• Chancellor Message: Community Coming Together to Help with Eruption Impacts

    June 25, 2018
    As the eruption of Kilauea continues, our hearts go out to all those whose lives have been disrupted by this natural disaster. It’s tragic to see residents lose their homes, to see businesses losing customers, and to know that so many of our neighbors’ lives have quickly become so difficult.
     
    The eruption began at the very end of our academic year at Hawai‘i Community College, and our thoughts and actions quickly focused on helping students, faculty and staff finish the year successfully. We worked closely with UH Hilo in our planning and were able to respond to needs as they arose.
     
    As the eruption continues to unfold, we continue to take action to ensure it doesn’t prevent our students from succeeding. In the normal course of events, students often encounter challenges that lead them to leave college before graduation. We try to prevent this because we want students getting the education and earning the degrees and certificates that will help them lead successful lives. The eruption has the potential to add a new layer of difficulty for students, depending on their circumstances.
     
    To be prepared, we are gathering information and resources to help students if they are affected. We are:
     
    • Pursuing scholarship opportunities for students affected by the lava.
    • Developing an emergency aid fund that can help with a variety of student needs.
    • Providing information around natural disasters and student support services like financial aid.
    • Creating communications strategies so students, faculty and staff are aware of the resources available.
     
    Hawai‘i Community College is always committed to student success, and when events like this happen, we rally to support.
     
    Partnership with Salvation Army
     
    When disasters hit, there’s much tragedy, but they can also bring out the best in people as they respond with tremendous generosity and care for their neighbors. The outpouring of generosity and the desire to help since the eruption began is a reminder that we live in a special place where aloha is practiced every day.
     
    It’s been heartening to see members of the Hawai‘i CC ‘ohana making contributions. Among the contractors who mobilized to help build temporary shelters, for example, were several contractors who learned their trade in Hawai‘i CC’s construction programs.
     
    Our Agriculture and Culinary Arts programs have also partnered with the Salvation Army to help prepare meals for those who are staying at the shelters in Keaau and Pahoa. Two of our Culinary Arts instructors are working long hours preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner three days a week for approximately three hundred people.
     
    Several food vendors and other organizations have generously donated items to be used in the meals. This includes Bite Me Sportfishing in Kona, which was highlighted in a West Hawaii Today article.
     
    In addition, our Agriculture program harvested produce that was planted during the spring semester; planted more lettuce; and will soon be planting other vegetables to be used in the meals prepared by the Culinary Arts program. And Hawai‘i CC’s Planning, Operations and Maintenance department is assisting with the delivery of meals from the Hilo campus to the shelters.
     
    There are so many people and organizations helping out during this disaster, and the Hawai‘i Community College ‘ohana is pleased to be able to use some of the resources we have available to contribute to this effort.
     
    As the eruption continues, we look forward to working within our campus and with our partners to do what we can to help students and the wider community in this time of need.
     
    Aloha,
    Chancellor Rachel Solemsaas