A safety net for students: Community support sustains basic needs at Hawaiʻi CC
By: Simplicio Paragas
After raising a family and building a decades-long career in the restaurant industry, Jerilyn “Jerry” Kanakanui decided it was finally time to pursue a lifelong dream: go to college. Getting to the classroom, though, was a daunting process.
As a mother of six who had never attended college, she remembered previous attempts where she tried to navigate the complex web of registration and financial aid, only to back out thinking, “Oh, no, it’s not for me.”
“When I first got to Hawai‘i Community College, there were so many obstacles that I needed to overcome,” Kanakanui said. “Even taking the required placement exams felt like a massive hurdle after being away from school for so long.”
A Campus Community of Care
Kanakanui credits Hawai‘i CC programs like the TRIO Student Support Services and the Kahua‘ola Basic Needs Center for helping her find her footing. Today, she gives back to the campus community by serving as a TRIO peer mentor to help other students navigate their own educational journeys, while also occasionally working next door at Kahua‘ola.
“Student success at Hawai‘i Community College begins with care,” Chancellor Susan Kazama said. “At our Kahua‘ola Basic Needs Center, we recognize that learning cannot thrive when a student is worried about food, housing or other essential needs. As a kauhale (community), we are committed to supporting the whole person so our students can focus on their education, their families and their futures.”
Kahua‘ola Coordinator Randiann Tokeshi knows exactly what is at stake for the roughly 48 students who walk through the center's doors every day. Some grab a quick meal, while others need help applying for SNAP benefits, or finding healthcare, childcare and housing.
For Tokeshi, the work goes far beyond handing out bus passes or frozen bread.
“Basic needs is more than just providing resources to our students. It's really about restoring hope, dignity and the opportunity for students who may be facing some of the hardest moments in their lives,” Tokeshi said. “We don't know what each of our students go through ... Every meal that is shared, every referral that is made, every conversation where a student feels seen and supported can really change the trajectory of someone's life.”
When she thinks about the community donors who help fund the center, Tokeshi sees a network of support that prevents the pressures of finances from overwhelming vulnerable students.
“It's not the easiest thing for students who don't have scholarships, who have to pay rent, and who need transportation to come to school,” Kanakanui said. “A lot of the times, they're just getting by with whatever it is that they have. It’s a constant struggle with a lot of the students here and I see it every day.”
Make Your Giving Day Impact
For students like Kanakanui, Kahuaʻola is the difference between stepping away from school and stepping into a future. While institutional funding helped open the center's doors, it is the generosity of donors that keeps them open.
“Many kids tell me they are grateful to have a resource like Kahuaʻola,” Kanakanui said. “Some of these students struggle with the basics, so when they can pick up a free bag of rice or a journal they need for classes, it really helps them a lot.”
This Giving Day, gifts to the Hawai'i Community College Advancement Fund help ensure students have the backing they need to stay enrolled and continue building their futures. Your support goes even further this year: Chancellor Kazama is matching up to $1,000 in total donations to Hawai‘i CC.
