one kid (not
the mom)
10/17/08
Ioane and Koli
Male/Female
21 & 19
Hawaiian
Has 2 month old girl; Ioane
is project manager for
Maku?u Farmer?s Market
10/17/08
John & Hidi
Male/Female
Late 20?s
John ?caucasian
Hidi ? Hawaiian,
Portuguese
Has 2 kids; John is a
firefighter; Hidi helps run
Maku?u Farmer?s Market
and attends school
10/17/08
Pua
Female
Early
30?s
Part Hawaiian &
?
PhD candidate; married;
lives on Hawaiian Homes
Land
10/18/08
Emily
Female
Kupuna
(50s?60s)
Part Hawaiian
County Council Member; 3
daughters and one son
10/18/08
Shirley
Female
Kupuna
(50s?60s)
Part Hawaiian
Has 3 daughters; lives on
DHHL Ag land
10/18/08
Jon & Paula
Male/Female
Kupuna
(50s?60s)
Part Hawaiian
Puna
Paula president of Maku?u
Farmer?s Association; both
work at the Farmer?s
Market
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10/18/08
Lee
Female
Kupuna
(50s?60s)
Hawaiian,
Filipino
Lived on homestead since
1990
10/18/08
Gwen
Female
Kupuna
(50s?60s)
Hawaiian & ?
Nanawale; raised in
Waimanalo
10/18/08
Donna
Female
Kupuna
(50s?60s)
Caucasian
Born in Pennsylvania,
raised in Kane?ohe,
moved to Pahoa in 1970
Has 5 kids and 9.5 grandkids
10/18/08
Ana
Female
Kupuna
(50s?60s)
Caucasian
From Maryland, moved
to Pahoa 4 years ago
Involved with the
community
10/18/08
Kaloko
Female
18
Hawaiian & ?
From Vegas
Moved to Hilo to go to
school at UH Hilo
10/18/08
Devin
Male
21
Hawaiian,
Caucasian
Born and raised in Puna
Works at Maku?u
10/18/08
Naku
Male
15
Hawaiian,
Portuguese
Grew up in Puna
Whole family works for
Maku?u
10/18/08
Kopa
Male
17
Hawaiian,
Portuguese
Grew up in Puna
Senior in High School; works
at Maku?u
10/18/08
Sara
Female
17
Caucasian
Lives with family on
Hawaiian Homes Land
10/18/08
Devina
Female
21
Hawaiian,
Caucasian
Grew up in Puna
Has a 10 month old son;
lives with her mom
10/18/08
Kahea
Female
18
Hawaiian,
Caucasian
Grew up in Puna
Attends UH Hilo on
scholarship
12/17/08
LaCher
Female
12/17/08
Pam
Female
12/17/08
Weegee
12/17/08
Chasity
Female
12/17/08
Kuma
Male
12/17/08
Deisha
Female
12/17/08
Willy
Male
12/17/08
Shannon
Male
Average
ages: 20?
45
Participants of
Hawaiian
Ancestry or
married to
someone with
Hawaiian
Ancestry
Jobs: primarily work in
construction, hotel or retail
stores
12/17/08
Two 15
yr. olds
12/17/08
Two 13
yr. olds
12/17/08
Five 12
yr. olds
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12/17/08
One 11
yr. old
12/17/08
One 9 yr.
old
12/17/08
One 7 yr.
old
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B.
Detailed Methodology
Ba. Exploratory Interview
Three formats were used to engage local practitioners and families in dialogue around
asset building:
1.
one?on?one conversations with practitioners ? the project team met with local
social service agencies to discuss the project and gain feedback on potential
questions and methodology.
2.
family ?talk story? group discussions ? the group discussion include 8 to 12
participants (youth, married couples, single parents and elders) and lasted no
more than 2 hours. A focused and deliberate ?talk story? with individuals about
opportunities and challenges that their families face as they strive for increased
self?sufficiency. The family ?talk story? was conducted in safe and familiar
surroundings. There typically was at least 1 facilitator and 1 recorder and in
some cases 1 resource person. Participants were offered an honorarium for
their participation.
3.
family report back large group discussion ? the team followed up with group of
families to share and gain additional feedback about their observations,
experiences, dreams and actions.
The following was the general guideline for the exploratory interviews:
As a process, Ohana Dialogue began by examining family values. Our values define us.
What really makes life worthwhile? What defines our state of happiness? What are the
ends that our heart desire? We require honest answers to these key questions:
a. How?s life?
b. What?s going well in life?
c. What areas would we like to improve?
Stories centered around these questions lead us to attributes and indicators we can use
to assess our well?being. This is true at the individual, household and community scale.
How?s life?
These questions were adopted from Mark Anielski?s Economics of Happiness.
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The first step in the wellbeing assessment involves self?examination of our own quality
of life.
1. How?s Life? How happy are you about life today (your personal life, your physical
health, your spiritual life, your family life, your work life, your relationship, your
community life?) Do you feel you have strong and loving relationships with your ohana
(loved ones)? Do you feel the work you do is meaningful?
2. What do you like most about your quality of life, your family?s and your community?s?
What are your strengths, your skills and your capacities? (or What are your gifts?)
This is your light mirror. It can be as simple as asking keiki: what makes you happy?
3. What do you feel are your weaknesses or areas you could improve (in your own life,
family and your community)? What do you like least about your community? What do
you feel are the liabilities for realizing the good life? What areas do you feel are
currently hindering or interfering with your pursuit of genuine happiness? When asking
keiki ? what makes you sad?
This is your dark mirror.
4. What is currently going well for you personally in your family and community?
From answers to these questions we can celebrate our assets.
5. If you had the power to change anything about your personal quality of life, your
family?s or your community?s, what areas would you change or like to see improved?
When asking children ? if you could wish for anything for your family, what would it be?
This provides the basis of envisioning a new and improved tomorrow.
Complementary to these broad questions the project team also asked, as appropriate,
specific questions related to Asset Building issues.
Introductory Questions
Intended Themes to Explore: How do families relate to and define financial self
sufficiency? Why is financial self sufficiency important to you? What challenges do you
face to reach financial self sufficiency?
Question 1 ? The ability to pay your monthly bills; respond to a crisis like a car breaking
down or a visit to the doctor; and saving some money at the end of the month is all part
of being financially independent and self sufficient. What does financial self sufficiency
mean to you? How do you define financial self sufficiency?
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Additional Probes: What are the challenges you face to achieve financial self
sufficiency? What opportunities do you see that already exist to help you work towards
financial self sufficiency?
Personal Aspirations for Asset Building
Intended Themes to Explore: What exactly do families want to get out of building assets
(Start a Business, Buy a Home, Pay for Education, Retirement, etc.)? What are their
perceptions of savings and investment opportunities? Would they go to a bank or
invest in the stock market if they do not already do so?
Question 2 ? If you are saving money every month what do you plan to do with the
savings? If you could save what would you hope to save for?
Additional Probes: What are the challenges you face to being able to save? Where do
you get your information about saving money? What would help you to save more each
month? Have you ever started a business or know someone who has? Have you ever
gotten a loan from a bank? What was that process like?
Question 3 ? Are you planning for retirement?
Additional Probes: How are you planning for retirement? What would make it easier to
save for retirement?
Alternative Definitions of Assets
Intended Themes to Explore: Beyond financial assets, how do families define assets?
What assets, outside of financial assets are most important to them?
Question 4 ? What other assets are important to you? What is your definition of an
asset?
Additional Probes: What is happening in your community to build these non?financial
assets? What challenges do you or your community face in building these assets?
The Role Of Community in Asset Building
Intended Themes to Explore: What role does the community play in helping to build
assets? What needs to happen to address the most immediate needs of the
community? What support do families need to help meet their financial goals?
Question 5 ? How does the community affect your ability to reach and maintain financial
success?
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Additional Probes: What are some positive aspects of this community that impact your
financial self sufficiency? What are some family and community concerns that could
negatively impact economic success?
Question 6 ? What could the community do as a whole to build assets?
Additional Probes: What would motivate you to participate in a community wide
savings project?
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Bb. Synthesizing Family Stories
During the ohana dialogue, our team had at least one recorder accompanying a
facilitator. The recorder wrote down the family conversation. The narrative document
was then inputted into a excel spreadsheet.
Each idea was tagged to one category, and then clustered according to similar themes.
Each theme is organized by number of times it was mentioned and based on the
language used by the families.
First level identified broad stroke themes. Second Level identified sub?themes. The
themes were mind mapped to look at relationship and connection between themes.
The mind maps themes (please see diagram) shaped the development of the whole
systems map.
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As a qualitative analysis the report attempted to identify the essence of family
experiences, observations, and ideas and map out the whole systems diagram to inform
the policy discussions. The structure of the data organization is based on Framework for
Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD). Please refer to the technical study for
detailed overview.
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C.
Excel Tabulation
Community Wealth and Legacy
Community Wealth and Family Legacy
Major Theme
Family Comments
Date
Place
Community
Wealth
Quality of life has so much less to do with money. We live
in neighborhood and we all get dogs, bike all over the
place, safe to ride bikes at end of H.B., basketball on the
street, never seen the kids so happy. We could afford with
local people, know everybody, and look at sunrise,
neighborhood should stay that way. Give good to the
community. Don't sell neighborhood to spec. housing.
7/9/2008
NPP
Community
Wealth
I love the beach because it is close from my house.
12/17/2008
Milolii Youth
Community
Wealth
There are many people to play and enjoy. I can play, talk,
learn, and share my life.
12/17/2008
Milolii Youth
Community
Wealth
I live beach, cousin, family, swimming, and gathering.
12/17/2008
Milolii Youth
Community
Wealth
Everybody in town is like family.
12/17/2008
Milolii Youth
Community
Wealth
Family supports me to learn, live, and survive.
12/17/2008
Milolii Youth
Community
Wealth
Family, growing yard, fishing, helping family, swimming,
building canoe, and having fun
12/17/2008
Milolii Youth
Community
Wealth
Activities in the place called Miloli?i
12/17/2008
Milolii Youth
Community
Wealth
Family working together: harvesting mac nuts or coffee,
fishing
12/17/2008
Milolii Adults
Community
Wealth
Shared resources: vegetables for fish, help each other,
watch each other?s children
12/17/2008
Milolii Adults
Community
Wealth
Siblings, aunts/uncles share resources, live together to
make ends meet.
12/17/2008
Milolii Adults
Community
Wealth
Trust: no one locks their doors
12/17/2008
Milolii Adults
Community
Wealth
Limited resources so children learn how to appreciate
family and what they have; no Gameboys, x?Box, laptops
for children, etc.
12/17/2008
Milolii Adults
Community
Wealth
Everyone is family: Good people who help each other. OK
to ask anyone for help. Lots of people to look up to and
play with, talk to, and learn from.
12/17/2008
Milolii Adults
Community
Wealth
People take care of each other.
12/17/2008
Milolii Youth
Community
Wealth
All the money we made (previously) used for the kids.
Money doesn't mean anything to me ? means to an end ? If
I had money but alone without no one, life wouldn't be
good.
7/8/2008
NPP
Community
Wealth
What helps ? the wonder of the community.
7/9/2008
NPP
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Community
Wealth
Coach took the time to teach basketball (voluntary).
7/9/2008
NPP
Community
Wealth
Everyone works together, good feeling.
8/11/2008
NPP
Community
Wealth
Good beach close to home.
12/17/2008
Milolii Adults
Community
Wealth
Emotional asset ? it's okay to accept and help each other.
7/8/2008
NPP
Legacy
His dream, ?Kids to grow up and guarantee they will do
well.?
10/16/2008
Kona
Legacy
Her dream, ?Being able to provide comfortably for her
Kids.
10/16/2008
Kona
Legacy
Daughter?s best interests, having the opportunities to learn
and grow up happy.
10/16/2008
Kona
Legacy
Likes to prove to herself as well as other people that she
could do it.
10/16/2008
Kona
Legacy
Koli: isn?t working so her dreams have to wait, Ioane?s
dreams come first. Wants to have her own house and own
car.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Legacy
Hidi: Live more secure, be financially stable so they can do
whatever they want as a family.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Legacy
To make sure her kids are able to live independently and
be financially stable.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Legacy
All of them expressed the interest in having the freedom to
make money and be in control of what they were doing
with their lives.
10/17/2008
Youth
Legacy
School, college, clothes, a house, food, and a car
12/17/2008
Milolii Youth
Legacy
A car, a boat, a mansion, going to college, happy and better
life, money, a job, million dollars, a big house, clothes,
money for education, own room, a bike
12/17/2008
Milolii Youth
Legacy
Wants better for children and grandchildren.
8/11/2008
NPP
Legacy
Dream ? our own house, grow our own crops ? flowers,
foods to make income ? need resources to fall back to.
7/9/2008
NPP
Legacy
Dream for girls to get better life.
8/11/2008
NPP
Legacy
She wants savings for grandchildren (per Janelle).
8/11/2008
NPP
Legacy
Great?grandson get services he needs to become a better
student.
8/11/2008
NPP
Legacy
Children?s interests and needs make ALL decisions for the
family, and keep them going in life.
10/16/2008
Kona
Legacy
Kahea wrote down on a piece of paper what she feels
about dreams. It read, ?I learned that I should never let my
dreams be dreams; I should make them reality.?
10/17/2008
Youth
Legacy
Kids ? our asset ? can't teach them to succeed ? something
for kids ? only one left.
7/8/2008
NPP
Legacy
They worry they won?t have enough to give to their kids.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
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Legacy
The kids will grow up not understanding what they need to
do when they?re adults and independent.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Legacy
Feels really guilty for teaching/raising their children to be
like this.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Legacy
Wonders if kids can really survive if needed, can they live
with nothing?
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Legacy
Her kids say they don?t want to live like the old days.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Legacy
Kids not tested to survive.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Legacy
If it is this bad now, how much worse will it get?
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Legacy
Love school, kids sees so much to offer. They think they
can't, but they have potential. Open a savings account ?
asset is working against her for college education. Even
families working ? 2, 3 jobs ? but not enough for food.
7/8/2008
NPP
Legacy
Sad and worried about the future generations.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Big Ideas and Dreams
Big Dreams and Ideas
Sub?Theme
Major Theme
Family Comments
Date
Place
Community
Ideas
Ioane: dream is to continue working at
Maku?u, doesn?t see why he needs to
go anywhere else.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Community
Ideas
Hidi: Working with the community to
help them grow.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Community
Ideas
Help support Maku`u Farmers Market
financially, make it a cultural learning
center.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Community
Ideas
Programs to help community
sustainability.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Community
Ideas
Important to know that when all
services shut down or disappear, you
can still survive.
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Community
Ideas
Young people need role models within
the community to show them that they
can be successful.
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Community
Ideas
She wants to be the role model for the
community.
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Community
Ideas
Help people realize that they can
change anything if they really want to.
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Community
Ideas
Everyone agreed with Devin?s
comments, that the family is the
number one priority and they would
only like to have nice stuff or lots of
money to help their families out.
10/17/2008 Youth
Community
Ideas
Better park and playground area.
Also, ADA park. Gardens to raise own
food but no water.
12/17/2008 Milolii Adults
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Community
Ideas
Need more activities for youths and
adults as well. Craft classes would be
nice. Healing Our Island grant used for
ukulele classes.
12/17/2008 Milolii Adults
Community
Ideas
Peace among all families.
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Community
Ideas
Recreational facilities and activities.
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Community
Ideas
Support family
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Community
Ideas
Kids want to have a big park
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Community
Ideas
Boy & girls club
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Community
Ideas
Swimming computer
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Community
Ideas
Basketball, volleyballGoing to college
(every kid says this)
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Community
Ideas
More people in family, Easy come easy
go for finance
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Community
Ideas
Give port potti for folds with land,
living in tent to make place accessible ?
little bathroom build self?esteem.
Money got to go to energy and food.
How do we put the bus in the remote
areas? It's really stepped up, but no
bus stop. Hawaiian beaches got waiting
shed, built by community.
7/8/2008 NPP
Community
Ideas
How do we live now to spend time
with children?
7/8/2008 NPP
Community
Ideas
Program for kids to be sustainable.
7/8/2008 NPP
Community
Ideas
Family.
8/11/2008 NPP
Community
Ideas
Must be flexible to work with families ?
stay connected!
8/11/2008 NPP
Community
Idea
Kid can?t play because of lack of park
and facilities.
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Community
Ideas
It is boring to stay here
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Community
Idea
It was interesting to see the pride that
all the youth had in the Maku`u
Farmers Market. They all lit up and
spoke with so much pride about what
they have done in Maku`u and what
Maku`u has done for them. They are
very excited to continue to develop
Maku`u and help others use it as well.
They all work or take part in some
aspect of Maku`u, and are hard
working responsible youth that the
whole community depend on to carry
out all the aspects of the Market.
10/17/2008 Youth
Community
Idea
Sometimes have community gathering
on basketball court.
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Community
Idea
I like to swimming.
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Community
Idea
Ioane works for Maku?u Farmers
Market, he is the project manager, he
really likes working there, is happy with
his job.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
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Community
Idea
Christmas, Halloween, haunted house,
parties in library
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Community
Idea
Fishing
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Community
Idea
Helping neighborhood to generate
electricity
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Community
Idea
Plenty of recreational activities here,
that's been critical, with pool, skate
park, 3 good parks at Hawaiian
Beaches, kids can be healthy.
