Join us on Thursday, September 7, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. to hear the stories of our past participants, staff, and board members here at Palama Settlement. Four of the 16 narrators who were interviewed by Paula Rath, project director for the oral histories, will present brief clips and talks regarding their lives, as well as their involvement with Palama Settlement. Dr. Davianna McGregor, Director Emeritus of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Center for Oral History, will moderate the program, covering themes that connect communities in Hawai’i and build a sense of Hawai’i identity.
This event is open to the public. Palama offers free parking in back of the gymnasium. For more information, please call (808) 848-2530.
Join us on Wednesday, July 12th!
We invite you to join us for these two special events happening on our campus on Wednesday, July 12th.
3:30 p.m.
Witness as we seal the 2023 Palama Settlement Time Capsule, with notation that it should be opened in the year 2046, during the 150th Anniversary. The time capsule contains artifacts showcasing the history of Palama Settlement from the past 127 years.
4:00 p.m.
“May Peace Prevail On Earth” is translated in 16 different languages on the Peace poles that have been planted in our garden. Please join us in a presentation by the Rotary Club of Honolulu and our program participants of their “vision of peace”.
See you there!
Hoops 4 Hawaiʻi or H4H is Hawaiʻi’s first annual 24-hour Hoopathon partnering with local charities to help our keiki and those in need. This year’s H4H Hoopathon was hosted at Palama Settlement on June 17-18 and funds that were raised have gone directly to Ronald McDonald House Hawaiʻi and Palama Settlement. Mahalo nui, Hoops 4 Hawaiʻi , for your generous donation!
A big mahalo to Maui Divers Jewelry for the generous $50,000 donation to the Palama Settlement Tutoring Program!
As we slowly emerge from a pandemic that has forever changed our world, we look back on our own 125-year history and how Palama Settlement has always adapted for a community in need.
Palama Settlement was founded in 1896 as Palama Chapel. The infamous Chinatown fire of 1900 displaced thousands of people who needed healthcare, food, affordable housing, and jobs. Palama Settlement responded and created Honolulu’s first public health nursing program, educational and recreational programs, and a multitude of other important community services.
The recent COVID pandemic has been difficult on this community. But just like it has for the last 125 years, Palama Settlement remained focused on tackling the greatest challenges and needs.
Palama Settlement serves, on average, over 900 children, over 1,000 families, and over 400 seniors annually. During the pandemic, that number increased to over 6,500 served in one year. Palama Settlement’s campus serves as a haven for the residents of this community with programs and services designed to promote healthy and productive lives, including an emergency food pantry, after-school enrichment for children, morning wellness activities for seniors, and various athletic and educational activities for youth.
We are so grateful we are a world on the mend and given the opportunity to reopen our doors. 2022 was an eventful year as we commemorated our 125th Anniversary and continued to provide meaningful programs and services.
As 2022 comes to an end, we look forward to a year of new beginnings and renewed optimism for what 2023 will bring! Your gift is an investment in our communities and helps us serve those who need us most. We hope you will join us and be a part of Palama Settlement’s next 125 years.
Click here to leave your gift today!
APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED AND SPRING FOOTBALL SEASON HAS NOW BEGUN.
Mahalo to all of our participating families in this football season!
Palama Settlement
Digital Arts Department Spring 2023 Adult Classes
Adult Digital Literacy: Computer Basics
Digital Photography Class for Adults
Palama Settlement will present two digital classes for adults this upcoming spring semester. The Adult Digital Literacy: Computer Basics course aims to familiarize adults with computers, internet, and learning basic computer skills. The Digital Photography Class for Adults welcomes students who have basic camera knowledge and camera styles. Students will talk about photos, types of photography styles, and share their work and ideas for future projects.
To register or for more information, please contact Palama Settlement at (808) 848-2510 or via email at agustafson@palamasettlement.org.
Fill Out a Registration Form Online Here: https://forms.gle/HLEczt8sFMNQE71d6
Classes are fee but donations are welcome.
