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WHEREAS, from its inception and during its early years KEY Project operated from within area residences, old store fronts and other sites that preceded its current location, supported in part by the Aloha United Way, assisting the community in addressing social and planning concerns, the high incidence of drug abuse and school dropout rates, the lack of positive educational and recreational alternatives for youth;

WHEREAS, KEY Project has created and slowly expanded programs and services such as a teen canteen, vocational training, sponsorship of annual events for youth, special interest classes for young adults, a canoe club, the Na 'Opio dropout school, a summer fun program, a Mother's program, a federally funded after-school tutoring program, an off-campus tutorial learning center, a farm project, a food bank program and many others; and

WHEREAS, the KEY PROJECT continues, as it approaches its 40^th Anniversary, to fulfill its mission “to nurture and promote the cultural, environmental, social, economic and recreational well-being of the Kualoa-He'eia area by providing an indispensable grassroots civic resource that effectively serves the needs of our diverse community” operating from a multi-purpose center that opened in 1981, the result of a focused collaboration among government agencies and the community, led by many community leaders including Joe C. Harper; and

WHEREAS, KEY Project’s current inter-generational programs touch on a wide array of continuing community needs from its Early Childhood Learning/Parent Support Center to the Na Pua O Kahalu`u Senior Citizens Meals and Activity site and non-school hour positive activities for elementary and teen-aged youth that extend into the evening hours; and

WHEREAS, KEY Project’s multi-purpose facility continues to serve as an important crossroad and meeting place for organizations and services, in continual use for community meetings, information and referral services, tax assistance, food distribution, computer classes for adults and youth in collaboration with Castle High School and the Windward School for Adults, family celebrations and community events that, together, encourage positive networking, relationship-building and civic engagement to support Northern Ko`olaupoko, and brought together residents with elected officials, members of City and County agencies and State agencies to better understand and deal with the social, physical, and emotional impacts of crystal meth or "ice," and other social issues within the 96744 area of Kane'ohe Bay; and

WHEREAS, KEY Project has sponsored and helped to organize annual events that have become a part of the community fabric including an annual volunteer-driven Thanksgiving imu, in its 23^rd year, that raises money for a Higher Education Incentive Grant named after one of KEY Project's original organizers and founders, Randy Kalahiki, to encourage area residents to attend college or enroll in professional training programs; an annual Aloha `Aina recycling event each July; and on-going community stewardship and service-learning projects in Waihe`e and adjacent ahupua`a; and

WHEREAS, over the past four decades, the KEY PROJECT has provided a variety of much needed services that have improved the quality of life for so many; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, that the House of Representatives hereby commends and congratulates the KEY PROJECT for providing 40 years of service to the children, the elderly, and the families of Hawaii.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	328
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII