• Editor’s note: Due to space considerations, some information for the Parents and Children Together (PACT) Keiki Day special section inside today’s paper did not make it into that section. It is included here.
For Parents And Children Together, 2018 is a reminder of how much can change in 50 years. When it opened its doors as the Parent Child Center of Kalihi in 1968, the nonprofit never dreamed it’d expand its reach statewide.
With support from the community, federal funding and strategic partnerships at state and local levels, PACT grew. It became a federal Head Start program in 1988, and has since continued to expand programs and resources statewide.
Now 400 employees strong with 18 programs helping 15,000 individuals every year, it’s a far cry from the small center where it began.
PACT continues to live and serve by values of informed approach, high quality, holistic care, collaboration, respect and a focus on the future. PACT doesn’t simply provide resources to its clients. It offers access and support to families looking to improve their futures.
Lastly, PACT has always been driven by its mission to help Hawaii’s most vulnerable keiki. While the organization has since expanded to offer programs that focus on domestic abuse prevention and mental health support, each program is connected to the mission of creating safe and promising futures for Hawaii’s children and families. There’s truth in the old adage, “It takes a village to raise a family.” At PACT, community plays an important role in building and strengthening the relationships that matter most in a child’s life.
Celebrating 50 years is an achievement for any organization. For one that has touched thousands of lives and offered Hawaii’s vulnerable families a path forward, it’s a testament to the strength and importance of community.
PACT serves over 15,000 parents, children, individuals and families annually through its statewide programs in five areas of focus:
Early Childhood Education
• Early Head Start and Head Start provide early childhood education and support services for pre-qualified parents with children on Oahu and Hawaii Island. Early Head Start offers services to prenatal parents and infants from birth to 3. Head Start serves parents with children ages 3 to 5.
Domestic Abuse Prevention & Treatment
• Family Peace Centers teach non-violent problem-solving skills while emphasizing partnership, equality and respect among families.
• Family Visitation Centers provide safe environments for visitations with children and their non-custodial parents.
• Ohia Domestic Violence Shelter offers a safe and confidential facility for women and children who are victims of domestic violence.
• Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Lehua Transition House provides transitional housing for up to one year for women who are victims of domestic violence.
• Trafficking Victim Assistance Program offers comprehensive and victim-centered case management services for survivors of human trafficking.
Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention & Treatment
• Hana Like Home Visiting Program offers home visits on Oahu for parents with children from birth to 3 residing in downtown Honolulu to Kalihi.
• Hoomau Home Visiting Program offers home visits for parents with children from birth to 3 residing in Diamond Head, West Honolulu, Aiea, Pearl City and Windward areas of Oahu.
• Ulupono Family Strengthening Program offers family support services for parents with children from birth to 17 on Oahu and Maui.
• Comprehensive Counseling and Support Services offer comprehensive services for families involved in the Child Welfare System including supervised visitation.
• Voluntary Case Management promotes the safety and well-being of children by mitigating the risk of child abuse and neglect for families referred by Child Welfare Services.
• Lanai Integrated Support Services provide programs for child abuse and neglect prevention and intervention through foster care and permanent placement on Lanai.
Mental Health Support
• Intensive Support Services Programs are offered on Oahu, Maui and Kauai for families and youth with serious behavioral, social and emotional challenges.
Community Building and Economic Development
• Mikiala Program bridges the gap from homelessness to housing by conducting outreach at designated public parks to provide health screenings, learning activities and family mentoring.
• Family Centers provide family skill-building and child abuse and neglect prevention services within Kuhio Park Terrace/Kuhio Homes and Kaneohe.
• Economic Development Center offers programs to strengthen an individual’s ability to secure and keep employment.
• Community Teen Centers promote the development of healthy youth and families by providing educational, recreational, community building and support services.
For 50 years, PACT has provided community-based services starting at The Towers at Kuhio Park, formally known as Kuhio Park Terrace, and growing into a multi-faceted organization serving our most vulnerable populations on Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Island of Hawaii.
Those interested in learning more about Parents And Children Together may visit the website at ParentsAndChildrenTogether.org or call (808) 847-3285.
