![\"Tools-4-Tots](\"http:\/\/state.sbuhi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Tools-4-Tots-logo-1.png\"){kind=logo}
As we should all know, the 2013-14 school year begins for most Maui County schools on or about\u00a0August 5th, and\u00a0a quiet reality is that as many as 75 percent of Maui County elementary school students – kindergarten through 5th grade – report for their first day of school with little or none of the supplies that are required for their grade level. And more surprisingly, many don’t even have shoes.<\/p>\n
Regardless of their situations at home, our children deserve to have all of the tools that they need to begin a quality education. Our teachers do what they can and they deserve more credit than can be bestowed on them here, but our teachers cannot solve this problem by themselves. It is up to a caring community as a whole.<\/p>\n
A net result of our efforts last year revealed the sad and heart wrenching fact\u00a0that many of the children who are eligible for the various government programs that provide free or low-cost school lunches cannot even enter the cafeteria to eat lunch, due to federal requirements that they have footwear. Many of the principals\u00a0told us\u00a0that they try to maintain a supply of loaner slippers so that the children can have a decent lunch, but that the loaners are rarely returned because the child has no other footwear. This prevents other children from being able to borrow a pair of slippers so that they can go have lunch.\u00a0It was explained that\u00a0children then tend to take shifts and borrow one another’s shoes or slippers so they can eat. This revelation was both shocking and heartbreaking.<\/p>\n
The Maui County chapter of Street Bikers United Hawaii will be sponsoring the 2013 “Tools-4-Tots” school supply drive through August 30th.\u00a0 Last year through our “ground up \/ hands on” efforts, SBU raised over $6,000.00 and\u00a0was able to deliver fully stuffed age and gender appropriate back packs stuffed with supplies AND RUBBA SHOES to approximately 50 children on Molakai, 45 to Hana and over 300 throughout other areas of Maui with emphasis on the homeless shelters and public housing projects.\u00a0\u00a0 And while our efforts this year are not as robust as our efforts of 2012 were\u00a0due to logistical difficulties, this is an important cause\u00a0for our entire county and worthy of some measure of effort by all of us.\u00a0 SBU, a 501C-3 tax exempt organization, will distribute the funds directly to those shelters, families and other groups associated with the school supply drive effort.<\/p>\n
To make a tax deductible donation,\u00a0please visit our website or\u00a0mail a donation to SBU Maui, P.O. Box 532640, Kihei HI 96753.\u00a0 A printable receipt for your tax records will be provided.\u00a0 Please find it in your heart and your wallets to make a tax deductible\u00a0donation for our keiki’s sake today. After all, they are our future leaders and decision makers.\u00a0 Together, we can provide them the tools that they need to succeed.<\/p>\n
Ron Panzo, President
Street Bikers United Hawaii,
Maui County chapter<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As we should all know, the 2013-14 school year begins for most Maui County schools on or about\u00a0August 5th, and\u00a0a quiet reality is that as many as 75 percent of Maui County elementary school students – kindergarten through 5th grade – report for their first day of school with little or none of the supplies … <\/p>\n