Page 4 - MidWeek - March 30, 2022

4 MIDWEEK MARCH 30, 2022
In Hawai‘i, 78% of those released from state pris- ons are rearrested within 10 years and 75% of those are reincarcerated. The like- lihood of an individual reof- fending upon release from prison is extremely high.
by adopting a model based on the Chinese proverb, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime,” we developed a culinary training curriculum and began to implement this model in organizations with underutilized commercial kitchens.
Heart and Baker’s Heart — integrate our interns and apprentices into on-the-job training opportunities. All revenue generated funds our programs.
eating. Her family was on the mainland and she had no one here to help her.
three-meal set for $25.50 on a weekly basis. We expanded to providing a la carte items and Baker’s Heart desserts.
The Path To Touching Hearts, Transforming Lives
By Robin Kumabe, executive director of Touch A Heart
At Touch A Heart, we pro- vide food service vocational training and apprenticeship programs to those facing barriers to employment, es- pecially those who have been previously incarcerated.
Last year, we received a call from an elderly woman inquiring about our meal de- livery service. After learning about our Kupuna & Family Meals and the cost of $25.50, the woman said she couldn’t afford it. We donated a meal set and delivered it to her.
Curtis was deeply moved by that encounter. Being able to provide nutritional meals to kūpuna in need showed him what Touch a Heart is really about. When Curtis re- turns from his time in prison, he wants to become a chef “and do this for the rest of his life.”
Our affordable meals pro- vide sustenance to many in- dividuals. With additional funding, we provide meals to other nonprofits such as Ronald McDonald House Charities–Hawai‘i.
Our organization began in 2004 by offering informal social services and meals to the homeless, and in 2007, we became a 501(c)(3) non- profit organization. In 2012,
Since 2019, we partnered with Kalihi Union Church to operate our social enterpris- es, which are mission-driven, revenue-generating business- es that invest in the potential of people.
When our chefs, Mark and Curtis, met her with meals, she shared that with the re- cent passing of her husband, she was dealing with depres- sion and having a hard time
We are celebrating the two- year anniversary of our Ku- puna & Family meals, which began as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our catering business came to a halt, so we pivoted our op- erations to serve a complete
We’re in need of underuti- lized commercial kitchen space and volunteers to help with meal packaging and de- liveries. You can also support us by purchasing our items at touchahearthawaii.org/shop. For more information, con- tact info@touchahearthawaii. org or call 808-779-7083.
Our employment social enterprises — Kupuna & Family Meals by Touch A
Touch A Heart graduate chef Curtis (right) and fellow team members have been cooking and delivering Kupuna and Family Meals every week since March 2020 to those in need, like Sylvia (left). PHOTO COURTESY TOUCH A HEART
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