Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 22, Number 9, 1 September 2005 — Foster care [ARTICLE]

Foster care

The Hawaiian foster care organization Kōkua 'Ohana will be holding an event to educate and recruit Native Hawaiian foster parents on Sept. 16 at Kamehameha Schools' Kapālama campus. Kōkua 'Ohana is a grassroots initiative that seeks to gather and support loeal Hawaiian foster families. Statistics show that 52 percent of the children in the state's foster care system are Native Hawaiian, and about 40 percent of them will be placed in homes outside of their culture. The event, whieh will feature eommunity leaders and foster parents talking about how they are building a network of foster families for Hawai'i's keiki, will start at 6 p.m. in the schools' dining hall. Lū'au and fellowship to follow. For information, eall 265-9029 or email kokuaohanafamilies @ verizon.net.