7/9/2008 NPP
Community
Idea
Baby sitting coop: some watch children
so other moms could go to work or to
school. Exchange baby?sitting for
cleaning house, washing clothes, etc.
8/11/2008 NPP
Community
Idea
Jason: is a mechanic, can make extra
money ?on the side? if he chooses to
do cash jobs. Struggles with wanting to
make more money, but not get in
trouble from doing it illegally
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Community
Idea
Bartering helps the family not worry so
much, everyone likes to help out.
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Community
Idea
Childcare and food mainly, to help
young couples be able to get a job and
get ahead.
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Community
Idea
Carpooling: will go together or pick up
items for each other
12/17/2008 Milolii Adults
Community
Idea
Form HUI where WIC recipients shared
extra WIC food amongst other families,
some like beans, others don't.
8/11/2008 NPP
Community
Idea
Used to have community garden?but
couldn't sustain.
7/8/2008 NPP
Community
Idea
Poi Bowl ? Developed by Emily Naeole
(last Friday of each month).
8/11/2008 NPP
Community
Idea
Farmers share their crops at the Poi
Bowl.
8/11/2008 NPP
Community
Impact
Kona doesn?t have the ability to help
out the people the ways that they need
to.
10/16/2008 Kona
Community
Ideas
No extra?curricular activities in area.
No bus to bring kids back if stay after
school for sports, etc.
12/17/2008 Milolii Adults
Education
Ideas
We all NEED education, ?gotta find
ways to send kids to college.?
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Education
Ideas
Travel
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Education
Ideas
Adult community learning needs to be
brought out into the community, not
just in Hilo.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
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Education
Ideas
Locals need incentives to go to local
colleges (UH Hilo, HCC). Possibly tuition
waivers or other financial aid.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Education
Ideas
UH Hilo and HCC should go to the high
schools in the area and recruit students
from there instead of focusing on the
outside students.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Education
Ideas
People in the area can open the doors
though education.
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Education
Ideas
Don?t adjust the schooling to those kids
who really don?t ?fit? into school
settings.
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Education
Ideas
Education: although opportunities are
limited, education is priority
12/17/2008 Milolii Adults
Education
Ideas
Want to go to college. Some mainland,
some in Hawaii.
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Education
Ideas
Explore and visit other places.
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Education
Ideas
College
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Education
Ideas
They need more scholarship to get an
opportunity to learn and study.
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Education
Ideas
Kids want to see other island ? it could
encourage and learn about value of my
place.
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Education
Ideas
? Mainland, oahu, maui
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Education
Ideas
? Better and good education
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Education
Ideas
Exploration, challenge
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Education
Ideas
Disney land
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Education
Ideas
Waipio valley
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Education
Ideas
Make class available, education
required to move up, so younger folks
can help older folks (nursing as an
example)
7/9/2008 NPP
Education
Ideas
Needs parenting classes, and how to
improve credit.
8/11/2008 NPP
Education
Ideas
What's out there that I don't know
about?
8/11/2008 NPP
Education
Ideas
Need to have school uniforms so all
kids are equal.
8/11/2008 NPP
Education
Ideas
Children get education and able to
provide for self.
8/11/2008 NPP
Education
Ideas
Grandson had Jump Start program but
it stopped. Should continue to pay kids
and they feel good about themselves.
8/11/2008 NPP
Education
Ideas
Program that pays kids so they feel
good about themselves and to teach
kids to be self?sufficient.
8/11/2008 NPP
Education
Ideas
We just need more information about
the system and how it works (i.e.
guardianship, how to access services
on own).
8/12/2008 NPP
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Education
Idea
Jason: Education system is
complicated, and they don?t help guide
you through the process, from
applications on to everything else.
When you go to fill out the application,
there?s like 50 of them all lined up and
they don?t tell you which one you
need.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Education
Idea
Koli: Schools in the area are not good,
worried that her children won?t get a
good education.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Education
Idea
Teachers in the area don?t invest in the
kids? education, just there to ?do their
job.?
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Education
Idea
Today, kids are not being taught the
life skills needed, just the theoretical
economics and that doesn?t help them
when they graduate.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Education
Idea
They feel that local high schools don?t
have the resources to help them get
ahead and they don?t really care what
the students do.
10/17/2008 Youth
Education
Impact
Parents bear school buses expense in
common.
12/17/2008 Milolii Adults
Education
Impact
Some kids in Miloli?i haven?t been
volcano area.
12/17/2008 Milolii Adults
Education
Impact
Community college in Hilo is too far.
7/9/2008 NPP
Education
Impact
Why should pooor people have to pay
to go to school?
8/11/2008 NPP
Education
Impact
Wants to go back to school. Doesn?t
know how she would manage it having
to work and take care of their
daughter.
10/16/2008 Kona
Education
Idea
Get educated.
7/8/2008 NPP
Education
Idea
Has travel fund cause it's important to
grandson. Saving for a trip.
8/11/2008 NPP
Education
Idea
Decided as a family to go on vacation
even though they should have saved
that money. It was important to spend
time with family.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Education
Idea
Kopa has applied to a few universities,
but he says, ?I?m probably going to end
up going to UH Hilo because it?s
cheaper.
10/17/2008 Youth
Education
Idea
There are some exchange programs. ?
going to Honolulu (Kamehameha
school) exchange program between
Miloli?i and kaua?i
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Education
Idea
Kamehamaha school to study for one
week in oahu
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
33
Education
Impact
Kamehameha scholarships aren?t
reliable for college; you never know
when they?re going to cut all the funds
for them.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Education
Ideas
Help Kids to see the world outside of
Hawaii so they appreciate what they
have here
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Governance
Ideas
Hidi: Make sure everyone is
accountable and is following the laws
that are set up by Hawaii County.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Governance
Ideas
California over built, people shouldn't
build anything for 1 year unless they
live here.
7/9/2008 NPP
Governance
Ideas
Program should be there to help prop
people up on two feet.
7/9/2008 NPP
Governance
Ideas
Finally get your foot out the land; the
food stamp programs should be there
to support us.
7/9/2008 NPP
Governance
Ideas
Can you tell the policy makers "look at
both ends?" They don't have time,
make them find time. We have time,
but no resources.
7/9/2008 NPP
Governance
Ideas
Have inspectors do research on what is
available to meet the code. I'm holding
up final inspection for something that's
not on the market.
7/9/2008 NPP
Governance
Ideas
Property tax should follow the Count
services and not follow the market?
7/9/2008 NPP
Governance
Ideas
Politician SWAP ? live like us for two
weeks.
7/8/2008 NPP
Governance
Ideas
Have employer be accountable.
7/8/2008 NPP
Governance
Ideas
Raise poverty line
7/8/2008 NPP
Governance
Idea
You are suppose to facilitate the
public's need (politicians) ? I've got the
power.
7/9/2008 NPP
Governance
Ideas
Trash collection is terrible
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Governance
Ideas
Recycling program is unorganized,
have more bins to recycle.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Governance
Ideas
Trash, disposal issue
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Health
Ideas
GOOD HEALTH (Need new kidney)
12/17/2008 Milolii Adults
Health
Ideas
Good health.
8/11/2008 NPP
Health
Ideas
How to be a stronger person and more
interaction with others. Lacks
socialization since has to constantly
care for grandchildren.
8/11/2008 NPP
Health
Ideas
Events/programs like Women's Health
Fair ? annual gathering of 30+ agencies
so can gather information of support
8/12/2008 NPP
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
34
services.
Home
Ideas
On track to buy their own house, just
like 2 years ago.
10/16/2008 Kona
Home
Ideas
Wants a house with a yard for
daughter to grow up in, and play
outside.
10/16/2008 Kona
Home
Ideas
Want their own place.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Home
Ideas
Jon: Bigger place for family to live in
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Home
Ideas
Have her own place, separate from her
husband, ?you never know if they?re
going to last forever.?
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Home
Ideas
Need more houses in the area;
everyone stuffs them into one house,
when there is all the open land around.
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Home
Ideas
Need something to help the kids get
started and get their own place, some
kind of program to help them ?get a
leg up.?
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Home
Ideas
Does county have a program to give to
kids land to help build houses and
assets?
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Home
Ideas
As young families, can you build on
family lands?
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Home
Ideas
There was a lot of thinking when
dreams and wishes were brought up,
and they ultimately came up with
pretty much the same answers. The
original answers were along the lines
of ?big house? or ?plenty money? or
something else along those lines.
10/17/2008 Youth
Home
Ideas
Devin said that he would love to have a
huge house on plenty of land so he
could ride his ?toys around.? Also, he
said he wanted to be rich. When asked
what if he had no family, but all this
money, he said that it wouldn?t make
sense to have all that money and a big
house if he didn?t have his family.
10/17/2008 Youth
Home
Ideas
HOUSING
12/17/2008 Milolii Adults
Home
Ideas
Home and family
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Home
Ideas
Create a 2 story dome, top floor
residence, 1st floor outreach for
autisms for community and local
families. Coast about $300,000 a year
to set it up. How to live without public
assistance, give parents an option.
7/9/2008 NPP
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
35
Home
Ideas
Put something in place for unnecessary
populating the island? "land
ownership."
7/9/2008 NPP
Home
Ideas
Let people have a place to live and
rent. We are at $500 a month "barely
making it."
7/9/2008 NPP
Home
Ideas
Ideas of off?grid affordable living.
7/8/2008 NPP
Home
Ideas
Support Habitat for Humanity.
7/8/2008 NPP
Home
Ideas
Have my own house, no
rent/mortgage.
8/11/2008 NPP
Home
Ideas
Piece of property so family could build
together. Family working toward self?
sufficiency.
8/11/2008 NPP
Home
Ideas
Own home.
8/11/2008 NPP
Home
Ideas
Own house.
8/11/2008 NPP
Home
Ideas
Own house so no landlord to deal with.
8/12/2008 NPP
Home
Idea
John: Scared to put any money into
their DHHL land because they might
lose it, don?t want to waste the money.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Home
Idea
Hidi: No land for children to purchase.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Home
Idea
John: Too many outside people coming
in, locals not buying the houses that
are being built.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Job
Ideas
Ideas for Hawaii County ?Pay
employees what their worth, raise the
pay. Make employers stick to what
they promise (raises, schedules?)
10/16/2008 Kona
Job
Ideas
Ke`ala: Not having to work so much,
having the freedom to work when she
wants to.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Job
Ideas
Jason: Work for the fun of it, enjoy
what you do.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Job
Ideas
Jason: Wants to start his own business
(Mechanic).
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Job
Ideas
Jon: Start and run his own business
(Mechanic)
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Job
Ideas
Need to create more jobs out in Puna
for those who cannot get to Hilo for
work.
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Job
Ideas
Provides childcare for the young
families in the area so that they can go
to work.
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Job
Ideas
A few mentioned that they would like
to start their own business.
10/17/2008 Youth
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
36
Job
Ideas
Sara said she would like to start her
own clothing line; she likes fashion and
art and thinks that would be a good
company to have. She also said that if
she could she would like to open a
resort or hotel in the area because
?they make lots of money.?
10/17/2008 Youth
Job
Ideas
Kopa said that he was interested in
starting some kind of graphic design
business so that he could make money
and ?work whenever he wanted to.?
10/17/2008 Youth
Job
Ideas
Why bring someone from the outside
to clean bathrooms and teach classes?
Can use local resources.
12/17/2008 Milolii Adults
Job
Ideas
JOB (Catch up on bills)
12/17/2008 Milolii Adults
Job
Ideas
Lack of job opportunity, and a school
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Job
Ideas
Office job ? talking to people
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Job
Ideas
Maunakea star observatory
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Job
Ideas
Takes things we have, make it into
industry, without harming the aina. We
have ocean, wind and sun. Local
manufacturing for solar.
7/9/2008 NPP
Job
Ideas
More local fisherman should be able to
make a living, don't restrict their
livelihood because of trawler outside
fisherman. Harbor improvement
always kicks the little guy out.
7/9/2008 NPP
Job
Ideas
Everything shipped in 90% of goods ?
we have to grow our own food.
7/8/2008 NPP
Job
Ideas
Increase minimum wage, can live
okay?no can live on minimum wage
here, considering moving to Colorado.
But this is our home.
7/8/2008 NPP
Job
Ideas
Job ? need pay check ? any job in this
community.
7/8/2008 NPP
Job
Ideas
Want to start a farm ? hydroponics ?
future ? grow in garage ? closed system.
7/8/2008 NPP
Job
Ideas
Want to get job and increase money
from Section 8.
8/11/2008 NPP
Job
Ideas
Would like to see Management
training, currently not provided.
8/12/2008 NPP
Job
Ideas
Better job to provide for my family.
8/12/2008 NPP
Job
Ideas
Better job.
8/12/2008 NPP
Job
Ideas
Higher wages.
8/12/2008 NPP
Job
Idea
12?18 hours work day ? never see her
kids. Kids joking around, you're never
here, we don't need to telly ou where
we are. Don't have the authority to ask
for favors to ask the kids to do things,
cause I'm not there. No supervision ?
"nobody cooks," we need to eat.
7/8/2008 NPP
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
37
Job
Idea
Summer employment for the young
people helped them get ahead.
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Job
Ideas
John: Some kind of program to test the
water in their catchment?s system.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Jobs
Ideas
Miloli`i is a fishing village. Should bring
resources like the Kampachi farms at
NELHA to that area and the residents
could work together to harvest, clean,
pack, etc.
12/17/2008 Milolii Adults
Saving
Ideas
Would love to have a savings account,
but still paying off hospital bills.
10/16/2008 Kona
Saving
Ideas
They know how to save, had
?thousands? in savings prior to car
accident 2 years ago.
10/16/2008 Kona
Saving
Ideas
Referring to FII, ?3,000 is a lot of
money that would help us a lot.?
10/16/2008 Kona
Saving
Ideas
Want to save, but right now, they need
every penny to live day to day.
10/16/2008 Kona
Saving
Ideas
To be where they were 2 years ago,
working 6days/week, bringing home
$1200/week, and having a ?fat? savings
account.
10/16/2008 Kona
Saving
Ideas
Financial education might help them
learn how to figure out ways to save
money.
10/16/2008 Kona
Saving
Ideas
John: IDA program would be great for
them to start a new business.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Saving
Ideas
All of them felt that saving is a
necessary thing, however many of
them feel that they would rather buy
?toys? or other things before putting
their money away into a savings
account.
10/17/2008 Youth
Saving
Ideas
However, when we explained IDAs to
them, they thought that was a great
idea and said that they would really be
able to save towards something big like
a house or a car if something was set
up like that for them.
10/17/2008 Youth
Saving
Ideas
How does community develop credit
unions?
7/8/2008 NPP
Saving
Ideas
Can better plan with this program. Can
get information and start savings.
8/11/2008 NPP
Saving
Ideas
Enough money to survive.
8/11/2008 NPP
Saving
Ideas
Enough money to go to college.
8/11/2008 NPP
Saving
Ideas
Have own savings.
8/11/2008 NPP
Saving
Ideas
Money allocation: improve method of
access to funds for emergency needs
8/11/2008 NPP
Saving
Ideas
Sending MOA of what Oahu's agencies
already have: RE: IDA and programs.
8/11/2008 NPP
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
38
Saving
Ideas
Have money to put into savings
account.
8/12/2008 NPP
Saving
Idea
Credit card education was not
available; kids today need to
understand what credit cards are and
how to use them before its too late.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Saving
Idea
Hidi: Kids don?t have any idea what it
means to save, or what credit cards are
for.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Saving
Idea
Nobody taught them how to manage
their money
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Saving
Idea
Sometimes wishes she was ?more
poor? so that she could get even more
financial aid for her daughters to
attend college.
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Saving
Idea
It?s hard because ?I try to teach my kids
how to save and get ahead, but I
cannot even do it myself, it?s so
hypocritical.?
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Saving
Idea
2 children have savings ? $15 a month.
8/11/2008 NPP
Saving
Idea
Sara said that she is really good at
saving her money, but her parents
regularly ask her to borrow money to
pay bills that they cannot cover
themselves.
10/17/2008 Youth
Subsistence
Ideas
Electricity
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Subsistence
Ideas
Running, drinkable water
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Subsistence
Ideas
Car insurance, school supplies, electric
for families.
8/11/2008 NPP
Subsistence
Ideas
Propane cylinders, sleeping bags.
8/11/2008 NPP
Subsistence
Ideas
Have client assistance funds ? usually
have to spend it by certain time ? short
fuse.
8/11/2008 NPP
Transport
Ideas
Too much highway construction, takes
too long, and there?s only one road in
and out. Need another road for people
to use.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Transport
Ideas
Deal with traffic problems, alternative
roads, or some other ways.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Transport
Ideas
Provide more medical facilities close
by.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Transport
Ideas
Need to provide better facilities and
access to medical services.
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Transport
Ideas
Devin said that he likes to buy four
wheelers and dirt bikes, so he has a
hard time saving his money.
10/17/2008 Youth
Transport
Ideas
TRANSPORTATION
12/17/2008 Milolii Adults
Transport
Ideas
Car, boat, name brand clothes
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Transport
Ideas
It is fun to be city.
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
39
Transport
Ideas
Oahu, water park, palace
12/17/2008 Milolii Youth
Transport
Ideas
Keep educational institute in Puna, to
shorten the driving distance, bring
education to us and make it affordable.
7/9/2008 NPP
Transport
Ideas
Personally hope not to widen the 130
hwy. If you build it, they will come. As a
way to slow growths. It would make
getting to Hilo easier.
7/9/2008 NPP
Transport
Ideas
More bus ? daughter waiting 3 hours
right now for the bus and watch the
craziness in Pahoa 7 eleven.
7/8/2008 NPP
Transport
Ideas
Need medical facility in Puna area.
8/11/2008 NPP
Transport
Ideas
If family qualifies for food stamps,
should also get help to pay for bus
transportation.
8/11/2008 NPP
Transport
Ideas
Better running car.
8/12/2008 NPP
Transport
Ideas
Car to get baby to and from doctor ?
being self?sufficient.
8/12/2008 NPP
Transport
Ideas
Improved transportation in Puna.
Bigger buses in afternoon.
8/12/2008 NPP
Transport
Ideas
Affordable living ? utilizes ? want the
perks of Oahu, short bus time and easy
access to play and activites.
7/8/2008 NPP
Transport
Ideas
Most young families don?t have
vehicles, which makes everything hard
to access.
10/17/2008 Kupuna
Transport
Idea
Had training from Work Force
Development in the past. However,
cannot attend now because of lack of
transportation and bad back.
Mandatory training waived because of
her bad back and lack of
transportation.
8/12/2008 NPP
Transport
Idea
Walked to work until could get a car.
8/11/2008 NPP
Transport
Idea
Barely making ends meet. Only SSI of
$637. Not enough money for school
supplies. Must pay about $160 if want
child to catch bus to charter school.
Why do we have to pay to get
education?
8/12/2008 NPP
Current Reality
Current Reality
Sub?Theme
Major
Theme
Family Comments
Date
Place
Addiction
Impact
Was living in Waimea with in?laws when she entered
treatment.
10/16/2008
Kona
Addiction
Impact
While on O`ahu, they were not allowed to stay in the
Ronald McDonald house because they were
recovering addicts, they were on the streets and on
10/16/2008
Kona
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
40
their own.
Addiction
Impact
Have to go through all the other possible ?cheaper?
treatments before trying the ones that may actually
work, which are more expensive.
10/16/2008
Kona
Addiction
Impact
Her transition from treatment with so much
structure to freedom was difficult to adjust.
10/16/2008
Kona
Addiction
Impact
Life is good. Was in 9 year abusive relationship. 3
children. Was divorced for 15 years. Met current
husband who is a pastor. Adopted 3 grandchildren ?
daughter on drugs.
8/11/2008
NPP
Addiction
Impact
3 children with her mom cause she was on drugs.
8/11/2008
NPP
Addiction
Impact
2 children with her with new relationship. Clean and
sober now.
8/11/2008
NPP
Addiction
Impact
Came from abusive family ? dad was an alcoholic.
8/11/2008
NPP
Addiction
Impact
Grand daughter is on drugs.
8/11/2008
NPP
Addiction
Impact
Father of child was a "drug baby", lived in H's house
as foster brother before becoming boyfriend, out of
work for 5 months. H?kicked him out of house to find
a job. He is living with his family. Has no
communication skills, has difficult time filling
applications, sketchy work history, although he is a
hard worker. Repeatedly gets hurt on job, does not
call in and loses job ? no credibility with attendance
at work.
8/12/2008
NPP
Addiction
Impact
6 living in house. M has history of physical/domestic
abuse. Father abused mother and children. Ex?
partners abused M. Now abused by 18 year old
daughter (on drugs). Daughter also abusive to other
siblings and own baby. M called CPS to protect
grandson. Placed with another family due to CPS
intervention. M cannot get him back and no
visitation rights.
8/12/2008
NPP
Addiction
Impact
Grandmother goes from place to place and lives in
"daughter's drug addict" home.
8/12/2008
NPP
Addiction
Impact
Used to care for grandson. Financial assistance for
grandson went to "druggie" daughter so she never
got help.
8/12/2008
NPP
Cost of Living
Impact
$1650/mo for a ?crappy? 2bd apartment with rats
and holes in the walls and ceilings. Wanted a more
?family? like environment for the kids so they moved
from a studio to the 2bd.
10/16/2008
Kona
Cost of Living
Impact
Landlord bumped up rent after Denise had her baby,
said there is more people living in the house, so they
need to pay more.
10/16/2008
Kona
Cost of Living
Impact
Need whatever money they have for daily living,
cannot save any of their checks because they use it
all.
10/16/2008
Kona
Cost of Living
Impact
Bills are overwhelming.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
41
Cost of Living
Impact
Jason: sometimes has to decide whether or not to
pay bills on time or work on savings.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Cost of Living
Impact
Jason: How do we afford college if we cannot even
afford day to day stuff?
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Cost of Living
Impact
Unstable financially, bills keep mounting up.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Cost of Living
Impact
Cannot survive on set income, very difficult.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Cost of Living
Impact
Too expensive to buy anything.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Cost of Living
Impact
Electricity, food, gas, shopping
12/17/2008
Milolii
Youth
Cost of Living
Impact
She was on welfare for many years, kids try their
hardest to stay off of welfare, even with college
education daughter is still on welfare.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Cost of Living
Impact
Children cannot carry on like they could when they
were younger.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Cost of Living
Impact
Life was good. Now lives month to month.
Sometimes no toliet paper.
8/11/2008
NPP
Cost of Living
Impact
Christmas not as good ? kids learn to adapt. No gifts
not name brand clothes. Often ridiculed cause
clothes from Wal?Mart. So stays home, then get
caught for truancy.
8/11/2008
NPP
Cost of Living
Impact
Scared to retire because she doesn?t know how she
will make it if she?s not working.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Cost of Living
Impact
Living Expenses ? Diapers
10/16/2008
Kona
Cost of Living ?
Food
Impact
Living Expenses ? Food
10/16/2008
Kona
Cost of Living ?
Food
Impact
Not enough income to cover bills and buy food. 1st
time I had to go to the food distribution center. Can't
qualify for support because she makes $100 too
much. Never thought I'd be here in my life.
7/8/2008
NPP
Cost of Living ?
Food
Impact
Food: cheaper to eat canned goods than fresh
vegetables; vegetables don?t last long because no
refrigerator.
12/17/2008
Milolii
Adults
Cost of Living ?
Food
Impact
Other food banks don't have enough food. Use their
gas for nothing.
8/11/2008
NPP
Cost of Living ?
Home
Impact
There are so many vacant houses and apartments in
Kona, but the rents still continue to go up. Makes no
sense for them to see their entire friends struggle
with all the empty housing available.
10/16/2008
Kona
Cost of Living ?
Home
Impact
Built a dome ? after 3 months ? guy sold the house.
7/9/2008
NPP
Cost of Living ?
Home
Impact
Ended up living in a tent. The renter told her he
could clear spare land, so found a screen house, off?
grid, clean the lot and built a dome. Dome gazebo for
$150.
7/9/2008
NPP
Cost of Living ?
Home
Impact
Found out the person renting didn't own the land,
the real owner showed up and kicker her out.
7/9/2008
NPP
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
42
Cost of Living ?
Home
Impact
Financial trouble ? anxiety, depression, but did
everything to keep the house ? had too much assets
and was not able to get help.
7/8/2008
NPP
Cost of Living ?
Home
Impact
Transitional living for a while, from house to house
VERY HARD.
10/16/2008
Kona
Cost of Living ?
Home
Impact
Uncomfortable at the house.
10/16/2008
Kona
Cost of Living ?
Home
Impact
La?ilani raises rent every year; they say that they will
continue to raise rent until it is at market value. This
is wrong because they are supposed to be the
assisted housing for families.
10/16/2008
Kona
Cost of Living ?
Home
Impact
House is overcrowded, too many people shoved into
one house.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Cost of Living ?
Home
Impact
Frustrating, live with hanai mom, not our house,
need to respect home rules, dealing with work and
problems at home makes it difficult. Bottom line
homeless ? help out when we can ? by food. I feel like
people don't understand what we are going through.
7/8/2008
NPP
Cost of Living ?
Home
Impact
Living with parents with 4 girls. Grandparents spoil
them and hard to discipline them in their house.
Want our own house, but can't afford it. Gas is killing
us ? van to small cars, one room available for all the
kids, since sister's family moving out. Don't know
how you can make it, how can we even think about
saving?
7/8/2008
NPP
Cost of Living ?
Home
Impact
No consistency, moved all the time.
8/11/2008
NPP
Cost of Living ?
Home
Impact
Rentals ? lots of them do not take pets. Would rather
live in shack with family, including pets.
8/11/2008
NPP
Cost of Living ?
Home
Impact
Will be moving out of current home. Has to
professionally clean carpet or lose deposit.
8/12/2008
NPP
Cost of Living ?
Home
Impact
County housing residents cannot afford the rent, and
that?s supposed to be where they go, how can the
county housing not even be affordable?
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Cost of Living ?
Transport
Impact
Living Expenses ? Gas
10/16/2008
Kona
Cost of Living ?
Transport
Impact
Elementary, junior and senior high school students
have used two buses to commute a school.
12/17/2008
Milolii
Youth
Cost of Living ?
Transport
Impact
All employment services and jobs are in Hilo, that?s
too far, especially for the young people who may not
have cars.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Cost of Living ?
Transport
Impact
All of them understand the importance of going to
college. Issues are that they cannot afford to go to
college because they have to work to help their
families make it. Also, it is too far away and
transportation is an issue.
10/17/2008
Youth
Cost of Living ?
Transport
Impact
No transportation to needed medical appointments
12/17/2008
Milolii
Adults
Cost of Living ?
Transport
Impact
There is no public transportation ? limited
transportation in terms of time and money. No
flexibility
12/17/2008
Milolii
Youth
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
43
Cost of Living ?
Transport
Impact
Only transportation, pick?up trucks, and they want
me to get a child seat. $230 for certified seats. If you
can't afford one, here's the seat.
7/9/2008
NPP
Cost of Living ?
Transport
Impact
Auto insurance ? they never looked at the other end.
Can't afford it, but need it to get around, and get
fined.
7/9/2008
NPP
Cost of Living ?
Transport
Impact
Need to pay for bus service to Charter School.
8/11/2008
NPP
Cost of Living ?
Transport
Impact
Hele?On bus systems needs reliable buses. Buses
break down all the time.
8/12/2008
NPP
Cost of Living ?
Utility
Impact
Hidi: Since some people don?t have running water,
they have to use public facilities to bathe and use
bathroom, but there is no public bathrooms except
for at the county pool.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Cost of Living ?
Utility
Impact
Families go to the pool to shower when they don?t
have enough water.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Cost of Living ?
Utility
Impact
Took a bath at spigot area in middle of night,
sneaking in the pool to take a bath, can't believe we
are doing this.
7/8/2008
NPP
Cost of Living ?
Utility
Impact
Water: no running water, some have catchment
12/17/2008
Milolii
Adults
Cost of Living ?
Utility
Impact
Electricity: available to ?newcomers? in other area
because they can pay for the electrical poles to bring
power. Tried to get all families to share in cost of
poles so the village could have electricity but 4
families could not afford to pay so continue to live
without electricity.
12/17/2008
Milolii
Adults
Cost of Living ?
Utility
Impact
Ice: Buy ice every other day to keep food in coolers?
no electricity, no refrigerator/freezer
12/17/2008
Milolii
Adults
Cost of Living ?
Utility
Impact
Electricity, gas station is too far, Drinkable water,
fresh water, Bathroom, More fun activities
12/17/2008
Milolii
Youth
Cost of Living ?
Utility
Impact
Got job at Waiakea ? lived without electricity for 6
months.
7/9/2008
NPP
Debt
Impact
Ke`ala: went to college, had scholarships at first.
After a while, she lost her scholarships because she
had a hard time adjusting to college, couldn?t keep
her grades up. Had to take out student loans to pay
for school.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Debt
Impact
Personal loans added up because she couldn?t get
any more student loans.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Debt
Impact
Paying back the loans makes it impossible to save
anything, needs all her money to live day to day.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Debt
Impact
Ke`ala: over $20,000 in student loans.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Debt
Impact
Trying to repair credit, but seems impossible.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
44
Debt
Impact
High cost of education, lost financial aid, and stuck
with debt, never completed school.
7/9/2008
NPP
Debt
Impact
Up in debt from medical cost.
7/8/2008
NPP
Debt
Impact
Banks ripping me off ? Wal?mart holds my money
when I get money orders, so get charged for
bounced checks, and always trying to leave $50 for
emergency. Draw all the money at once and pay in
cash ? learned the system pitfalls.
7/8/2008
NPP
Debt
Impact
Payday loans ? rip off ? shut down ? taking it away
from poor folks (Bob said argument for Payday loans
is there's demand)
7/8/2008
NPP
Family
Impact
Used to work at Kama?aina Kids, but had to stop
when got pregnant.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Family
Impact
Never had break from raising children.
8/11/2008
NPP
Family
Impact
Daughter currently out of house. Trying to serve
daughter with TRO. Unable to find her. Wants to
adopt grandson but too many obstacles. Per Janelle,
need to work with M and her situation first then can
work on getting the grandson back into the home.
8/12/2008
NPP
Family
Impact
Limited exposure and opportunities for children
12/17/2008
Milolii
Adults
Lack of Income Impact
$20 makes an impact ? sacrifice seeing the doctor to
pay for gas. Open doors, small scholarships.
7/8/2008
NPP
Lack of Income Impact
People with 2, 3 jobs suffering, they having hard
times, no wonder (community) kids are suffering,
doing drugs.
7/8/2008
NPP
Lack of Income Impact
Born and raised in Puna. Will give birth in 2 weeks.
Could not work from beginning of pregnancy
because of bad back. Sold car and has to catch bus or
cousin helps with transportation to doctor's
appointment, Work Force training, etc.
8/12/2008
NPP
Lack of Income Impact
It is hard for them to save because they have so
many expenses on a daily basis, and if they?re not
paying for their own expenses, they?re trying to help
out their parents.
10/17/2008
Youth
Lack of Income Impact
Has been working at Longs since 2005. After being
there 3+ years and being the head bookkeeper, she
only gets paid $11/hr. Longs is a good place to work;
they just don?t pay very much.
10/16/2008
Kona
Lack of Income Impact
Worked at ROSS for a long time, says ROSS is the
worst place to work at, they don?t care what
employees say, they don?t follow through with raises
and other promises.
10/16/2008
Kona
Lack of Income Impact
They don?t pay enough.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Lack of Income Impact
Hidi: It?s tough nowadays to get any job that will pay
well enough without a MS or PhD. Without those
degrees we cannot get good jobs, but it?s too hard
for everyone to pay for school.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
45
Lack of Income Impact
Finding a Job is very difficult especially in the Puna
area. Most of them cannot get to Hilo regularly, so
they cannot work there either.
10/17/2008
Youth
Lack of Income Impact
Biggest worry ? not going to find good enough job.
7/9/2008
NPP
Lack of Income Impact
Can't get a job ? either overqualified or under
qualified. Can't even get a janitorial job, although
previous job was training them. All the old times at
Akita (Bus Company) are gone. Quit the job because
he questioned safety of school bus? had ethical
issues driving unsafe school bus. Refused to look
other way for safety ? couldn't sacrifice other
children.
7/8/2008
NPP
Lack of Income Impact
Have youngest daughter ? senior year ? difficult to
support on one income, disqualified by state ? played
off husband's debt (that bassed away) because of life
insurance. Feel denied and not helping those needed
(State). See people with bracelets, blings, buying
steaks, why do they get help?
7/8/2008
NPP
Lack of Income Impact
Want to get paid ?what they are worth.?
10/16/2008
Kona
Major Loss
Impact
My parents could provide for us but I cannot provide
for my children.
8/11/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
With their health from the car accident, they cannot
find the jobs they used to be able to have. Past
employers refuse to hire him because of his back
problems from the car accident.
10/16/2008
Kona
Major Loss
Impact
Got in a car accident 2 years ago, she fractured her
skull and was partially paralyzed on one side of her
body. She was 9 months pregnant. He hurt his knees
and back and has been trying to get through PT, but
quest is giving him the ?runaround.?
10/16/2008
Kona
Major Loss
Impact
There were some complications with their son when
he was born, but because the Kona Hospital cannot
provide the services, they had to fly to O`ahu to get
the services they needed.
10/16/2008
Kona
Major Loss
Impact
On quest, appreciate the services, but wish they
wouldn?t ?take so long? to get the exact treatments
they need.
10/16/2008
Kona
Major Loss
Impact
Not being in control of their situations, trying hard to
get ahead and something happening that wipes out
all their hard work.
10/16/2008
Kona
Major Loss
Impact
Was getting nursing degree from UH?Hilo, hurt her
back in the hospital and had to drop out.
10/16/2008
Kona
Major Loss
Impact
Kona hospital not equipped for hardly anything.
Everyone has to fly to O`ahu to get any special
services.
10/16/2008
Kona
Major Loss
Impact
Just finished Physical Therapy for her back, had to go
through all other services before PT was approved
because she was on quest. Because they keep her
under 20/hrs, she has to be on quest which doesn?t
have good services for her or her daughter.
10/16/2008
Kona
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
46
Major Loss
Impact
Jobs don?t pay enough out here, they don?t value
their employees, and they also try and keep
everyone under 20hrs/wk so they don?t have to offer
benefits.
10/16/2008
Kona
Major Loss
Impact
Koli: doesn?t want to work because she doesn?t want
to lose her benefits.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Major Loss
Impact
Lost her dad 2 years ago, couldn?t save her own
house because she had to put all her money into
saving her parent?s house.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Major Loss
Impact
Started flower business, uncles farm (expanded all
over East Hawai'i), but lease expired and lost the job.
7/9/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Immunization cause of autism? Came to Hawaii,
because she heard they have good autism program
in school.
7/9/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Nathan screams ? autistic, lack program on autism,
they can't teach him/stay nonverbal.
7/9/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
After 5 years had a stroke, fell off a tree, no
insurance.
7/9/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Wife fired one week after stroke, went through all
the savings.
7/9/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Six months of nothing.
7/9/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Last October she passed away ? don't know why. 2
boys, not blood relatives were promised they would
have a home ? legal aid and NPP helped me to get full
legal custody.
7/9/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Was a wreck ? kids afraid I was going to leave. Don't
trust anybody, we are the family. Had nowhere to
go.
7/9/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Widow at 25 ? welfare officer told her to "sell your
car and house" to get any support. Children 32 and
31, they've learned.
7/8/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
I go to Honolulu to get medical services (high health
cost ? impossible)
7/8/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Divorced. Work for 7 years after divorce. On Section
8.
8/11/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
40 and on disability DSS. So is "other half" with
diabetes who works side jobs (fix machines and sells)
to help make ends meet.
8/11/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Husband was a truck driver and did well in Arizona.
Moved back to Hawaii to care for mom. Husband got
disabled 3 years ago. T now a caregiver. Husband
cannot wash, wipe himself, morbid obese.
8/11/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Got married to a creep and had 3 kids. Was outreach
worker for years.
8/11/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Husband got a stroke and K became CG for 8 years.
Died 2 years ago.
8/11/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Takes 1 hour to and from Puna to Hilo for Physical
Therapy appointments. Have to see P/T in Hilo
because of insurance restrictions.
8/12/2008
NPP
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
47
Major Loss
Impact
M on Medicaid and had 2 strokes. Have bouts of
depression. Continues to receive threatening calls
from grandson's father.
8/12/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Crisis in life now. Too many things going on. Doesn't
know what she wants yet. Not at the point to share
because she doesn't know how to deal with life right
now.
8/11/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Life insurance was reason for breakup with husband.
Charge card, kept up lifestyle, went to "head starts" ?
like family unit/donation center ? people sharing ?
gives supportive network to make connections. Went
to night school, got license (no license at 40 years.)
7/8/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Hospital said $600 for MRI to prove he had a stroke,
but couldn't afford it.
7/9/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Finally got Quest in March ? went to doctor, told him
he had a stroke and if he came earlier could have
reserved the condition fully.
7/9/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Every full time employee must be insured, but no
regulation on the insurance side. After 50 the price
jumps. If you want job, over 50, why risk hiring older
folks?
7/9/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Hidi: If someone gets sick w/ cancer or other
terminally ill disease, they won?t be able to provide
for the family.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Major Loss
Impact
Quest 6 motnhs before ? made too much income to
give insurance.
7/9/2008
NPP
Major Loss
Impact
Went to get help at social security (after a stroke, but
they would not help).
7/9/2008
NPP
Creative Barriers, Structural Barriers and Patterns
System ? Creative Tension, Structural Barriers, Patterns, and Events
Sub?Theme
Major Theme
Family Comments
Date
Place
Mental Model
System
Loves his in?laws and is grateful for their
help, but he feels that he is failing as a
provider and man of the family because
he has to depend on them for the
children?s needs.
10/16/2008
Kona
Mental Model
System
Should be able to take care of his family
because he is a ?GROWN MAN.?
10/16/2008
Kona
Mental Model
System
LIFE IS GOOD NOW, IT?S A STRUGGLE,
BUT IT IS GOOD ? With a guy that makes
her happy.
10/16/2008
Kona
Mental Model
System
? You can always leave Miloli?i but you
know you can always return with
nothing?.
12/17/2008
Milolii
Youth
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
48
Mental Model
System
People cooperate for child care each
other.
12/17/2008
Milolii
Youth
Mental Model
System
We need to change the attitude from
we be to we are.
7/9/2008
NPP
Mental Model
System
Enhance what living in this island is
suppose to be, make it stay Hawaii.
7/9/2008
NPP
Mental Model
System
Kids have no drive to get ahead; they?re
fine with where they are.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Mental Model
System
Stereotype that kids from Miloli`i are
violent, on drugs, charity case
12/17/2008
Milolii
Adults
Mental Model
System
Per bus drivers, Puna will not get new
buses because "Puna people will
probably damage/vandalize the buses.
Probably vandalize because the buses
are old." (Has cameras on old buses).
8/12/2008
NPP
Mental Model
System
They don't want us to proper!
7/9/2008
NPP
Mental Model
System
Greed ? values of greed and build it's life
on greed, destroying our country.
7/9/2008
NPP
Mental Model
System
Greed runs our system. And those
without the mentality suffers.
7/9/2008
NPP
Mental Model
System
Materialistic wants more important
than saving for the future.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Mental Model
System
Children work for themselves, not for
the family or community.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Mental Model
System
Kids want to face their own issues, don?t
want help fixing their problems.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Mental Model
System
?I don?t care what you do, just be the
best at whatever it is you do.??I may
have scrubbed toilets, but I was the best
damn toilet scrubber there was.?
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Mental Model
System
Kids today have attitude problems;
don?t realize what is important in life.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Mental Model
System
They are selling the island.
7/9/2008
NPP
Structure
System
Miloli?i is overlapped between Hilo and
Kona area administratively. Overlapped
administrative boundary causes a
program to get public services.
12/17/2008
Milolii
Youth
Structure
System
Welfare, only half or 1% are working the
system and they ruin it for all of us.
7/9/2008
NPP
Structure
System
Too many restrictions, County housing, I
got a $20 raise, so they cut my housing.
7/9/2008
NPP
Structure
System
Doing real good and get penalized, like
trying to save money.
7/9/2008
NPP
Structure
System
Restriction ? social security and county
housing, you have to make the
minimum, take two steps forward and
get five steps back.
7/9/2008
NPP
Structure
System
Not the way to help people (system)
7/9/2008
NPP
Structure
System
Find a better system for folks living on
check to check (to cover gas and food)
7/8/2008
NPP
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
49
Structure
System
Government wants to keep the people
suppressed. Even those we trust ? turns
in to politician and gets corrupted by
the sytem. County workers no problem,
can not trust politicians, Mayor Kim had
to back off from big initiatives because
of it.
7/8/2008
NPP
Structure
System
People are afraid to bond together.
Politicains forget where they came from
? think they know better/high above the
clouds.
7/8/2008
NPP
Structure
System
Need to create policy of simple, efficient
and effective. We want people to be at
the table.
7/8/2008
NPP
Structure
System
It's like a dike, put one finger and
creates another leak. Have to look at
the whole system. Everything has to be
looked at. It's like a book, so many
layers that's integrated to see the whole
picture.
7/8/2008
NPP
Structure
System
Need common sense policy. Local
business for local people. I moved back
to Hawaii because of the people. They
are the biggest assests. Can't depend on
tourism. Based on what we can do here,
we can do so much.
7/9/2008
NPP
Structure
System
Zoning and Building codes make it
difficult for people to build their homes
inexpensively.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Structure
System
Multiple houses on her property are
?illegal.?
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Structure
System
The young families lack the skills to fight
the system; they are comfortable with
all their ?stuff? and cannot go without.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Structure
System
Illegal vs. Legal housing, people,
including county look down on them
and make them criminals because
they?re just trying to survive.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Structure
System
Trying to provide housing for all the
children and families, but because of
codes and zoning, it makes it difficult.
Forces them to live in ?illegal? housing
units.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Structure
System
There are a lot of bed and breakfasts
around, but they cannot get approved
for ?`Ohana housing.?
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Structure
System
Building codes and zoning make building
a house very difficult.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Structure
System
So hard to try and get kids to want to
work when they get cut off as soon as
they try to work and be independent.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
50
Structure
System
Contradicts building assets ? As soon as
they save money or have money in a
savings account, they get kicked off
welfare because they have too much
assets.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Structure
System
Not ?certified? because that would
mandate her to make them pay too
much. Doesn?t feel that she should
have to make these people work just to
pay for childcare. ?No make sense.?
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Structure
System
Miloli?i falls into a rift with agencies.
Sometimes it falls under East Hawaii
jurisdiction and sometimes West Hawaii
then it changes.
12/17/2008
Milolii
Adults
Structure
System
It's not the people ? it's the sytems ?
policy change systems ? more likely
because of current income gap
7/8/2008
NPP
Structure
System
Families need to stay on benefits, but
try to work to get ahead, so they do
cash jobs so they can balance their
hours to not be taken off of services.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Structure
System
Daughter got kicked out of county
housing because they started working
full time and was ?making too much
money.?
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Structure
System
Young families get cut off even if they?re
working and trying to save, doesn?t
make sense.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Pattern
System
County housing a disaster.
7/9/2008
NPP
Pattern
System
The asset program is not working.
7/8/2008
NPP
Pattern
System
Does not want to deal with any kind of
agency because of treatment. Hard to
ask for help or ask the right questions
because English is not first language.
8/12/2008
NPP
Pattern
System
Food stamps: Went to apply for Food
Stamps. Worker not friendly at all.
"Micronesians are NOT qualified for
food stamps" as soon as discussion
started. After that experience, did not
want to go for any kind of assistance.
Need case worker to get better
assistance.
8/12/2008
NPP
Pattern
System
County Housing, Section 8: Applied for
Section 8. Wanted to add baby to her
application. Advised she cannot add
baby to application, she is not on a list
and she needs a case worker. Not
helpful, not nice.
8/12/2008
NPP
Ohana Dialogue Report ? Ho?owaiwai ? Hawai?i Island Asset Building Framework and Road Map
51
Pattern
System
Was on welfare when she was younger,
didn?t want her children to have to be
on welfare, so she spoiled them with all
the stuff that they wanted; now she
regrets it because they don?t know how
to survive with nothing.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Pattern
System
Nobody seems to know the meaning of
?affordable housing.?
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Pattern
System
Now you need education for everything,
experience doesn?t get you anything.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Pattern
System
Before it was what you knew, or your
skills, now it is based on your education
you have.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Pattern
System
What?s the difference between the
experience and the education?
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Pattern
System
Starter houses aren?t available like they
used to be.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Pattern
System
Don?t know how to survive without
technology, or without the ?luxuries of
life? scared to think that they cannot
survive alone.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Pattern
System
Children think they?re worth $30/hr,
when they don?t want to work hard at
what their jobs, and sit and complain
about everything.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Pattern
System
?We are totally dependent on
technology, like computers and cell
phones and stuff.?
10/17/2008
Youth
Pattern
System
They all wonder what life would be like
if they didn?t have all the technology
stuff that they do have.
10/17/2008
Youth
Pattern
System
Cannot make it like before, not possible.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Pattern
System
There is a problem with ?This island?
people cannot even make the bare
minimum, even with overtime.
10/16/2008
Kona
Pattern
System
Saw friends and didn?t want to be like
them, didn?t want that life.
10/16/2008
Kona
Pattern
System
I'm hearing the same story for 30
years/nothing has changed. Can't afford
baby sitter, but illegal to leave them.
7/8/2008
NPP
Pattern
System
No common sense ? what's the
problem? It's open book from support
services, they should know already!
7/8/2008
NPP
Pattern
System
It's who you know ? not what you know
? monopoly ? never cross anybody,
county taking 18 years old instead of
someone that's qualified.
7/8/2008
NPP
Pattern
system
If the economy is struggling, and state
has no monies, seems like there is no
way for county to help out either.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Pattern
System
Older people get forgotten
10/17/2008
Kupuna
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Pattern
System
You move for agriculture, but don't like
to farm. They don't respect anything
(State Land Use/Values)
7/9/2008
NPP
Pattern
System
I can't afford to live where I was raised
(Sonoma).
7/9/2008
NPP
Event
System
Daughter can not collect social security
(from 1st husband) ? feel angry ? how
many other people are out there?
7/8/2008
NPP
Event
System
Almost 2 grand of assistance from
welfare, where are the guidelines set.
7/8/2008
NPP
Event
System
County said that federal government
doesn?t want to give money to their
community because they live too close
to the volcano.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Event
System
Children have to be careful to stay in
the range where they can get the
benefits that they need.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Event
System
Living in paradise means this?
7/8/2008
NPP
Event
System
One daughter graduated Kamehameha
School. Now she is studying in Italy. She
said that she doesn?t want to come back
to home. Parent feels that the daughter
doesn?t want to be part of family.
12/17/2008
Milolii
Youth
Event
System
?Micah Kane can just sign a
memorandum and make Maku?u not
part of state jurisdiction, which could
push all of them out of their lands.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Action and Support ? What?s Working Well
Action and Support
Sub?Theme
Major Theme
Family Comments
Date
Place
Business
Action and Support
Grocery Store built in Pahoa, was good
because it gave a lot of the young kids
the jobs they need.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Business
Action and Support
Employer promises job back after birth.
Café 100 good employer cause has
medical coverage, Sundays off.
8/12/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
If not for Legal aid there isn't any other
place for help.
7/9/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
We moved into a nice house (1 year
old) Reason spec. housing, needed
payment.
7/9/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Try to find other places to help to see
the light at the end of the tunnel.
7/8/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Daughter drives from 11 years old. You
do what you have to do. Cannot walk
to bus stop. Hui Malama will not adjust
or make it possible to get
transportation. Drives her parents to
8/11/2008
NPP
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doctor, no car insurance.
CBO
Action and Support
Had to get children learning hygiene,
basic life skills, etc. Sometimes husband
has hard time accepting services.
8/11/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Only on food stamps right now.
10/16/2008
Kona
CBO
Action and Support
She knows her choirs and does her
homework, now she knows what to do
without the gift.
7/9/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
NPP ? gave her desk ? her desk, leave it
clear, their ownership, comfort zone,
her space. She likes office stuff, 6 years
old.
7/9/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Helping me raise my daughter. Stop
buying her everything, gave her couple
responsibilities, by creating a task
chart, made the daughter earn it, every
Friday something to look forward too.
7/9/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
From Yap. Just had baby girl 2 weeks
ago. Worked at McDonald's. Met
janelle (NPP) and Janelle offered
assistance. NPP used client assistance
program. Only had WIC assistance until
met Janelle.
8/12/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
CPS helped Denise get clean, they took
her kids away and that forced her to
really look at going into treatment.
10/16/2008
Kona
CBO
Action and Support
FSSWH ? Help with goal setting, Son is
doing well because of their help, Help
with rent, clothes, and diapers. Good
people.
10/16/2008
Kona
CBO
Action and Support
Drug Court and Jail helped her get
clean.
10/16/2008
Kona
CBO
Action and Support
FSSWH ? Helped figure out Quest
insurance.Helps with parenting skills
and educating parents on child
development.
10/16/2008
Kona
CBO
Action and Support
Alu Like Program helped.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
CBO
Action and Support
They care ? affection.
7/9/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Wonderful, help you feel good about
yourself. Certain age, can't get full?time
job. Scrambling trying to stay alive,
gave hope.
7/9/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Bay clinic is great. Life saver.
7/9/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Attending meetings like this.
Daughter's last year, graduation
qualified for QLCC with small
supporting fund.
7/8/2008
NPP
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CBO
Action and Support
Biggest influence ? Janelle and kokua of
community. Got camping stove,
candles, and brother gave phone to
daughter to always have
communication.
7/8/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Has a good life. Has been on DHS for
many years, section 8.
8/11/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Looked into resource and found
"Lanikila" housing ? DSS worker helped.
8/11/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
My life is good ? calls Rolande with any
kind of questions.
8/11/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Looks for information on community
services. Calls Rolande if has any
questions. But my life is good.
8/11/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
$1100 rent ? Section 8.
8/11/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Got to NP?P because children got into
trouble. When children in trouble,
whole family are disabled. Parenting
classes helped.
8/11/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Found Neighborhood Place of Puna by
accident. Catch bus across street.
8/11/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
On social security disability.
8/11/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Just got social security help for great
grandson (8) who kept getting in
trouble. Big help by NPP to advocate
for testing.
8/11/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Neighborhood Place of Puna is
empowering us to do our own.
8/11/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Neighborhood Place of Puna and other
agencies give school supplies.
8/11/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Used exisiting programs: Baby Safe
then got connected to NPP.
8/12/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Programs like this (assume referring to
NPP).
8/12/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Choir chart, sleep easier, since she gets
happy faces.
7/9/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Minutes you meet them "they care."
7/9/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
If financially hurting they will come to
you. Service and always provide key
items to help us. Desks to support
education and create study space.
Understood how much I wanted to
help the kids.
7/9/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
NPP first got involved with M because
of another daughter's truancy.
8/12/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
Getting in touch with people ? they are
here, care, find resources, and get it
done (results).
7/9/2008
NPP
CBO
Action and Support
It's heart (about NPP)
7/9/2008
NPP
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CBO
Action and Support
Neighborhood Place of Puna (Janelle)
helped with TRO. Connect to services.
Advocate through courts. Provided
information and resources such as
parenting. Hard to parent after so long.
Feels lucky to get support from NP?P.
8/11/2008
NPP
Community
Action and Support
Transport: One woman uses her own
van to take others to doctors. Will not
accept cash. Give food because lady
has big family.
8/11/2008
NPP
Community
Action and Support
Hidi: Help and support those people
who have to live in the shacks without
any water and/or electricity, it?s not
their fault, that?s all they can afford.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Community
Action and Support
Thankful for Maku`u for the
employment opportunity for her son,
helps him learn to save money and plan
for the future ? Son saved and bought
car with savings.Training him to learn
to save and get ahead.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Community
Action and Support
Many live in Miloli`i by choice. Drug
problem has IMPROVED. Less fighting
and drug dealers in area.
12/17/2008
Milolii
Adults
Community
Action and Support
Baby sitting coop: some watch children
so other moms could go to work or to
school. Exchange baby?sitting for
cleaning house, washing clothes, etc.
8/11/2008
NPP
Community
Action and Support
Jason: is a mechanic, can make extra
money ?on the side? if he chooses to
do cash jobs. Struggles with wanting to
make more money, but not get in
trouble from doing it illegally
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Community
Action and Support
Bartering helps the family not worry so
much, everyone likes to help out.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Community
Action and Support
Childcare and food mainly, to help
young couples be able to get a job and
get ahead.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Community
Action and Support
Carpooling: will go together or pick up
items for each other
12/17/2008
Milolii
Adults
Community
Action and Support
Form HUI where WIC recipients shared
extra WIC food amongst other families,
some like beans, others don't.
8/11/2008
NPP
Community
Action and Support
Used to have community garden?but
couldn't sustain.
7/8/2008
NPP
Community
Action and Support
Poi Bowl ? Developed by Emily Naeole
(last Friday of each month).
8/11/2008
NPP
Community
Action and Support
Farmers share their crops at the Poi
Bowl.
8/11/2008
NPP
Family
Action and Support
Kids gave me purpose of life.
7/9/2008
NPP
Family
Action and Support
Lives in shack for $400 ? 4 people (28
year old, 8 year old, 2 month, and
herself). Shack close to son who lost
8/11/2008
NPP
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leg. Good to be close together.
Family
Action and Support
Both of them like to work, don?t mind
working long hours.
10/16/2008
Kona
Family
Action and Support
She would rather stay at home with the
baby than go to work and only make
enough to cover minimum ?stuff.?
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Family
Action and Support
Used to live in a shack on mother?s
property, wasn?t enough housing for
them (affordable).
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Family
Action and Support
John: Was a mechanic for a long time,
now is at the Pahoa fire station, it?s a
good job and helps keep the family
stable.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Family
Action and Support
Hidi: Had to start working part time
because she started school, still works
at the Maku`u Farmers Market doing
the ?payroll.?
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Family
Action and Support
Hidi: In order for people to make
enough, they have to lie for their taxes
and take cash jobs wherever they can.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Family
Action and Support
Proud that her kids are out on their
own at 18, didn?t stay around to be
dependent on her.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Family
Action and Support
Helped her kids when they needed it,
but didn?t spoil them.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Family
Action and Support
Brothers have been on the DHHL list
since 1985, feels grateful that she got
her land.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Family
Action and Support
Learned her lesson growing up, feels
that her daughters learned how to
rough it too, now daughters
understand how life can be.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Family
Action and Support
Single mom. Support from ex?
husband's families?was in an abusive
relationship ? no friends to many
friends. Son moves in and out ?
daughter going to college in Vegas.
Daughter going to school for nursing.
No idea how she will pay for education.
Got $1500 grant.
7/8/2008
NPP
Family
Action and Support
Partner of M for 3 years. Working at
Subway to care for M and family.
8/12/2008
NPP
Family
Action and Support
Currently living with her parent?s, they
love their family; they just don?t want
them to have to deal with the problems
that they bring to the rest of the family. 10/16/2008
Kona
Family
Action and Support
Her parents gave them a car.
10/16/2008
Kona
Family
Action and Support
Her parents buy the kids diapers and
sometimes food too.
10/16/2008
Kona
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Family
Action and Support
Just started family, living next door to
Ioane?s mom, Koli stays home with the
baby.
10/17/2008
Maku'u
Young
Couple
Family
Action and Support
Family lives with her on her land, and
some in her house.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Family
Action and Support
4 Kids and their families live with them
at their house, as well as her mom, it?s
really crowded.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Family
Action and Support
All of her kids moved back to Puna,
couldn?t make it alone. Some tried the
mainland, and they didn?t fit in, so they
moved back.
10/17/2008
Kupuna
Family
Action and Support
Brother's support critical ? Hawaii is
home ? just a dome housing, very
inexpensive, less than $1000 dollars to
set it up.
7/9/2008
NPP
Family
Action and Support
Best thing ? support of wife and child ?
we have become close ? we stick
together.
7/8/2008
NPP
Family
Action and Support
Take care of grandpa ? diabetic and
schizophrenic, has not left the house
for 3 months. Tired of staying inside.
7/8/2008
NPP
Family
Action and Support
Adopted by grandparents.
8/11/2008
NPP
Family
Action and Support
Adopted grandchildren from daughter
who is single and on drugs.
8/11/2008
NPP
Family
Action and Support
Applied for housing. Relied on support
of mom to watch children.
8/11/2008
NPP
Family
Action and Support
Ex?husband ? provided food for
children.
8/11/2008
NPP
Family
Action and Support
Caring for husband, left her children
out.
8/11/2008
NPP
Family
Action and Support
Currently lives with auntie who has 5
boys. (Site visit: house is nice, area
clean and shows upkeep of property.)
Maybe moving with boyfriend in town
soon.
8/12/2008
NPP
Family
Action and Support
Raised to work hard and have pride.
Both parents flew from Yap to Hawaii
to counsel her and boyfriend when had
problems. Parents stress improtance
and value of family and putting the
welfare of the child first. Need to work
it out! Parents borrowed money for
airfare (approx, $3200). Wages in Yap is
$1/hour/day (?)
8/12/2008
NPP
Family
Action and Support
M raised by grandmohter, no contact
with parents. Grandmother was living
with M but had to "kick out"
grandmother or family kicked out of
rental.
8/12/2008
NPP
Family
Action and Support
Has great and supportive family.
8/12/2008
NPP
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Individual
Action and Support
Living check to check, payday loans
services attractive, even though its not
the service she wants, now paying cash
since 1997.
7/9/2008
NPP
Individual
Action and Support
Built dome for the son, to see if it
helped him. Not comfortable in a
square house, but a dome house makes
a difference.
7/9/2008
NPP
Individual
Action and Support
The dome house, was helping him, he
was coming out of his shell.
7/9/2008
NPP
Individual
Action and Support
Moved here finding a job difficult, so
started a landscape maintenance
business ? do things no one wanted to
do.
7/9/2008
NPP
Individual
Action and Support
Grubbing and grading with trees intact,
maintain beautiful rainforest.
7/9/2008
NPP
Individual
Action and Support
November to March no diagnoses, and
had to rehabilitiate himself, hopped
around, read to self, etc.
7/9/2008
NPP
Individual
Action and Support
Reason for restriction (trucks were
ugly), they tried to deny my application
and told them if I was a single mom
with two boys, would you approve my
request. He said he was going to get a
lawyer and do a lawsuit, and then they
appreved it two weeks later.
7/9/2008
NPP
Individual
Action and Support
Work for VISTA/foster moms.
8/11/2008
NPP
Individual
Action and Support
Don't believe in a credit card ? get in
trouble. Strictly cash.
7/8/2008
NPP
Individual
Action and Support
Using computer, basketball
12/17/2008
Milolii
Youth
Individual
Action and Support
I clean yard
12/17/2008
Milolii
Youth
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D. Narrative Notes
July 8
th
2008 10am to 12pm
Neighborhood Place of Puna ? Pahoa
Participants:
?
Ralerie ? Originally from Kailua, moved to the Big Island 6 years ago. She?s a
single mom with two girls and works two jobs (7?Eleven and D.O.E.)
?
Waltan ? Originally from Waimanalo, moved to the Big Island 15 years ago. She
has been married for 8 years and has four girls. She is looking for a job.
?
Shawn and Doreen (Husband and Wife) ? Doreen has lived all her life on the
Island of Hawai`i. Her first husband passed away in 2001. After that she became
a single mom raising her youngest daughter. She has tried to live in O`ahu
without income for 6 months. She got married to Shawn. Shawn used to be the
General Manager of a company for 6 years and then quit his job last October.
After that it has been really hard. He has been on medication for 9 years. After
he quit his job, he lost his house and lost some pounds as well. Currently living
with h?nai mom. He has applied for more than 300 jobs in the past 10 months.
He is either under?qualified or over?qualified for the jobs that he applied. He had
no vacation for the last 15 years. He thought that he would take a vacation for a
while and get another job, but it has been difficult.
o
Shawn is an ex navy brat. He has lived half his life in the mainland and can
talk good English. He came to the meeting to talk about off grade living,
something about sustainability, home business and home ownership start
up.
?
Connie ? born in Northern California, moved to the North Shore (7 to 16) ?
moved to Puna. Lived in the islands for 16 years. Single mom with 4 kids (age 20?
7).
?
Ginger ? born in Utah, came to Hawai`i in 6
th
grade and has now lived in Hawai`i
for more than 30 years. She lives with her six kids, all girls ? 10
th
grade, 9
th
grade,
twins in 8
th
grade, granddaughters similar in age to her youngest daughter.
Physically unable to work, but does volunteer work in Puna.
?
Lawaii ? works at Super Cuts ? grandmother raising grandchildren. 5 kids getting
a haircut is expensive, want to k?kua to help out. Coupons for hair cut to off set
the cost, small things make a big difference.
Overview: Bob Agres
What this is about?
?
Families struggling ?Asset building? ? job, earn money/half the equation; what
we own/savings and homes; earning and owning parts of the equation and
having control of your time.
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?
Owning provides financial security ? helps kids and provide foundation for future
opportunities.
?
What we work hard ? listening and turning things around.
?
Government (Feds) helps families own ? disperse $300 billion dollars; majority
goes to those that are very well?off.
?
What County can do ? change rules/incentive for off?grid living/make it easy.
?
Listen to what can be done.
?
What do you see, what?s your struggle, what?s working well (and support it).
?
It?s not only about money ? it?s still important ? other important things ? well?
being (family/kids), hear, all information is confidential. Basic ? Earn it ? Keep it ?
Grow it (save/IDA).
Visual Explanations:
?
Explain the funnel ? how State, family dialogue, County work connects the
recommendation for policy, just a beginning. We want to come up with things
that make sense to you folks.
?
Dreams ? have conversation with 10 to thousand families ? make sense to folks.
?
Talk about the spiral.
How?s life?
?
Frustrating at times, live with h?nai mom; not your house, need to respect home
rules, dealing with work and problems at home makes it difficult. Bottom line
homeless ? help out when we can ? by food. I feel like people don?t understand
what we are going through.
?
Have youngest daughter ? senior year ? difficult to support on one income,
disqualified by State ? paid off husband?s debt (that passed away) because of life
insurance. Feels denied and not helping those needed (State). See people with
bracelets, blings, buying steaks, why do they get help?
?
Daughter can not collect social security (from 1
st
husband) ? feel angry ? how
many other people are out there?
What?s Helpful?
?
Attending meetings like this. Daughter?s last year, graduation qualified for QLCC
with small supporting fund.
?
Try to find other places to help to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Shawn:
?
My wife is optimistic, no matter how bad the situation is. I am scenic and
realistic. Arguments develop because of this.
?
Can?t get a job ? either overqualified or under qualified. Can?t even get a
janitorial job, although previous job was training them. All the old timers at Akita
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61
(Bus Company) are gone. Quit the job because he questioned the safety of the
school buses; had ethical issues driving unsafe school bus. Refused to look other
way for safety ? couldn?t sacrifice other children.
?
Up in debt from medical cost.
?
Best thing ? support of wife and child; we have become close ? we stick
together.
?
Taking care of grandpa who is diabetic and has schizophrenic, have not left the
house for 3 months. Tired of staying inside.
?
Biggest influence ? Janelle and k?kua of community. Got camping stove, candles
and brother gave phone to daughter to always have communication.
?
Took a bath at spigot area in middle of night, sneaking in the pool to take a bath,
can?t believe we are doing this.
?
All the money we made (previously) was used for the kids. Money doesn?t mean
anything to me ? means to and end ? if I had money but alone without no one,
life would not be good.
?
Don?t believe in a credit card ? get in trouble. Strictly cash.
Support or action:
Ginger:
?
Life insurance was reason for break?up with husband. Charge card, kept up
lifestyle, went to ?head starts? ? like family unit/donation center ? people
sharing ? gives supportive network to make connections. Went to night school,
got license (no license at 40 years old).
?
Financial trouble ? anxiety, depression, but did everything to keep the house ?
had too much assets and was not able to get help.
?
Love school, kids sees so much to offer. They think they can?t, but they have
potential. Open a savings account ? asset is working against her for college
education. Even families working 2, 3 jobs ? but not enough for food.
?
The asset program is not working.
?
Emotional asset ? it?s okay to accept and help each other.
Lawaii:
?
Widow at 25 ? welfare office told her to ?sell your car and house? to get any
support. Children 32 and 31, they?ve learned.
?
I?m hearing the same story for 30 years/nothing has changed. Can?t afford baby
sitter, but illegal to leave them.
Ralerie:
?
12?18 hour work days ? never see her girls. Kids joke around; you never here, we
don?t need to tell you where we are. Don?t? have the authority to ask for favors,
to ask kids to do things, because I?m not there. No supervision ? ?nobody cook,?
we need to eat.
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Connie:
?
Single mom. Support from ex?husband?s family. Was in an abusive relationship ?
no friends, too many friends. Son moves in and out ? daughter going to college
in Vegas. Daughter going to school for nursing. No idea how she will pay for
education. Got $1,500 grant.
?
Not enough income to cover bills and buy food. 1
st
time I had to go to the food
distribution center. Can?t qualify for support because make $100 dollars too
much. Never thought I?d be here in my life.
Waltan:
?
Living with parents and her 4 girls. Grandparents spoil them and hard to
discipline them in their house. Want our own house, but can not afford it. Gas is
killing us ? van to small cars, one room available for all the kids, since sister?s
family moving out. Don?t? know how you can make it, how can we even think
about saving?
What are you doing/how you are doing and Big Ideas:
?
Banks ripping me off ? Wal?Mart holds my money when I get a money order, so
get charge for bounced check, and always try to leave $50 for emergency. Draw
all the money at once and pay in cash ? learned the system pitfalls.
?
Pay Day Loans ? rip?off ? shut down ? taking it away from poor folks (Bob said
argument for Pay Day Loans is there?s demand).
?
How does community develop credit unions?
?
Find a better system for folks living on check to check (to cover gas and food).
?
Everything shipped in 90% of goods ? we have to grow our own food.
?
Almost $2,000 of assistance from welfare, where are the guidelines set?
?
Living in paradise means this?
?
Story builds the power ? power of a thousand stories (Bob).
?
No common sense ? what?s the problem? Its open book from support services,
they should know already!
?
Government wants to keep the people suppressed. Even those that we trust ?
turns into politician and gets corrupted by the system. County workers no
problem, can?t trust politicians, Mayor Kim had to back off from big initiatives
because of it.
?
It?s not the people ? it?s the systems ? policy change systems ? more likely
because of current income gap (Bob).
?
People afraid to bond together. Politicians forget where they come from ? think
they know better/high above the clouds.
?
Need to create policy of simple, efficient and effective. We want people to be at
the table.
?
Ideas of off?grid affordable living.
?
Give porta potty for folks with land, living in tent to make place accessible ? little
bathroom build self?esteem. Money got to go to energy and food. How do we
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put the bus in the remote areas? It?s really stepped up, but no bus stop.
Hawaiian beaches got waiting shed, built by community.
?
Support Habitat for Humanity.
?
Used to have community garden, but couldn?t sustain it.
Ideas:
?
$20 makes an impact ? sacrifice seeing the doctor to pay for gas. Open doors,
small scholarship.
?
Increase minimum wage, can live okay. No can live on minimum wage here,
considering moving to Colorado. But this is our home.
?
Politician SWAP ? live like us for two weeks.
?
People with 2, 3 jobs suffering, they having hard times, no wonder (community)
kids are suffering, doing drugs.
?
It?s like a dike, put one finger and creates another leak. Have to look at the whole
system. Everything has to be looked at. It?s like a book, so many layers that?s
integrated to see the whole picture.
?
Get educated.
?
More buses ? daughter waiting 3 hours right now for the bus and watch the
craziness in Pahoa 7?Eleven.
?
Have employer be accountable.
?
Job ? need pay check ? any job in this community.
?
It?s who you know ? not what you know ? monopoly ? never cross anybody,
County taking 18 year olds instead of someone that?s qualified.
?
Want to start a farm ? hydroponics ? future ? grow in garage ? closed system.
?
Raise poverty line.
?
How do we live now to spend time with children?
?
Kids ? our asset ? can?t teach them to succeed ? something for the kids ? only
one left.
?
Program for kids to be sustainable.
?
Honolulu to get medical services (high health cost ? impossible).
?
Affordable living ? utilizes ? want the perks of O`ahu, short bus time and easy
access to play and activities.
Notes from the second `Ohana Dialogue
July 9
th
2008 10am to 12pm
Neighborhood Place of Puna ? Pahoa
How?s Life?
Lehua ? 26, parents divorced, moved here in 9
th
grade, born in Waimanalo, and married
since 17, one daughter (5) ? part Hawaiian ? Husband, Kamehameha Grad.
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?
Started flower business, uncles farm (expanded all over East Hawai`i), but lease
expired and lost the job.
?
Community college in Hilo is too far.
?
Keep educational institute in Puna, to shorten the driving distance, bring
education to us and make it affordable.
?
Make class available, education required to move up, so younger folks can help
older folks (nursing as an example).
?
Dream ? own our own house, grow our own crops ? flowers, foods to make
income ? need resources to fall back to.
?
Biggest worry ? not going to find good enough job.
Maureen ? 50+, born in California, one son that?s autistic daughter in 20?s ? Caucasian.
?
High cost of education, lost financial aid, and stuck with debt, never completed
school.
?
Living check to check, Pay Day Loans services attractive, even though it?s not the
service she wants, now paying cash since 1997.
?
Immunization cause of autism? Came to Hawai`i because she heard they have
good autism program in school.
?
Built dome for the son, to see if it helped him. Not comfortable in a square
house, but a dome house makes a different.
?
Got job at Wai?kea ? lived without electricity for 6 months.
?
Built a dome ?after 3 months, guy sold the house.
?
Ended up living in a tent. The renter told her he could clear spare land, so found
a screen house, off?grid, clean the lot and built a dome. Dome gazebo for $150
dollars.
?
Found out the person renting didn?t own the land, the real owner showed up
and kicked her out.
?
Nathan screams ? autistic, lack program on autism, they can?t teach him/stay
nonverbal.
?
The dome house, was helping him, he was coming out of his shell.
?
California over built, people shouldn?t build anything for 1 year unless they live
here.
?
They are selling the island.
?
I can?t afford to live where I was raised (Sonoma).
?
You move for agriculture but don?t like the farm. They don?t respect anything.
Charlie ?
?
Moved here in 2000 to goof off.
?
Lived a dream of working on Marlin boat, fell in love with women who had 2 kids
(sons).
?
Moved here finding a job difficult, so started a landscape maintenance business.
o
Do things no one wanted to do.
?
Grubbing and grading with trees intact, maintain beautiful rainforest.
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?
After 5 years had a stroke, fell off a tree, no insurance.
?
Went to get help at social security.
?
Hospital said $600 for MRI to prove he had a stroke, but couldn?t afford it.
?
November to March no diagnoses, and had to rehabilitate myself, hopped
around, read to self, etc.
?
Finally got Quest in March ? went to doctor, told him he had a stroke and if he
came earlier could have reversed the condition fully.
?
Wife fired one week after stroke, went through all the savings.
?
Six months of nothing.
?
Last October she passed away ? don?t know why ? 2 boys, not blood relatives,
promised they would have a home ? legal aid and NPP helped me to get full legal
custody.
?
If not for Legal Aid there aren?t any other place for help.
?
Kids gave me purpose in life.
?
Welfare, only half or 1% are working the system and they ruin for all of us.
?
Too many restriction, County housing, I got a $20 raise, they cut housing.
?
Doing real good and get penalized, like trying to save money.
?
Restriction ? social security and County housing, you have to make the
minimum, take two steps forward and get five steps back.
?
Quest 6 months before ? made too much income to give insurance.
?
Not the way to help people (system).
?
They don?t want us to prosper!
?
We moved into a nice house (1 year old) Reason spec. housing, needed payment.
?
County housing a disaster.
?
Reason for restriction (trucks were ugly); they tried to deny my application and
told them if I was a single mom with two boys, would you approve my request.
He said he was going to get a lawyer and do a lawsuit, and then they approved it
two weeks later.
?
Program should be there to help, prop people up on two feet.
?
Finally get your foot out the land; the food stamp programs should be there to
support us.
?
We need to change the attitude from we be to we are.
?
What helps ? the wonder of community.
?
Coach took the time to teach basketball (voluntary).
?
Plenty of recreational activities here, that?s been critical, with pool, skate park, 3
good parks at Hawaiian Beaches, kids can be healthy.
?
Enhance what living in this island is supposed to be, make it stay Hawai`i.
Support network (what did they do that was key and how?)
?
It?s heart.
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?
Helping me to raise my daughter. Stop buying her everything, gave her couple
responsibilities, by creating a task chart, make the daughter earn it, every Friday,
something to look forward.
?
Choir chart, sleep easier, since she get happy faces.
?
She knows her choirs and does her homework, now she knows what to do
without the gift.
?
NPP ? gave her desk ? her desk, leave it clear, their ownership, comfort zone, her
space. She likes office stuff, 6 years old.
Charlie:
?
Was a wreck ? kids afraid I was going to leave. Don?t? trust anybody, we are the
family. Had nowhere to go.
?
Minutes you meet them ?they care.?
?
If financially hurting they will come to you. Service and always provide key items
to help us. Desks to support education and create study space. Understood how
much I wanted to help the kids.
?
Getting in touch with people ? they are here, care, find resources, and get it
done (results).
?
They care ? affection.
Maureen:
?
Wonderful, help you feel good about yourself. Certain age, can?t get full time
job. Scrambling trying to stay alive, gave hope.
Charlie:
?
Can you tell the policy makers ?look at both ends?? They don?t have time, make
them find time. We have time, but no resources.
?
Every full time employee must be insured, but no regulation on the insurance
side. After 50 the price jumps. If you want job, over 50, why risk hiring older
folks?
?
Only transportation, pick?up trucks, and they want me to get a child seat. $230
for certified seats. If you can?t afford one, here?s the seat.
?
Auto insurance ? they never looked at other end. Can?t afford it, but need it to
get around, and get fined.
Two wishes ? Big Ideas
?
Create a 2 story dome, top floor residence, 1
st
floor outreach for autisms for
community and local families. Cost about $300,000 a year to set it up. How to
live without public assistance, give parents an option.
?
11% of kids in Hawaii autistic!?
?
Brother?s support critical ? Hawai`i is home ? just dome housing, very
inexpensive, less than $1,000 dollars to set it up.
?
Put something in place for unnecessary populating the island ?land ownership.?
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?
Let people have a place to live and rent. We are at $500 a month ?barely making
it.?
?
Greed ? values of greed and build it?s life on greed, destroying our country.
Charlie:
?
Have inspectors do research on what is available to meet the code. I?m holding
up final inspection for something that?s not on the market.
?
You are supposed to facilitate the public?s need (politicians) ? I?ve got the power.
?
Personally hope not to widen the 130 hwy. If you build it, they will come. As a
way to slow growths. It would make getting to Hilo easier.
?
Quality of life has so much less to do with money. We live in neighborhood and
we all get dogs, bike all over the place, safe to ride bike at end of H.B., basketball
on the street, never seen the kids so happy. We could afford with local people,
know everybody, and look at the sunrise, neighborhood should stay that way.
Give good to the community. Don?t sell neighborhood to special housing.
?
Property tax should follow the County services and not follow the market.
?
Need common sense policy. Local business for local people. I moved back to
Hawai`i because of the people. They are the biggest assets. Can?t depend on
tourism. Based on what we can do here, we can do so much.
?
Takes things we have, make it into industry, without harming the `?ina. We have
ocean, wind and sun. Local manufacturing for solar.
?
More local fisherman should be able to make a living, don?t restrict their
livelihood because of trawler outside fisherman. Harbor improvement always
kicks the little guy out.
?
Greed runs our system. And those without that mentality suffers.
?
Bay clinic is great. Life saver.
August 11, 2008
Neighborhood Place of Puna
Present: Janelle, Rolande, Bob, Rick, Frecia, Laverne, J, E, K, T, G
How?s life?
K:
?
Crisis in life now. Too many things going on. Doesn?t know what she wants yet.
Not at the point to share because she doesn?t know how to deal with life right
now.
E:
?
Part?Hawaiian, Filipino. 50?ish.
?
Divorced. Worked for 7 years after divorce. On Section 8.
?
Adopted by grandparents.
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?
Adopted grandchildren from daughter who is single and on drugs.
?
Neighborhood Place of Puna (Janelle) helped with TRO. Connect to services.
Advocate through courts. Provided information and resources such as parenting.
Hard to parent after so long. Feels lucky to get support from NP?P.
?
5 year old twin girls and a 3 year old.
?
Dream for girls to get better life.
?
She wants savings for grandchildren (per Janelle).
?
Can better plan with this program. Can get information and start savings.
G:
?
50?ish, Part?Hawaiian, Caucasian, Chinese.
?
Life is good. Was in 9 year abusive relationship. 3 children. Was divorced for 15
years. Met current husband who is a pastor. Adopted 3 grandchildren ? daughter
on drugs.
?
Work for VISTA/foster moms.
?
Has a good life. Has been on DHS for many years, section 8.
?
Wants better for children and grandchildren.
?
Walked to work until could get a car.
?
Applied for housing. Relied on support of mom to watch children.
?
Ex?husband ? provided food for children.
?
Looked into resources and found ?Lanikila? housing ? DSS worker helped.
J:
?
Part?Hawaiian.
?
40 and on disability DSS. So is ?other half? with diabetes who works side jobs (fix
machines and sells) to help makes ends meet.
?
3 children with her mom cause she was on drugs.
?
2 children with her with new relationship. Clean and sober now.
?
Came from abusive family ? dad was an alcoholic.
?
No consistency, moved all the time.
?
Want to get job and increase $$ from Section 8.
?
2 children have savings ? $15 a month.
?
My life is good ? calls Roland with any kind of questions.
?
Needs parenting classes, and how to improve credit.
?
Look for information on community services. Calls Roland if has any questions.
But my life is good.
T:
?
Part?Hawaiian, 40 years old, had children at 30.
?
$1,100 rent ? section 8.
?
Life was good. Now lives month to month. Sometimes no toilet paper.
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?
Husband was a truck driver and did well in Arizona. Moved back to Hawai`i to
care for mom. Husband got disabled 3 years ago. T now a Caregiver. Husband
cannot wash, wipe himself, morbid obese.
?
Got to NP?P because children got into trouble. When children in trouble, whole
family are disabled. Parenting classes helped.
?
Daughter drives from 11 years old. You do what you have to do. Cannot walk to
bus stop. Hui M?lama will not adjust or make it possible to get transportation.
Drives her parents to doctor, no car insurance.
?
Christmas not as good ? kids learn to adapt. No gifts not name brand clothes.
Often ridiculed cause clothes from Wal?Mart. So stays home, then get caught for
truancy.
?
My parents could provide for us but I cannot provide for my children.
?
Need to pay for bus service to Charter school.
?
Why should poor people have to pay to go to school?
?
What?s out there that I don?t know about?
Janelle on T:
?
Caring for husband, left her children out.
?
Had to get children learning hygiene, basic life skills, etc. Sometimes husband has
hard time accepting services.
?
Need to have school uniforms so all kids are equal.
K:
?
Part?Hawaiian, Caucasian.
?
60 years old from Waianae. Went to Punahou School.
?
Got married to a creep and had 3 kids. Was outreach worker for years.
?
Found Neighborhood Place of Puna by accident. Catch bus across street.
?
Never had break from raising children.
?
Husband got a stroke and K became care giver for 8 years. Died 2 years ago.
?
On social security disability.
?
Lives in shack for $400? 4 people (28 year old, 8 year old, 2 month and herself).
Shack close to son who lost leg. Good to be close together.
?
Rentals ? lots of them do not take pets. Would rather live in shack with family,
including pets.
?
Granddaughter is on drugs.
?
Just got social security help for great grandson (8) who kept getting in trouble.
Big help by NPP to advocate for testing.
?
Have to haul water to flush toilet.
?
Has travel fund because it?s important to grandson. Saving for a trip.
?
Neighborhood Place of Puna is empowering us to do our own.
Cooperation of People
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?
Poi Bowl ? developed by Emily Naeole (last Friday of each month).
o
Other food banks don?t have enough food. Use their gas for nothing.
o
Everyone works together, good feeling.
o
Farmers share their crops at the Poi Bowl.
?
Neighborhood Place of Puna and other agencies give school supplies.
?
Baby sitting coop: Some watch children so other moms could go to work or to
school. Exchange baby?sitting for cleaning house, washing clothes, etc.
?
Form HUI where WIC recipients shared extra WIC food amongst other families,
some like beans, others don?t.
?
Transport: One woman uses her own van to take others to doctors. Will not
accept cash. Give food because lady has big family.
Two wishes:
T:
?
Have my own house, no rent/mortgage.
?
Children get education and able to provide for self.
14 year old daughter of T:
?
Enough money to survive.
?
Enough money to go to college.
K:
?
Great?grandson get services he needs to become a better student.
?
Piece of property so family could build together. Family working toward self?
sufficiency.
?
Family.
J:
?
Own home.
?
Good health.
E:
?
Own house.
?
How to be a stronger person and more Interaction with others. Lacks
socialization since has to constantly care for grandchildren.
G:
?
Need medical facility in Puna area.
?
Grandson had Jump Start program but it stopped. Should continue to pay kids
and they feel good about themselves.
?
Program that pays kids so they feel good about themselves and to teach kids to
be self?sufficient.
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?
Have own savings.
Janelle:
?
Money allocation: Improve method of access to funds for emergency needs.
o
Car insurance, school supplies, electric for families.
o
Propane cylinders, sleeping bags.
?
If family qualifies for food stamps, should also get help to pay for bus
transportation.
?
Must be flexible to work with families ? stay connected!
?
Have client assistance funds ? usually have to spend it by certain time ? short
fuse.
Bob:
?
Sending MOA of what O`ahu?s agencies already have: RE: IDA and programs.
August 12, 2008
Neighborhood Place of Puna
Present: Bob, Rick, Frecia, Janell, Rolande, H, L, M, T?A, Laverne
How is Life?
H:
?
19 years old, Part?Hawaiian, Chinese, Hawaiian.
?
Born and raised in Puna. Will give birth in 2 weeks. Could not work from
beginning of pregnancy because of bad back. Sold car and has to catch bus or
cousin helps with transportation to doctor?s appointment, Work Force training,
etc.
o
Hele?On bus systems needs reliable buses. Buses break down all the time.
Takes 1 hour to and from Puna to Hilo for Physical Therapy
appointments. Have to see P/T in Hilo because of insurance
restrictions.
Per bus drivers, Puna will not get new buses because ?Puna
people will probably damage/vandalize the buses.? Probably
vandalize because the buses are old (has cameras on old buses).
?
Employer promises job back after birth. Café 100 good employer cause has
medical coverage, Sundays off.
?
Had training from Work Force Development in the past. However, cannot attend
now because lack of transportation and bad back. Mandatory training waived
because of her bad back and lack of transportation.
o
Would like to see Management training, currently not provided.
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72
?
Used existing programs: Baby Safe then got connected to NPP.
?
Father of child was a ?drug baby?, lived in H?s house as foster brother before
becoming boyfriend, out of work for 5 months. H?kicked him out of house to find
a job. He is living with his family. Has no communication skills, has difficult time
filling applications, sketchy work history, although he is a hard worker.
Repeatedly gets hurt on job, does not call in and loses job?no credibility with
attendance at work.
L:
?
20 years old.
?
From Yap. Just had baby girl 2 weeks ago. Worked at McDonald?s. Met Janelle
(NPP) and Janelle offered assistance. NPP used client assistance program. Only
had WIC assistance until met Janelle.
?
Currently lives with aunty who has 5 boys. (Site visit: house is nice, area clean
and shows upkeep of property.) Maybe moving with boyfriend in town soon.
?
Raised to work hard and have pride. Both parents flew from Yap to Hawaii to
counsel her and boyfriend when had problems. Parents stress importance &
value of family and putting the welfare of the child first. Need to work it out!
Parents borrowed money for airfare (approx, $3,200). Wages in Yap is
$1/hour/day (?)
?
Food Stamps: Went to apply for Food Stamps. Worker not friendly at all.
?Micronesians are NOT qualified for food stamps? as soon as discussion started.
After that experience, did not want to go for any kind of assistance. Need case
worker to get better assistance.
?
County Housing, Section 8: Applied for Section 8. Wanted to add baby to her
application. Advised she cannot add baby to application, she is not on a list and
she needs a case worker. Not helpful, not nice.
