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Mahalo! 

During this period, our communities also organized a number of local food distributions to directly support families facing uncertainty. These included multiple Hawaiʻi Foodbank distributions, the Hawaiʻi State AFL-CIO Food Distribution for Federal Employees, and a Westside Food Drive Distribution — each one helping ensure that households had access to essential resources. 

Seeing friends, neighbors, and loved ones step up in these ways was truly inspiring. Their willingness to kōkua and uplift one another during these times reflected the strength and compassion of our communities. 

Here at the Lieutenant Governor’s Office, one of our main responsibilities is providing apostille and certification services, or the official state authentication required for documents used overseas. 

For decades, this process has relied on an outdated, paper system that has remained the same since the beginning of statehood. That’s why our office is excited to announce a major modernization: Hawaiʻi’s new Apostille and Certification Online Portal. For the first time, residents can submit applications online, make secure electronic payments, and track their requests from start to finish — all in one place. 

This small but meaningful improvement represents an important step toward increased efficiency and accessibility. It reflects our commitment to making government services easier, faster, and more user-friendly for everyone in Hawaiʻi. 

November was filled with lots of visits to new Ready Keiki classrooms across the state, and I’m thankful to the area legislators that joined me for these visits. 

We visited Kalanianaʻole Elementary, Keaukaha Elementary, and Keaʻau Elementary Schools, the three newest public preschool classrooms in East Hawaiʻi Island, bringing more pre-K seats closer to home and work for our keiki and their families.  

We also visited Kalihi Elementary School on Oʻahu, where we are continuing to expand early learning options for families.  

On Maui, we visited Hāna Elementary School, and on Oʻahu, we stopped at Hauʻula Elementary School, home to two of the four Executive Office on Early Learning’s (EOEL) Hawaiian language public preschool classrooms. This is an exciting milestone in expanding access to early learning while strengthening ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi education. These new classrooms, grounded in Hawaiian values and language, provide place-based learning for our youngest learners. 

It was inspiring to see the keiki so excited to learn in their new spaces. Mahalo to the dedicated teachers, principals, and keiki for welcoming us to their classrooms! To learn more about free, public pre-K, visit readykeiki.org.  

The Hawaiʻi Early Childhood Education (ECE) Stipend Program is now accepting applications for the Spring 2026 Semester!  

A strong early childhood education workforce is essential to our commitment to expand preschool access statewide. By supporting and investing in our educators, we empower them to deliver the high-quality learning experiences Hawaiʻi’s keiki deserve, especially during the critical early years of growth and development. 

If you or someone you know is pursuing an ECE certificate or degree through the University of Hawaiʻi System, you may be eligible for tuition assistance. Applications for the Spring 2026 semester are now open, and the deadline to apply is December 1, 2025. 

This month, we celebrated two years of Connect Kākou, our state’s broadband initiative! Since 2023, we’ve been working to ensure every resident has access to reliable internet, along with the skills and tools needed to stay connected and thrive online.  

Over the past two years, we’ve made meaningful progress across the state. We’ve made major fiber investments across the islands, expanded high-speed internet to Hawaiian homelands and public housing, and provided digital literacy classes to help residents use the internet safely and confidently.  

These milestones reflect our shared commitment to building a more connected Hawaiʻi — one where every resident has the opportunity to fully take part in today’s digital world. We’re excited for the work ahead and grateful for the partnerships that continue to make this progress possible.