In February, I joined Hawaiʻi Foodbank and the City and County of Honolulu to launch Hawaiʻi Foodbank’s 26th Annual State Employees’ Food Drive. This year, the State and City’s food drives will run from February 21 to May 9, with a joint goal of providing 515,000 meals to Hawaiʻi residents in need. 

In Hawaiʻi, food insecurity affects far too many families, including 90,000 keiki. The generosity of our state employees and community members makes a real difference in ensuring that no one on in our islands goes hungry.   

This annual food drive continues to be essential in providing families throughout Hawaiʻi with access to nutritious meals. Every contribution—whether large or small—makes a meaningful difference. 

Anyone can support Hawaiʻi Foodbank by donating online or in-person at various food drop-off locations.

A strong early childhood education workforce is crucial to the Ready Keiki initiative and its goal to expand preschool access across our state. When we invest in and support our educators, we empower them to provide our keiki with the high-quality education they deserve. 

I joined the UH Mānoa College of Education to announce the launch of the new Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Care and Education. This dedicated degree not only makes it easier and more accessible for future educators to enter the field but also plays a key role in addressing the critical shortage of early childhood educators in Hawaiʻi. By supporting our teachers, we help our keiki, their ʻohana, and our communities thrive. 

Applications are now open for the Fall 2025 semester. If you or someone you know is interested in applying, visit coe.hawaii.edu. The application deadline is March 1, 2025.  

With uncertainty at the federal level around childcare and early education funding, Preschool Open Doors reaffirms our state’s commitment to supporting local families—ensuring our keiki can access the opportunities they need to thrive. 

Preschool Open Doors, our state’s childcare and preschool tuition subsidy, is now accepting applications for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year.  

During the month of February, we celebrated Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi. It’s important that we continue to incorporate the Hawaiian language not just in February, but in our everyday lives. 

For Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, my friend, Lamakū, taught me some new Ready Keiki-themed Hawaiian words. Check out this video to learn some new ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi!