Easter Seals Hawaii will shut down its after-school and summer program for youths with disabilities at the end of the month for lack of long-term funding.
The Youth Enrichment Services program has just 11 students attending daily, but the numbers swell from 50 to 70 for day camps during spring and summer vacation, according to Ron Brandvold, Easter Seals president and CEO. It serves youths ages 6 to 22.
“It’s so regrettable, and it’s heartbreaking that we have to close this program,” Brandvold said in an interview. “The number isn’t great, but the impact on the lives of those who are receiving the service will be potentially significant.”
“The bottom line is there were not enough sustained funds for it,” he added. “We’re focusing our efforts on our core services, which are the early intervention services for newborns age
0 to 3 and for adult services over 22.”
About 1,100 babies and toddlers statewide receive those early intervention
services, while more than
1,200 people are enrolled in the Easter Seals adult programs, which foster life skills and social connections. The 70-year-old agency also has a robust employment program that helps adults with special needs find jobs, and it also has a program for people with autism.
“Our mission is to empower people with disabilities, with special needs, to achieve their goals and to live independent, fulfilling lives,” Brandvold said.
The youth program offers social and recreational activities including art, music, computers and games, as well as outings in the community. It is held at two sites, one on Punchbowl and one in Kapolei.
“It’s hard that it’s closing down,” said Sarah Man, whose 12-year-old daughter enjoyed attending YES with friends from Stevenson Middle School. “It was great — good people with big hearts who really care about our kids.”
Parents were told Feb. 20 that the program would shut down March 31. Some students may be eligible for one-to-one support, known as Personal Assistance/Habilitation, and others may be able to attend A+ after-school programs in public schools.
Families are scrambling to find alternatives and sharing information with each other about opportunities they find, Man said. “We’re all trying to figure it out together,” she said.
The YES program has been running for about 20 years. In 2014 Easter Seals received a $187,000 grant-in-aid from the City and County of Honolulu. It had hoped to use that to expand the youth program, which had 12 students enrolled at that time. But that did not happen, and the grant will lapse at the end of the month.