?
Does not want to deal with any kind of agency because of treatment. Hard to ask
for help or ask the right questions because English is not first language.
M:
?
35 years old. Part?Hawaiian, part Caucasian.
?
6 living in house. M has history of physical/domestic abuse. Father abused
mother and children. Ex?partners abused M. Now abused by 18 year old
daughter (on drugs). Daughter also abusive to other siblings and own baby. M
called CPS to protect grandson. Placed with another family due to CPS
intervention. M cannot get him back and no visitation rights.
?
Daughter currently out of house. Trying to serve daughter with TRO. Unable to
find her. Wants to adopt grandson but too many obstacles. Per Janelle, need to
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work with M and her situation first then can work on getting the grandson back
into the home.
?
M on Medicaid and had 2 strokes. Have bouts of depression. Continues to
receive threatening calls from grandson?s father.
?
M raised by grandmother, no contact with parents. Grandmother was living with
M but had to ?kick out? grandmother or family kicked out of rental.
Grandmother goes from place to place and lives in ?daughter?s drug addict?
home.
?
Barely making ends meet. Only SSI of $637. Not enough $$ for school supplies.
Must pay about $160 if want child to catch bus to charter school. Why do we
have to pay to get education?
?
Used to care for grandson. Financial assistance for grandson went to ?druggie?
daughter so she never got help.
?
Will be moving out of current home. Has to professionally clean carpet or lose
deposit.
?
NPP first got involved with M because of another daughter?s truancy.
T?A:
?
Filipino, Hawaiian. 25 years old.
?
Partner of M for 3 years. Working at Subway to care for M and family.
?
Has great and supportive family.
What do you value the most of your community and life that helps you move
forward?
?
Programs like this (assume referring to NPP).
?
We just need more information about the system and how it works (i.e.
Guardianship, how to access services on own).
?
Events/programs like Women?s Health Fair?annual gathering of 30+ agencies so
can gather information of support services.
If you had 2 wishes, what would it be?
M:
?
Own house so no landlord to deal with.
?
Better running car.
L:
?
Better job to provide for my family.
?
Have money to punt in savings account.
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H:
?
Car to get baby to and from doctor?being self?sufficient.
?
Improved transportation in Puna. Bigger buses in afternoon.
T?A:
?
Better job.
?
Higher wages.
Dec 17, 2008 3:00 pm @ Miloli?i with 12 kids
(Two 15 yrs, two 13 yrs, five 12 yrs, one 11 yrs, one 9 yrs, one 7 yrs)
When you think about Miloli?i, what issues come in your mind?
?
Trash, disposal issue.
?
People cooperate for child care each other.
?
Kid can?t play because of lack of park and facilities.
?
Elementary, junior and senior high school students have used two buses to
commute a school.
?
Parents bear school buses expense in common.
?
Electricity, food, gas, shopping.
?
One daughter graduated Kamehameha School. Now she is studying in Italy. She
said that she doesn?t want to come back to home. Parent feels that the daughter
doesn?t want to be part of family.
?
They need more scholarship to get an opportunity to learn and study.
?
There are some exchange programs. ? going to Honolulu (Kamehameha School)
exchange program between Miloli?i and Kaua?i
?
Some kids in Miloli?i haven?t been to the volcano area.
?
Miloli?i is overlapped between Hilo and Kona area administratively. Overlapped
administrative boundary causes a program to get public services.
?
There is no public transportation ? limited transportation in terms of time and
money. No flexibility.
?
Kids want to see other island ? it could encourage and learn about value of my
place.
?
Kids want to have a big park.
What do you like about Miloli?i?
?
People take care of each other.
?
I love the beach because it is close from my house.
?
I like to swimming.
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?
There are many people to play and enjoy. I can play, talk, learn, and share my
life.
?
I live beach, cousin, family, swimming, and gathering.
?
Everybody in town is like family.
?
Family supports me to learn, live, and survive.
?
Family, growing yard, fishing, helping family, swimming, building canoe, and
having fun.
What kind activities do you have?
?
Activities in the place called Miloli?i.
?
Christmas, Halloween, haunted house, parties in library.
?
Using computer, basketball.
?
Fishing.
?
It is boring to stay here.
?
Boy & girls club.
?
Swimming computer.
?
Basketball, volleyball.
Reason why we will leave:
?
Going to college (every kid says this).
o
Mainland, O`ahu, M?ui.
o
Better and good education.
?
Lack of job opportunity, and a school.
?
It is fun to be city.
Reason why we will come back:
?
Home and family.
?
Office job ? talking to people.
?
Exploration, challenge.
?
I will visit home.
I am doing?
?
Helping neighborhood to generate electricity.
?
I clean yard.
Where do you want to go?
?
O`ahu, water park, palace.
?
Kamehamaha School to study for one week on O`ahu.
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?
Disneyland
?
Mauna Kea star observatory
?
Waipio Valley
Why do you want to have a saving?
?
School, college, clothes, a house, food and a car.
Wish list:
?
A car, a boat, a mansion, going to college, happy and better life, money, a job,
million dollars, a big house, clothes, money for education, own room, a bike.
?
More people in family, Easy come easy go for finance.
?
Electricity, gas station is too far, drinkable water, fresh water, bathroom, more
fun activities.
10/16?10/18 ? Kona 10/16
Background Information:
Denise:
?
From Kona, has only left the island twice, both times to go to O`ahu for medical
reasons. Boyfriend is from mainland, been in Kona 11 years. They have three
children (6 y/o, 2 y/o, and 14mos). Kids are all healthy and ?very smart.?
o
Met while at drug rehab.
o
Both have problems, together they ?keep each other away from ?bad
stuff.??
o
Medical issues have caused many problems financially.
o
Currently living ?under? the parents? house in a studio apartment that
step dad built for them.
o
Very proud parents.
Michelle:
?
From California, moved to Kona about 11 years ago, had gotten into trouble and
was incarcerated. Met boyfriend while in drug court. They have a 1 y/o daughter.
o
Is a recovering addict.
o
Lived on the streets.
o
Live in financially assisted housing (La?ilani).
o
Working 2?3 days a week, rotating with boyfriend to be sure that their
daughter has childcare.
Dialogue
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Denise (Housing, Employment, Healthcare, Living Expenses, Independence, Savings)
?
CPS helped Denise get clean, they took her kids away and that forced her to
really look at going into treatment.
?
Was living in Waimea with in?laws when she entered treatment.
?
Used to use her Ex?s paycheck and buy drugs.
?
Children?s interests and needs make ALL decisions for the family, and keep them
going in life.
Housing:
?
$1,650/month for a ?crappy? 2 bedroom apartment with rats and holes in the
walls and ceilings. Wanted a more ?family? like environment for the kids so they
moved from a studio to the 2 bedroom.
?
Landlord bumped up rent after Denise had her baby, said there is more people
living in the house, so they need to pay more.
?
There are so many vacant houses and apartments in Kona, but the rents still
continue to go up. Makes no sense for them to see their entire friends struggle
with all the empty housing available.
?
Currently living with her parent?s, they love their family; they just don?t want
them to have to deal with the problems that they bring to the rest of the family.
Employment:
?
Both of them like to work, don?t mind working long hours.
?
With their health from the car accident, they cannot find the jobs they used to
be able to have. Past employers refuse to hire him because of his back problems
from the car accident.
?
Want to get paid ?what they are worth.?
?
There is a problem with ?this island? people cannot even make the bare
minimum, even with overtime.
Healthcare:
?
Got in a car accident 2 years ago, she fractured her skull and was partially
paralyzed on one side of her body. She was 9 months pregnant. He hurt his
knees and back and has been trying to get through physical therapy, but Quest is
giving him the ?runaround.?
?
There were some complications with their son when he was born, but because
the Kona Hospital cannot provide the services, they had to fly to O`ahu to get the
services they needed.
?
While on O`ahu, they were not allowed to stay in the Ronald McDonald house
because they were recovering addicts, they were on the streets and on their
own.
?
On Quest, appreciate the services, but wish they wouldn?t ?take so long? to get
the exact treatments they need.
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?
Have to go through all the other possible ?cheaper? treatments before trying the
ones that may actually work, which are more expensive.
?
Kona doesn?t have the ability to help out the people the ways that they need to.
Living Expenses:
?
Gas
?
Food
?
Diapers
Independence:
?
Loves his in?laws and is grateful for their help, but he feels that he is failing as a
provider and man of the family because he has to depend on them for the
children?s needs.
?
Should be able to take care of his family because he is a ?GROWN MAN.?
?
Uncomfortable at the house.
?
Her parents gave them a car.
?
Her parents buy the kids diapers and sometimes food too.
Savings:
?
Would love to have a savings account, but still paying off hospital bills.
?
They know how to save, had ?thousands? in savings prior to car accident 2 years
ago.
?
Referring to FII, ?3,000 is a lot of money that would help us a lot.?
?
Want to save, but right now, they need every penny to live day to day.
?
Only on food stamps right now.
Ideas for Hawaii County:
?
Pay employees what their worth, raise the pay.
?
Make employers stick to what they promise (raises, schedules?)
FSSWH:
?
Help with goal setting.
?
Son is doing well because of their help.
?
Help with rent, clothes, and diapers.
?
Good people.
DREAMS:
?
To be where they were 2 years ago, working 6 days/week, bringing home
$1,200/week, and having a ?fat? savings account.
?
On track to buy their own house, just like 2 years ago.
?
His dream, ?kids to grow up and guarantee they will do well.?
?
Her dream, ?being able to provide comfortably for her kids.?
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FEARS:
?
Not being in control of their situations, trying hard to get ahead and something
happening that wipes out all their hard work.
Michelle (Housing, Education, Healthcare, Employment, Savings)
?
Drug Court and Jail helped her get clean.
?
Saw friends and didn?t want to be like them, didn?t want that life.
?
Went to Bridge house (treatment center) for 7.5 months (drug court paid for it).
o
Was the hardest thing she has ever done, but the best thing for her and it
changed her life.
o
Had to find her own job and had to follow structure to be allowed the
opportunity to even look for jobs.
Scheduled passes filled out paperwork and permission slips to get
to go apply for jobs and interview.
Housing:
?
When she left Bridge house, she found her own place and was living
independently while working at ROSS, was very happy. When the landlord found
out she was on probation and a recovering addict, he raised the rent for the
room and she couldn?t afford it, so she had to move in with some of her friends.
?
Transitional living for a while, from house to house VERY HARD.
?
Her transition from treatment with so much structure to freedom was difficult to
adjust.
?
Wants a house with a yard for daughter to grow up in, and play outside.
?
La?ilani raises rent every year; they say that they will continue to raise rent until
it is at market value. This is wrong because they are supposed to be the assisted
housing for families.
Education:
?
Wants to go back to school. Doesn?t know how she would manage it having to
work and take care of their daughter.
?
Was getting nursing degree from UH?Hilo, hurt her back in the hospital and had
to drop out.
Healthcare:
?
Kona hospital not equipped for hardly anything. Everyone has to fly to O`ahu to
get any special services.
?
Just finished Physical Therapy for her back, had to go through all other services
before PT was approved because she was on Quest. Because they keep her
under 20/hrs, she has to be on Quest which doesn?t have good services for her
or her daughter.
Employment:
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?
Jobs don?t pay enough out here, they don?t value their employees, and they also
try and keep everyone under 20hrs/wk so they don?t have to offer benefits.
?
Has been working at Longs since 2005. After being there 3+ years and being the
head bookkeeper, she only gets paid $11/hr. Longs is a good place to work; they
just don?t pay very much.
?
Worked at ROSS for a long time, says ROSS is the worst place to work at, they
don?t care what employees say, they don?t follow through with raises and other
promises.
Savings:
?
Need whatever money they have for daily living, cannot save any of their checks
because they use it all.
?
Financial education might help them learn how to figure out ways to save
money.
FSSWH:
?
Helped figure out Quest insurance.
?
Helps with parenting skills and educating parents on child development.
LIFE IS GOOD NOW, IT?S A STRUGGLE, BUT IT IS GOOD
?
With a guy that makes her happy.
DREAM:
?
Daughter?s best interests, having the opportunities to learn and grow up happy.
?
Likes to prove to herself as well as other people that she could do it.
Maku`u Farmers Market ? 10/17 ? Young Couples
?
Ke`ala & Jason ? one kid, in high school, she?s not the mom.
?
Ioane (21) & Koli (19) ? 2 month old girl, Ioane is the project manager for
Maku`u Farmer?s Market, Koli stays at home with baby.
?
John & Hidi (late 20s) ? 2 kids, John is a firefighter, Hidi helps run the Maku`u
Farmers Market and she is in school getting her BS in sociology.
?
Pua ? PhD candidate (political science) married, lives on Hawaiian homes land.
Ke?ala & Jason (Employment, Bills, Education, Financial Education, Balancing Benefits)
Employment:
?
Ke`ala: Working as a preschool teacher. Doesn?t pay enough to help them get
out of debt.
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?
Jason: Is a mechanic, can make extra money ?on the side? if he chooses to do
cash jobs.
o
Struggles with wanting to make more money, but not get in trouble from
doing it illegally.
Bills:
?
Ke`ala: Went to college, had scholarships at first. After a while, she lost her
scholarships because she had a hard time adjusting to college, couldn?t keep her
grades up. Had to take out student loans to pay for school.
o
Personal loans added up because she couldn?t get any more student
loans.
o
Paying back the loans makes it impossible to save anything, needs all her
money to live day to day.
o
Bills are overwhelming.
?
Ke`ala: Over $20,000 in student loans.
?
Jason: Sometimes has to decide whether or not to pay bills on time or work on
savings.
o
Trying to repair credit, but seems impossible.
o
Decided as a family to go on vacation even though they should have
saved that money. It was important to spend time with family.
Education:
?
Jason: How do we afford college if we cannot even afford day to day stuff?
?
Jason: Education system is complicated, and they don?t help guide you through
the process, from applications on to everything else. When you go to fill out the
application, there?s like 50 of them all lined up and they don?t tell you which one
you need.
Financial Education:
?
Nobody taught them how to manage their money.
?
Credit card education was not available; kids today need to understand what
credit cards are and how to use them before its too late.
Balancing Benefits:
?
Families need to stay on benefits, but try to work to get ahead, so they do cash
jobs so they can balance their hours to not be taken off of services.
DREAMS:
?
Ke`ala: Not having to work so much, having the freedom to work when she
wants to.
?
Jason: Work for the fun of it, enjoy what you do.
?
Jason: Wants to start his own business (Mechanic).
WORRIES:
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?
Unstable financially, bills keep mounting up.
Suggestions for Hawaii County:
?
Too much highway construction, takes too long, and there?s only one road in and
out. Need another road for people to use.
?
Deal with traffic problems, alternative roads, or some other ways.
Ioane & Koli (Housing, Education, Employment, Benefits)
Housing:
?
Just started family, living next door to Ioane?s mom, Koli stays home with the
baby.
?
Want their own place.
Education:
?
Koli: Schools in the area are not good, worried that her children won?t get a good
education.
Employment:
?
Used to work at Kama?aina Kids, but had to stop when got pregnant.
?
They don?t pay enough.
?
Ioane works for Maku?u Farmers Market, he is the project manager, he really
likes working there, is happy with his job.
Benefits:
?
Koli: Doesn?t want to work because she doesn?t want to lose her benefits.
?
She would rather stay at home with the baby than go to work and only make
enough to cover minimum ?stuff.?
DREAMS:
?
Ioane: dream is to continue working at Maku?u, doesn?t see why he needs to go
anywhere else.
?
Koli: Isn?t working so her dreams have to wait, Ioane?s dreams come first. Wants
to have her own house and own car.
WORRIES:
?
They worry they won?t have enough to give to their kids.
John & Hidi (Housing, Employment, Savings, Education, Financial Planning)
Housing:
?
Used to live in a shack on mother?s property, wasn?t enough housing for them
(affordable).
?
Live off catchment
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o
Worried that the rainwater has lead in it from volcano
?
John: Their neighbors don?t have electricity or running water, no toilet either. Its
okay to him is they live like that, just make sure the place is clean and doesn?t
smell too bad.
?
Hidi: Help and support those people who have to live in the shacks without any
water and/or electricity, it?s not their fault, that?s all they can afford.
?
Hidi: Since some people don?t have running water, they have to use public
facilities to bathe and use bathroom, but there is no public bathrooms except for
at the County pool.
?
Families go to the pool to shower when they don?t have enough water.
?
John: Scared to put any money into their DHHL land because they might lose it,
don?t want to waste the money.
?
Zoning and Building codes make it difficult for people to build their homes
inexpensively.
Employment:
?
John: Was a mechanic for a long time, now is at the Pahoa fire station, it?s a good
job and helps keep the family stable.
?
Hidi: Had to start working part time because she started school, still works at the
Maku`u Farmers Market doing the ?payroll.?
?
Hidi: It?s tough nowadays to get any job that will pay well enough without a MS
or PhD. Without those degrees we cannot get good jobs, but it?s too hard for
everyone to pay for school.
?
Hidi: In order for people to make enough, they have to lie for their taxes and
take cash jobs wherever they can.
?
Grocery Store built in Pahoa, was good because it gave a lot of the young kids
the jobs they need.
Education:
?
We all NEED education, ?gotta find ways to send kids to college.?
?
Teachers in the area don?t invest in the kids? education, just there to ?do their
job.?
Financial Planning:
?
John: IDA program would be great for them to start a new business.
?
Hidi: Kids don?t have any idea what it means to save, or what credit cards are for.
DREAMS:
?
Jon: Bigger place for family to live in.
?
Jon: Start and run his own business (Mechanic).
?
Hidi: Live more secure, be financially stable so they can do whatever they want
as a family.
?
Hidi: Working with the community to help them grow.
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?
Travel
?
Help Kids to see the world outside of Hawai`i so they appreciate what they have
here.
WORRIES:
?
Hidi: No land for children to purchase.
?
John: Too many outside people coming in, locals not buying the houses that are
being built.
?
Hidi: If someone gets sick with cancer or other terminally ill disease, they won?t
be able to provide for the family.
Suggestions for Hawaii County:
?
John: Some kind of program to test the water in their catchment?s system.
?
Hidi: Make sure everyone is accountable and is following the laws that are set up
by Hawai`i County.
?
Help support Maku`u Farmers Market financially, make it a cultural learning
center.
?
Trash collection is terrible.
?
Recycling program is unorganized, have more bins to recycle.
?
Programs to help community sustainability.
?
Provide more medical facilities close by.
Pua (Education, Housing)
Education:
?
Adult community learning needs to be brought out into the community, not just
in Hilo.
?
Today, kids are not being taught the life skills needed, just the theoretical
economics and that doesn?t help them when they graduate.
?
Kamehameha scholarships aren?t reliable for college; you never know when
they?re going to cut all the funds for them.
?
Locals need incentives to go to local colleges (UH Hilo, HCC). Possibly tuition
waivers or other financial aid.
?
UH Hilo and HCC should go to the high schools in the area and recruit students
from there instead of focusing on the outside students.
Housing:
?
?Micah Kane can just sign a memorandum and make Maku?u not part of state
jurisdiction, which could push all of them out of their lands.
DREAMS:
?
Have her own place, separate from her husband, ?you never know if they?re
going to last forever.?
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WORRIES:
?
The kids will grow up not understanding what they need to do when they?re
adults and independent.
Maku`u Farmers Market ? 10/18 ? Kupuna
?
Emily ? County council member, 30 years working with the community. Has 3
daughters and one son.
?
Shirley ? lives on DHHL Agriculture land, has 3 daughters.
?
Jon/Paula ? moved to Puna in 1983, Paula is president of Maku`u Farmers
Association, both work at the farmers market.
?
Lee ? has lived on homestead since 1990.
?
Gwen ? live in Nanawale, raised in Waimanalo.
?
Donna ? Born in Pennsylvania, raised in Kane?ohe, moved to Pahoa in 1970,
went to Pahoa high school. Has 5 kids and 9.5 grandkids.
?
Ana ? from Maryland, moved to Pahoa 4 years ago, very involved with the
community.
Emily (Housing, Employment, Services, Medical Facilities)
Housing:
?
Family lives with her on her land, and some in her house.
?
County said that federal government doesn?t want to give money to their
community because they live too close to the volcano.
?
Need more houses in the area; everyone stuffs them into one house, when there
is all the open land around.
?
Need something to help the kids get started and get their own place, some kind
of program to help them ?get a leg up.?
?
Proud that her kids are out on their own at 18, didn?t stay around to be
dependent on her.
?
Helped her kids when they needed it, but didn?t spoil them.
?
Daughter got kicked out of County housing because they started working full
time and was ?making too much money.?
?
Brothers have been on the DHHL list since 1985, feels grateful that she got her
land.
?
Multiple houses on her property are ?illegal.?
Employment:
?
Thankful for Maku`u for the employment opportunity for her son, helps him
learn to save money and plan for the future.
o
Son saved and bought car with savings.
o
Training him to learn to save and get ahead.
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?
Need to create more jobs out in Puna for those who cannot get to Hilo for work.
Services:
?
She was on welfare for many years, kids try their hardest to stay off of welfare,
even with college education daughter is still on welfare.
?
Learned her lesson growing up, feels that her daughters learned how to rough it
too, now daughters understand how life can be.
?
Important to know that when all services shut down or disappear, you can still
survive.
Medical Facilities:
?
Need to provide better facilities and access to medical services.
Education:
?
People in the area can open the doors though education.
Role Models:
?
Young people need role models within the community to show them that they
can be successful.
?
She wants to be the role model for the community.
?
Help people realize that they can change anything if they really want to.
Shirley (Young Families, Transportation)
Young Families:
?
Does County have a program to give to kids land to help build houses and assets?
?
As young families, can you build on family lands?
?
If the economy is struggling, and state has no monies, seems like there is no way
for County to help out either.
?
Children cannot carry on like they could when they were younger.
?
Young families get cut off even if they?re working and trying to save, don?t make
sense.
?
Was on welfare when she was younger, didn?t want her children to have to be
on welfare, so she spoiled them with all the stuff that they wanted; now she
regrets it because they don?t know how to survive with nothing.
?
The young families lack the skills to fight the system; they are comfortable with
all their ?stuff? and cannot go without.
?
Feels really guilty for teaching/raising their children to be like this.
?
Wonders if kids can really survive if needed, can they live with nothing?
?
Her kids say they don?t want to live like the old days.
?
Kids not tested to survive.
?
Materialistic wants more important than saving for the future.
?
Children work for themselves, not for the family or community.
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?
Kids want to face their own issues, don?t want help fixing their problems.
?
Kids have no drive to get ahead; they?re fine with where they are.
Transportation:
?
Most young families don?t have vehicles, which makes everything hard to access.
Jon/Paula (Elderly, Criminalizing, Bartering, Housing, Education, Employment)
Elderly:
?
Older people get forgotten.
?
Cannot survive on set income, very difficult.
Criminalizing:
?
Illegal vs. Legal housing, people, including county look down on them and make
them criminals because they?re just trying to survive.
Bartering System:
?
Bartering helps the family not worry so much, everyone likes to help out.
?
Childcare and food mainly, to help young couples be able to get a job and get
ahead.
Housing:
?
House is overcrowded, too many people shoved into one house.
?
Too expensive to buy anything.
?
Cannot make it like before, not possible.
?
Trying to provide housing for all the children and families, but because of codes
and zoning, it makes it difficult. Forces them to live in ?illegal? housing units.
?
Nobody seems to know the meaning of ?affordable housing.?
Education:
?
Now you need education for everything, experience doesn?t get you anything.
?
Before it was what you knew, or your skills, now it is based on your education
you have.
?
What?s the difference between the experience and the education?
Employment:
?
Alu Like Program helped.
?
Summer employment for the young people helped them get ahead.
Lee (Retirement, Future Generation)
Retirement:
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?
Scared to retire because she doesn?t know how she will make it if she?s not
working.
Future Generation:
?
Sad and worried about the future generations.
?
If it is this bad now, how much worse will it get?
Donna (Housing, Education, Children, Balancing Benefits, Employment)
Housing:
?
4 Kids and their families live with them at their house, as well as her mom, it?s
really crowded.
?
County housing residents cannot afford the rent, and that?s supposed to be
where they go, how can the county housing not even be affordable?
?
Lost her dad 2 years ago, couldn?t save her own house because she had to put all
her money into saving her parent?s house.
?
No problems living ?illegally? if needed. They will do whatever they have to make
it.
?
Starter houses aren?t available like they used to be.
?
There are a lot of bed and breakfasts around, but they cannot get approved for
?`Ohana housing.?
?
Building codes and zoning make building a house very difficult.
Education:
?
Don?t adjust the schooling to those kids who really don?t ?fit? into school
settings.
?
Sometimes wishes she was ?more poor? so that she could get even more
financial aid for her daughters to attend college.
Children:
?
It?s hard because ?I try to teach my kids how to save and get ahead, but I cannot
even do it myself, it?s so hypocritical.?
?
Kids today have attitude problems; don?t realize what is important in life.
?
Don?t know how to survive without technology, or without the ?luxuries of life?
scared to think that they cannot survive alone.
?
All of her kids moved back to Puna, couldn?t make it alone.
o
Some tried the mainland, and they didn?t fit in, so they moved back.
Balancing Benefits:
?
Children have to be careful to stay in the range where they can get the benefits
that they need.
?
So hard to try and get kids to want to work when they get cut off as soon as they
try to work and be independent.
?
Contradicts building assets.
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o
As soon as they save money or have money in a savings account, they get
kicked off welfare because they have too much assets.
Employment:
?
Provides childcare for the young families in the area so that they can go to work.
?
Not ?certified? because that would mandate her to make them pay too much.
o
Doesn?t feel that she should have to make these people work just to pay
for childcare. ?No make sense.?
?
All employment services and jobs are in Hilo, that?s too far, especially for the
young people who may not have cars.
?
?I don?t care what you do, just be the best at whatever it is you do.?
o
?I may have scrubbed toilets, but I was the best damn toilet scrubber
there was.?
?
Children think they?re worth $30/hr, when they don?t want to work hard at what
their jobs, and sit and complain about everything.
DREAMS:
?
To make sure her kids are able to live independently and be financially stable.
Maku?u Farmers Market ? 10/18 ? Youth
?
Kaloko ? 18 from Vegas, moved to Hilo to go to school at UH Hilo.
?
Devin ? 21 lived in Puna his whole life, works at Maku`u.
?
Naku ? 15 grew up in Puna, whole family works for Maku`u.
?
Kopa ? 17 senior in HS, at Hawaiian Immersion Charter School, works at Maku`u.
?
Sara ? 17 lives with family on Hawaiian homes land.
?
Devina ? 21 has a 10 month old son. Lives with her mom.
?
Kahea ? 18 grew up in Puna now attends UH Hilo, on scholarship.
Group Dialogue:
?
Recognize that they are spoiled, don?t know what it is like to ?really struggle.?
?
It is difficult for them to see their parents struggle to provide for them, makes
them want to do better and help out the family however they can.
?
They feel stuck in this lifestyle.
o
Devina said, ?My whole family is living like this and has lived like this for
years, I can?t change that.?
Social Life:
?
Nowhere to go and ?cruise.?
?
Need their own areas in Puna.
o
Courts
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o
Community Center
o
Dance Halls
?
The ?Rich Kids? look down at them.
o
Have all the big ?suped up? trucks and make them feel stupid.
Education:
?
All of them understand the importance of going to college. Issues are that they
cannot afford to go to college because they have to work to help their families
make it. Also, it is too far away and transportation is an issue.
?
They feel that local high schools don?t have the resources to help them get
ahead and they don?t really care what the students do.
?
Kopa has applied to a few universities, but he says, ?I?m probably going to end up
going to UH Hilo because it?s cheaper.
Employment:
?
Finding a Job is very difficult especially in the Puna area. Most of them cannot
get to Hilo regularly, so they cannot work there either.
Technology:
?
?We are totally dependent on technology, like computers and cell phones and
stuff.?
?
They all wonder what life would be like if they didn?t have all the technology
stuff that they do have.
Business:
?
A few mentioned that they would like to start their own business.
?
Sara said she would like to start her own clothing line; she likes fashion and art
and thinks that would be a good company to have. She also said that if she could
she would like to open a resort or hotel in the area because ?they make lots of
money.?
?
Kopa said that he was interested in starting some kind of graphic design business
so that he could make money and ?work whenever he wanted to.?
?
All of them expressed the interest in having the freedom to make money and be
in control of what they were doing with their lives.
Savings/IDA:
?
All of them felt that saving is a necessary thing, however many of them feel that
they would rather buy ?toys? or other things before putting their money away
into a savings account.
?
Devin said that he likes to buy four wheelers and dirt bikes, so he has a hard time
saving his money.
?
However, when we explained IDAs to them, they thought that was a great idea
and said that they would really be able to save towards something big like a
house or a car if something was set up like that for them.
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?
It is hard for them to save because they have so many expenses on a daily basis,
and if they?re not paying for their own expenses, they?re trying to help out their
parents.
?
Sara said that she is really good at saving her money, but her parents regularly
ask her to borrow money to pay bills that they cannot cover themselves.
Pride in Maku`u:
?
It was interesting to see the pride that all the youth had in the Maku`u Farmers
Market. They all lit up and spoke with so much pride about what they have done
in Maku`u and what Maku`u has done for them. They are very excited to
continue to develop Maku`u and help others use it as well. They all work or take
part in some aspect of Maku`u, and are hard working responsible youth that the
whole community depend on to carry out all the aspects of the Market.
DREAMS:
?
There was a lot of thinking when dreams and wishes were brought up, and they
ultimately came up with pretty much the same answers. The original answers
were along the lines of ?big house? or ?plenty money? or something else along
those lines.
?
Devin said that he would love to have a huge house on plenty of land so he could
ride his ?toys around.? Also, he said he wanted to be rich. When asked what if he
had no family, but all this money, he said that it wouldn?t make sense to have all
that money and a big house if he didn?t have his family.
?
Everyone agreed with Devin?s comments, that the family is the number one
priority and they would only like to have nice stuff or lots of money to help their
families out.
?
Kahea wrote down on a piece of paper what she feels about dreams. It read, ?I
learned that I should never let my dreams be dreams; I should make them
reality.?
***After the meeting, ALL of the youth who participated in this dialogue stayed
around and was talking story with all the Kupuna and others that were at Maku`u at
that time. Throughout the meeting, they mentioned that they were anxious to go to
the beach after we were done, but when we were done, they all stuck around to just
be there with everyone. Maku`u serves as kind of a ?home base? for many of these
youth, which helps to create a strong sense of community. Along with talking story,
they all went around and cleaned up and made sure everything was okay around the
area that we were meeting.
December 17, 2008
Miloli?i Community Hale
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ADULT GROUP: Frecia, Laverne, LaCher, Pam, Weegee, Chastity, Kuma, Deisha, Willy,
Shannon
?
ALL participants were of Hawaiian ancestry or married to someone with
Hawaiian ancestry. Average ages: 20?45.
?
Jobs: primarily work in construction, hotel or retail stores.
Priority Needs:
?
Water: No running water, some have catchment
?
Electricity: Available to ?newcomers? in other area because they can pay for the
electrical poles to bring power. Tried to get all families to share in cost of poles
so the village could have electricity but 4 families could not afford to pay so
continue to live without electricity.
?
Ice: Buy ice every other day to keep food in coolers?no electricity, no
refrigerator/freezer.
Challenges:
?
Stereotype that kids from Miloli`i are violent, on drugs, charity case
?
Transportation:
o
No extra?curricular activities in area. No bus to bring kids back if stay
after school for sports, etc.
o
No transportation to needed medical appointments.
o
Although try to carpool, bickering occurs because some do not share or
contribute to cost.
?
Limited exposure and opportunities for children.
?
Food: Cheaper to eat canned goods than fresh vegetables; vegetables don?t last
long because no refrigerator.
?
Miloli?i falls into a rift with agencies. Sometimes it falls under East Hawai`i
jurisdiction and sometimes West Hawai`i then it changes.
What works:
?
Carpooling: Will go together or pick up items for each other.
?
Family working together: Harvesting Mac nuts or coffee, fishing
?
Community/Family values:
o
Shared resources: Vegetables for fish, help each other, watch each
other?s children.
o
Siblings, aunts/uncles share resources, live together to make ends meet.
o
Trust: No one locks their doors.
o
Education: Although opportunities are limited, education is priority.
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o
Limited resources so children learn how to appreciate family and what
they have; no Gameboys, x?Box, laptops for children, etc.
?
Many live in Miloli`i by choice. Drug problem has IMPROVED. Less fighting and
drug dealers in area.
Community Needs/Issues:
?
Better park and playground area. Also, ADA park. Gardens to raise own food but
no water.
?
Need more activities for youths and adults as well. Craft classes would be nice.
Healing Our Island grant used for ukulele classes.
?
Why bring someone from the outside to clean bathrooms and teach classes?
Can use local resources.
?
Miloli`i is a fishing village. Should bring resources like the Kampachi farms at
NELHA to that area and the residents could work together to harvest, clean,
pack, etc.
WISH:
?
TRANSPORTATION
?
JOB (Catch up on bills)
?
HOUSING
?
GOOD HEALTH (Need new kidney)
YOUTH GROUP: 11 YOUTHS? ages 11?15 years old
What Works:
?
Everyone is family: Good people who help each other. OK to ask anyone for help.
Lots of people to look up to and play with, talk to, and learn from.
?
Good beach close to home.
?
Sometimes have community gathering on basketball court.
WISH:
?
Majority:
o
Want to go to college. Some mainland, some in Hawaii.
o
Electricity
o
Running, drinkable water.
?
Explore and visit other places.
?
Peace among all families.
?
Recreational facilities and activities.
IF YOU HAD A SAVINGS, WHAT WOULD YOU SPEND IT ON?
?
College
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?
Support family
?
Car, boat, name brand clothes
?You can always leave Miloli?i but you know you can always return with nothing?.
i
Rocky Mountain Institute, Island of Hawai`i Whole System Project, pg. 39.