HMSO helps Santa at Family Programs Hawaii holiday event

Front Row: Santa, Alison Kim

Back Row: Alicia Duffin, Steven Lum, Brandon Masuoka, CJ Leong, Kendra Oishi, Roy Nihei, Elsielyn Singson, Jason Young and Melanie Black

This past Saturday, December 3rd, 2011, the elves at the House Majority Staff Office volunteered their time to make the holiday season brighter for the children who are part of Family Programs Hawaii (FPH). Along with Santa and many others, FPH puts on the annual event to bring foster children and their families together at Christmastime for a holiday meal, gifts, rides and entertainment. About 2,000 foster children were in attendance at the Neal Blaisdell Exhibition Hall.

FPH is a social service agency in Hawaii that helps about 4,000 children and their families in the child welfare system. They provide services designed to help prevent children from needing to go into foster care, and they assist those transitioning out of foster care.

The HMSO team volunteered to do beverage service. (I wonder if they knew it was just juice and water when they signed up for that?) They also helped with the clean-up.

Mahalo Team HMSO for thinking of others less fortunate during the holidays, and for helping to keep the Aloha Spirit alive at this special time of year!