Helping provide teens a brighter future

HONOLULU — December 6, 2021 — Kaiser Permanente in Hawaii has awarded $150,000 in community health grants to Adult Friends for Youth and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Maui and Hawaii. The grants will support teen programs that prepare youth to achieve success in high school and beyond. 

Adult Friends for Youth will use its $50,000 grant to fund its Education & Career Readiness Program which supports youth across Oahu who are at the highest risk of delinquent or violent behavior and academic failure. Participants will receive support services to help them graduate from high school or an alternative education program, including counseling sessions for healing from past trauma, connections to community partner agencies, and scholarship opportunities. 

Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii was granted $50,000 for its What’s Next Initiative. The cohort-based case management youth development program serves teens needing extra support to reach their full potential. Participants will receive mentoring through high school that addresses a variety of needs, including mental and physical health, post-secondary education, workforce development, career exploration, and cultural learning. Previous cohorts have achieved a 98% success rate of high schoolers on track to graduate high school.

Boys and Girls Club of Maui will receive a $50,000 grant for its Leaders in Training Program. The program aims to prepare youth living in Maui County to be first-job ready by developing a plan for post-graduation education or careers and building skills valued by employers. The Leaders in Training curriculum includes topics on how to be a leader in today’s world while also embedding social emotional learning, tobacco and vaping prevention awareness, and healthy alternatives to drugs and alcohol.

“We’re grateful for the partnerships we’ve built with organizations throughout Hawaii, especially those that support our keiki and provide them with the resources to build a healthy future,” said Greg Christian, Hawaii Market president, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals. “Good health doesn’t just happen at the doctor’s office, it happens in our community. Partnerships with the Boys and Girls Clubs and Adult Friends for Youth allow us to extend our reach through their meaningful work.”

About Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.6 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health.