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Hands that help the classroom. 
Ready to Learn (R2L) provides keiki across with Hawaii - Grades K-12 - with basic school supplies needed for their education. The program is based on a simple concept: No child should have to go without the basic supplies that would make their educational experience worthwhile and productive. Many students would rather skip classes than return to school with the same used binders and backpacks from last year. They feel ashamed for having to go without the basic supplies and often have to endure constant ridicule from their peers. Continued blows to a child's self-esteem can be devastating. Each year, R2L partners with social service agencies across Hawaii and generous donors from the community to help prepare thousands of local children for the upcoming school year.
In 1999, Senator Daniel Inouye & his late wife Maggie Inouye first initiated the R2L program in collaboration with Helping Hands Hawaii. The program has become very successful over the years, and in 2005 Helping Hands Hawaii took over statewide administration of this initiative. R2L currently helps to provide school supplies for keiki on the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui.
With the support of the A&B Foundation, ABC Stores, American Savings Bank, Sam's Club, KITV4, KGMB9, and Central Pacific Bank, R2L helps over 12,000 students statewide each year.
How Can I Help?
Individuals, groups or businesses can organize a School Supply Driver to help support R2L. For more information and for help getting started, please call (808) 440-3812.
To make a monetary donation, please click on the PayPal link located at your upper right. All PayPal donations received between July 1 - July 31, 2010 will support the R2L program. You may also make a donation with the teller at any Central Pacific Bank location during this period - If you are on a neighbor island, donations made on your island will be restricted to benefit children locally in your community.
How Are Supplies Distributed?
To receive supplies from R2L, public and private social service agencies submit applications for their clients based on verified needs. Agencies that typically refer clients for help from R2L include: Catholic Charities Hawaii, The Salvation Army, Child & Family Service, Parents & Children Together, Queen Liliuokalani Children's Center, ALU LIKE, Inc., Hawaii Department of Health, Hawaii Department of Human Services and other reputable social service providers.
What Type of Supplies Are Needed?
R2L collects basic supplies, such as Crayons, Scissors, Glue, Folder Paper, Composition Books, Spiral Notebooks, Pencils / Pens, Rulers, Calculators, Portfolios, 2" 3-ring Binders and Backpacks.
Or a small monetary donation of just $8.00 can fill one backpack with basic supplies for a child in need.
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