Last year, leadership at nonprofit Helping Hands Hawaiʻi met someone they'll never forget: Now a local executive and mother, a woman who at age 13 was homeless with her mother, shared how she benefited from the organization’s Ready to Learn program. The 27th annual back-to-school initiative provides free school supplies that help keiki feel prepared and empowered to learn, according to Executive Director Susan Furuta.
Furuta said she was elated to find out that over time, this young woman’s family was doing well and how her life was shaped by a kind gesture that reminded her that her community cared.
“Sometimes you just need that extra support to get through life’s challenges, especially with Hawaiʻi’s high cost of living,” Furuta told Aloha State Daily. “At its core, the program is much more than just handing out a backpack. We want our community to rally around our children, who are our future.”
Now through July 31, Helping Hands Hawaiʻi will be collecting and distributing donations of new school supplies including notebooks, folders, binders, pencils and more. This year, the organization aims to provide fully stocked supply kits to more than 3,000 keiki before the start of the next school year.
A $50 donation can equip a child with the tools they need to succeed, Furuta said, adding that partnerships with government officials, businesses and community leaders have helped sustain this program over the years. Sponsors for 2025 Ready to Learn include Honolulu Cookie Co. and American Savings Bank.
“We are excited to support the Ready to Learn event once again,” said Kathy Arasaki, senior vice president of Honolulu Cookie Co., in a statement. “We believe that empowering young minds starts with access to the right resources.”
Monetary donations can be made online or mailed to Helping Hands Hawai‘i at 2100 N. Nimitz Hwy., Honolulu, HI 96819. In-person donations are accepted Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., and on the third Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
According to Furuta, Ready to Learn was founded in 1998 by U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye and wife, Maggie. At the time, she said they provided well over 20,000 backpacks to students. “We would love to get back to that one day – 3,000 children does not cover the need, but it’s what we have the capacity for right now,” she said.
The nonprofit took over the statewide initiative in 2005, when it cost $10 to fill a backpack, Furuta noted.
She added, Helping Hands Hawaiʻi has about 55 employees with an operating budget of more than $3 million. “We’re not a national org or backed by a religious group, but we do pack a mighty impact. On our property daily, we have about 20 to 25 people working or volunteering at the warehouse,” she said. “We believe it takes a village, so that’s why partnership is so important to our operations and the families we serve.”
According to its 2024 annual report, Helping Hands Hawai‘i served nearly 20,000 individuals through is programs that offer interpretation services, financial management and food assistance.
Furuta has been with the organization since 2001 and has served as executive director since 2019.
She said her priority at the start was was putting together a three-to-five year strategic plan, but lately, she’s been looking at creative ways to diversify funding and raise capital to maintain the nonprofitʻs Honolulu offices and warehouse.
“The business [of nonprofits] is changing. The economy is changing. [Hawaiʻi is] a tougher place to do business in any sector,” she said. “We want to work with everyone and be able to collaborate where we can. To see how we can work better together, and advocate for ourselves and each other.”
“Children, theyʻre our future. They are going to take care of us when we get older, take care of our land and take care of our state. ... We want them to feel good and be inspired with education to have a really good future.”
Families who are in need can register their children at www.bit.ly/hhhassistance, email rtl@helpinghandshawaii.org, or call 808-536-7234 ext. 820.
Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.
