St. Francis’ New Center Will Bring Together Keiki And Kupuna
The St. Francis Intergenerational Center recently broke ground in Ewa with the help of (from left) Jerry J. Correa Jr., president and chief executive officer of St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii; Sister Patricia Burkard, general minister of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities; Sister Agnelle Ching, chief sponsorship officer, St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii; Sister William Marie Eleniki, president, St. Francis Healthcare Foundation of Hawaii; Sharon Shiroma Brown, president, First Hawaiian Bank Foundation; Gov. Neil Abercrombie; Mayor Peter Carlisle; Gailene Wong, grant director, Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation; and Paula Boyce, Bank of Hawaii trustee representing McInerny Foundation. Photo courtesy St. Francis Healthcare System.
St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii broke ground Jan. 26 for its Intergenerational Center at Ewa Villages.
Construction on the 1.25acre site is set to begin this month.
The center is designed to bring together kupuna and keiki for shared experiences. It will feature an adult day care room and lounge, four preschool classrooms and a kitchen.
The adult center will serve up to 42 adults per day, providing supervised support, assistance with daily activities and companionship.
The preschool will have the capacity to serve about 90 children between the ages of 2 to 6.
Kupuna and keiki will be brought together for a variety of activities, including arts and crafts, exercise and field trips.
“Older adults can share their knowledge and life experiences with young children, while the children bring joy and a sense of wonder for the older adults,” said St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii president and CEO Jerry Correa.
“It’s a win-win situation for both generations.”
Construction will take an estimated six months, and the center is scheduled to open next fall.
The intergenerational center will be located at 911758 O’ohao St., across from St. Francis’ Franciscan Vistas Ewa, a senior independent living community.
