Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 11, 1 November 2021 — Savings Accounts to Create Greater Educational Equity [ARTICLE]

Savings Accounts to Create Greater Educational Equity

Hawai'i nonprofit Partners in Development Foundation (PIDF) was awarded $2,527,045 in funding from the American Rescue Plan to support grants under the USDOE Native Hawaiian Education Program (NHEP). The grant will support the unique Keiki Assets Account (KA'A) project to address the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on educational equity and outcomes. KA'A is a savings program for keiki. The project serves Native Hawaiian children, birth through age 5, and 'ohana in 15 Native Hawaiian communities across the state. In partnership with American Savings Bank, KA'A will create and manage up to 800 savings accounts for keiki enrolled in programs with PIDF, the Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture (INPEACE), and Keiki o Ka 'Āina (KOKA). Participants in PIDF's Tūtū and Me Traveling Preschool, Ka Pa'alana Homeless Family Education, and Nā Pono No Nā 'Ohana Family Education programs will be invited to participate alongside 'ohana attending INPEACE's Keiki Steps, and KOKA. Together with INPEACE and KOKA, PIDF is working to create a high-impact multigenerational savings and education program designed to increase early learning engagement and support households in need to access educational opportunities, including saving for college, summer programs, tutoring, and more. To learn more go to pidf.org.