On Sept. 23, Nareit Hawaii presented a $40,000 grant to Hawaii Literacy, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, to start a new program helping families in some of Oahu’s most underserved communities to improve their reading comprehension and quality of life.
Nareit Hawaii’s grant will provide tablets and Chromebooks to 150 families free of charge for a one-year period, along with free broadband access. Language and cultural barriers combined factors like the COVID-19 pandemic, lack of transportation and malnutrition, have exacerbated the hardships for many families.
Nareit Hawaii Executive Director Gladys Quinto Marrone commented, “Literacy opens doors and builds independence that is experienced in everyday life. We are proud of how this new digital program will put the tools of education and information into the hands of families to make their lives better.”