 Contact Information
JoAnn Bishop Freed, Executive Director
75-127 Lunapule Road
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
Phone: (808) 326-7778
E-mail: jfreed@fsswh.org |
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Agency Mission Statement:
To support families and communities in providing love and care for our children.
Our vision is that all families will provide a safe and nurturing home for their children; all families will ensure that their children will be healthy and ready for school by age five; all children and youth will have the support in developing assets that influence them to make good choices to become caring and responsible adults.
Our objective is to build upon strengths, increase resiliency and foster self-reliance through education, training, and linkages to needed services.
Funded Program:
Na Makuakane Maika`i `O Hawai`i (Fatherhood Initiative):Great Fathers of Hawaii is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary project designed to increase father involvement in the lives of children, promote responsible, culturally sensitive fathering practices and increases positive family functioning and healthy lifestyles. In increasing community attention on the role of fathers, Na Makuakane Maika`i `O Hawai`i has an impact on overall community support for fathers as they adapt to their roles and responsibilities.
Project e-3 (Enhancing Entrepreneurship through Empowerment): Project e-3 will increase entrepreneurial skills in youth through a leadership initiative. The primary purpose is to provide youth with a sense of belonging in the program and the community. The program gives youth of underrepresented backgrounds the opportunity to participate in leadership development lessons and activities that might otherwise be unavailable to them. Youth will engage in weekly youth advisory group meetings to learn the definition of leadership and build leadership skills. The SOAR curriculum will be implemented to assist in this area. Youth will also learn entrepreneurial skills and be given the opportunity to develop business plans and budgets for a community projects/activities in which they create. Upon completion of Project e-3, a majority of the youth will engage in community leadership outside of the program.
Client Outcome Story:
One Story in particular stands out: It involved a father, Saa Abbott, whose wife is of Hawaiian ancestry. Their oldest child of seven was removed from the home and put into ohana foster care due to domestic violence by both parents. This father was understandably resistant to all services. His referral came from CWS and it took several attempts to make contact. When he finally agreed to a visit with one of our father coaches, he warmed up rather quickly and said he was glad that he had the opportunity to speak with other kane about his situation. He spoke of the challenges he had with living with his wife who had recently been diagnosed as bipolar and schizophrenic. After the second visit he began attending the group meetings. This man was over 400lbs at the time, dedicated marijuana user, with very abusive language. It was determined that his wife needed regular medication to function within the household and she became more stable. After attending the group meetings this father stopped marijuana use and within the last six months has lost 40 pounds. He states and demonstrates that he better understands his role as a father. The child was finally reunited with his parents and it was determined at his last CWS hearing (months later) that the CWS case would be closed. This father continues to attend weekly meetings and is an advocate for the program, recruiting friends and acquaintances who he feels could benefit from the information and shared experiences.