To donate, please visit: https://www.palamasettlement.org/donate/ – enter the amount they wish to give and write in the comment section “Digital Arts Participant.”
Applications for the 2023-2024 Palama Settlement Scholarships
will be available on January 3, 2023.
It’s been such an exciting year for Palama Settlement and yet there is so much more in the works for 2022! One of the highlights of our year came at the tail end as a group of University of Hawai‘i Architecture students presented their final group projects aimed at helping Palama Settlement improve its campus, accessibility, and public access for the entire community to enjoy.
The idea for this class project was initiated by Michael Bennett, former NFL star and humanitarian, along with Jasper Wong, founder and lead director of POW! WOW!. The two friends were discussing the lack of public facilities for the youth and elderly in the Kalihi/Palama area. They really wanted to help build a community gathering place in the area and felt Palama Settlement would be a great location. Since neither of the two are architects, Jasper Wong reached out to a good friend, Bundit Kanisthakhon, who is both an architect and professor.
Under the direction of Professor Kanisthakhon, his class Arch 490 explored the idea of inclusive design to help make our environment usable and friendly for everyone. The mission was to integrate the programmatic needs of Palama Settlement with design generated in this class to achieve safe, convenient, and appealing environments without barriers for people from the community. It will also help foster the awareness of both natural and built environments not only within the Palama Settlement campus but also the neighboring areas. Students were encouraged to identify problematic areas and to come up with empathetic design solutions. They were also encouraged to explore various ways to enhance the sense of community through creative design approaches with arts and architecture. The long-term goal is to implement some of these ideas into Palama Settlement’s campus in the near future.
Mahalo to Jasper Wong, Michael Bennett, and Bundit Kanisthakhon for your creative thinking and compassion in these first steps to making Palama Settlement more accessible to everyone in the community!
The Palama Settlement Digital Arts Academy Receives Grant from The Creative City
Honolulu, HI—Palama Settlement’s Digital Arts Academy headed by POW! WOW! founder and lead director, Jasper Wong, received a generous and timely $8,000 grant from The Creative City, according to Anna Stone, program administrator for Palama Settlement. The inaugural class of the Digital Arts Academy included 15 high school students, some who do not own an iPad, and needed to borrow devices from the Palama Settlement learning center to complete their projects.
The generous grant was used to purchase new iPads for the Digital Arts students, which is integral to the students’ creative aspirations. “It is important that students have the freedom and confidence to express their creativity. Having their own iPad that they can take home, and use beyond the classroom, affords a complete experience with digital arts,” said Karen Chang Blangiardi, founder of The Creative City.
“Words can’t express our sincere gratitude to Karen Chang and The Creative City for this generous gift,” said Anna Stone. “Our Digital Arts students are so talented. This grant will ensure they now have the proper tools to share their creativity with the world.”
“When I was child my parents owned a shop near Farrington High School, so this neighborhood has always been near and dear to my heart. I know what an art and technology school at Palama Settlement could do for this community that is overflowing with talented youth that may not have the proper tools that could take their talent to the next level,” said Jasper Wong. “I am so grateful for The Creative City for jumping in to support the aspirations of my art students.”
The Creative City is dedicated to providing leadership and resources to grow O’ahu into a place where culture and arts play a major role in delivering quality of life for everyone. The Creative City strives to increase access to and opportunities in the arts, as well as create a sustainable creative ecosystem for our island community. The Creative City fund is managed by the Hawai’i Community Foundation, with distribution of funds stewarded by The Creative City fund advisors. For more information, visit www.thecreativecity.org.
Established in 1896, Palama Settlement is a nonprofit, community-based social service agency serving the Kalihi and Palama neighborhoods. Palama Settlement offers a wide range of educational, recreational, athletic, cultural, social, health, and community building programs and services for children, youth, adults, and senior citizens. Palama Settlement’s mission is to partner with those who have the greatest needs in the community, empowering them to enhance their well-being through health, education, and recreation. For more information, visit www.palamasettlement.org.