About 5,000 new, award winning books were distributed to hundreds of Lahaina families through the inaugural First Book event at the Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary School cafeteria on Maui in August.
The giveaway was organized by the University of Hawaiʻi Professional Assembly (UHPA) in collaboration with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and First Book, a nonprofit dedicated to providing new books to children in need.
“With the generous support of AFT, we’re excited to be bringing the very first First Book event to our islands today, starting here in Lahaina to help families rebuild their lives and shape their own future,” said Christian Fern, UHPA executive director.
Compassion, aloha after a tragedy
Children were allowed to choose up to five books each, while families could take home a maximum of 20 books on a first-come, first-served basis. Among the books given out was Moʻo and Koholā by Lori Abreu, a touching story inspired by the Maui wildfires that emphasizes compassion and the power of aloha.
“Our goal is equitable education for all children,” said Fern. “We want to improve literacy, inspire creativity, and let Hawaiʻi youth discover new possibilities for their lives through books. Whether a family member reads to them, or they read to themselves, books spark the imagination in children.”
UHPA represents faculty across the University of Hawaiʻi’s 10 campuses, and recently joined forces with AFT, the largest higher education union in the U.S.
“Growing up, books were often my escape from whatever was going on in my life. They still are. Our Maui ʻohana has been through so much this past year, and seeing the smiles of our keiki and families as they received these books was truly heartwarming,” said U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, who attended the event. “I want to extend a warm mahalo to UHPA, AFT and First Book for sharing their aloha with the people of Maui. Today’s event was about so much more than handing out free books—it’s about giving our keiki a brighter future and offering hope to our families and community here on Maui.”
Fern said UHPA hopes to continue these efforts across the state, with the support of AFT.
