City doles out $1M in grants

The city has awarded $1 million in grants for 25 nonprofit organizations benefiting the Leeward Coast area.

At a press conference at Nanakuli Beach Park yesterday, Mayor Mufi Hannemann announced the recipients of the community benefits program, in its second year. The money will go toward additional housing for low-income families, youth leadership programs and shelters for abused women and children.

"Our community is plagued by drug abuse, homelessness, alcoholism and lots of domestic violence," said Aimoku McClellan, chairman of the community benefits advisory committee, which screened more than 40 applications. "What I noticed over the last two years is, the types of projects that our committee wanted to help were projects that would help people directly."

The recipients were:

» Big Brothers Big Sisters of Honolulu, $25,000 for mentoring services to Nanakuli and Waianae area students.

» Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii-Nanakuli, $60,000 for a prevention and leadership program for 300 youth between the ages of 7 and 17.

» Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii-Waianae, $60,000 for improvements to the video and sound production multimedia center for youth ages 7 to 17.

» Catholic Charities Hawaii, $30,000 for the provision of clinical and therapeutic counseling services for low-income residents of the Leeward Coast.

» Child and Family Service, $20,000 for health maintenance services to disabled, frail and isolated residents of Waianae and Nanakuli.

» Corvette Center Ministries, $20,000 for the provision of a multidimensional transitional recovery program for homeless adults on the Waianae Coast.

» Easter Seals Hawaii, $40,000 for a service center in Makakilo to serve infants, youth and adults with disabilities.

» Habitat for Humanity Leeward Oahu, $60,000 to support a home-building program that will produce four homes for low-income Leeward Coast families.

» Hale Kipa Inc., $30,000 for drop-in center services for youth who are homeless.

» Hawaii Building Industry Foundation, $40,000 for pre-apprenticeship training career program services through Project ComPACT for Leeward Coast residents.

» Hawaii Family Services Inc., $30,000 to fund the Keiki Support Project, which seeks to improve the quality of life for 100 children who are being raised by grandparents and other relatives.

» Hawaii Nature Center, $25,000 for scholarships for 3,600 students to participate in a daylong culture- and science-based environmental education program.

» Honolulu Community Action Program, $40,000 for the Leeward Early Childhood Education Program/Oahu Head Start for children and families in Nanakuli and Waianae.

» Hooikaika O Hawaii Inc., $40,000 for sports activities, community service projects and educational programs for economically disadvantaged students ages 5-18.

» Hoolana, $25,000 for an academic enrichment program for academically challenged and economically disadvantaged students in grades seven to 12.

» Hoomau Ke Ola, $38,300 for the renovation and improvement of transitional shelters.

» KAMP Hawaii, $40,000 for the expansion of the life-mentoring program that includes drug awareness training, classroom outreach and camping.

» Leeward Kai Canoe Club, $20,000 for the Na Opio leadership development program for high school students.

» Life Foundation, $16,700 for HIV-related care and prevention services to Leeward Coast residents.

» Valley of the Rainbows, $60,000 for an educational youth conference, the Waianae Coast Sunset on the Beach and administrative costs.

» Victory Outreach Christian Recovery Homes, $55,000 for outreach and case management services and repair of the women's recovery facility.

» Waianae Coast Coalition, $60,000 for a community-based economic development program/agriculture-based cooperative.

» Waianae Coast Christian Women's Job Corps, $35,000 for life skills and job skills classes and activities.

» Waimanalo Construction Coalition, $60,000 for construction and commercial driver license training for low- to moderate-income and unemployed individuals.

» Westside Athletics Foundation, $60,000 for the promotion of sports-related activities for children and youth to foster positive character development.