BRIGHT SPOT #2: KEALAKEHE HIGH'S KOKUA CLOSET
“If we can give, we should give, and that is what the Kōkua Closet is all about.”
While you can’t walk in for now, the Kōkua Closet is open for giving and taking. It was launched earlier this year to provide clothing, school supplies, food, toiletries, and more for Kealakehe High School students and families – no questions asked.
Kōkua Closet is run by the school’s Parent-Community Networking Coordinator Cassi Vigil-Alip, an alumni in her second year on staff. In her work, meeting community and family needs is key. In order to meet needs in these extraordinary times, she moved quickly to set up an online storefront where patrons can privately browse and arrange pickup. “We do what we can for the kids, because they are always the core of our focus. Anything that helps the community, helps them, and vice versa,” said Cassi. In keeping with the school’s emphasis on a sense of community, school staff can also request items on students’ behalf if they notice someone could use some kōkua.
To address food needs since the end of free summer grab-n-go meals for all students – as well as the complications of picking up separate meals for families with keiki in different schools, food is always on-offer. Apart from the online storefront, Kōkua Closet also distributes fresh produce when it is available. Kōkua Closet has been especially blessed by Honaunau Market, which recently donated a large amount of farm-fresh bananas. Fresh produce is an important complement to shelf-stable food items.
Since opening, there has been an outpouring of donations from families, teachers, and community. However, some people find it difficult to take advantage of those donations. We want to change that mindset. As Cassi put it: “Everybody needs something sometimes.” The Kōkua Closet is based on a community mindset of giving when you can and taking when you need. This spirit of generosity and reciprocity has helped Hawai‘i through many hard times. It is time to normalize accepting help as well as offering it.
While Cassi runs the Kōkua Closet on her own, she would like to shout-out the many school staff that support her and her work. The administration team, office staff, Student Activities Coordinator Jim Young, and EL Coordinator Maurianne Nohejl are instrumental in her day-to-day work, generously sharing space and encouragement. Cassi also credits the atmosphere on campus and the receptiveness of the staff to new ideas. She feels grateful to be working at her alma mater, where teachers like David Huitt and recently retired Linda Boranian inspired her to try her best to make a difference for everyone.
If you would like to donate to the Kōkua Closet, scroll to the end to see a flyer of the items they would find most useful. If you could use some kōkua, don’t feel ashamed to get a little help.
If you’d like to learn how to set up your own Kōkua Closet, email Cassi Vigil-Alip, Kealakehe High Parent-Community Networking Coordinator, at cassandra.vigil-alip@k12.hi.us
The Kōkua Closet storefront can be found on the Parent-Community Networking Coordinator webpage at https://www.khswaveriders.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1608915&type=d&pREC_ID=1738576
Keep up-to-date with Kealakehe High school at khswaveriders.org, Instagram: @khswaverider
