Twenty-six years ago, Kailua resident Kathie Wells was sitting in her kitchen reading the morning paper when she came across an article titled “The Crumbling of our Public Schools.”
The story highlighted the limited funding and resources available to campuses across the Hawaiʻi Department of Education, which in some cases made teachers use their own money to support their classrooms.
“It frustrated me because I was involved in the schools and I saw how hard-working the teachers and volunteers were,” Wells said to HPR. “I thought to myself, 'Why doesn't someone do something?' and then my little voice said, 'Why don't you do something?'”
That's how Community Helping Schools started in 2000.
In conversations with fellow community members, school volunteers and campus staff, she realized most people wanted to help, but did not know how.
"We offer them that opportunity to help, in an easy, low or no-cost way," she said. "And they are so happy and thrilled to do so. It's just a joy all the time."
At the beginning of every school year, Wells sends out a wishlist template to schools across Oʻahu for teachers to request any and all supplies they need for their classrooms, clubs or aspiring plans. When the lists are sent back to her, Wells and her team of volunteers start reaching out to their community partners to see who can donate resources.
Beyond regular school supplies, people have donated atypical items, including golf clubs, sewing machines, gardening tools, and a $10,000 musical organ — all of which have been used by schools across Oʻahu.
In return, the teachers and students are only asked for one thing: a written thank-you note.
“I've gotten some thank-yous from teachers that just bring tears to my eyes,” she said. “People forget to say thank you these days a lot of times because they're so busy.”
She has three overflowing boxes of thank-you notes written to her and her fellow volunteers over the past two decades.
“Thank you for all the support you have given us and for the new books,” a 2016 note from an elementary schooler reads. “Because of you, now we can read as a class in literature circles. Now, instead of watching movies, we can read books. Thank you for making learning better.”
At the peak of its efforts in 2012, CHS reached over 90 schools. Wells explained that the program only works when there are enough volunteers to reach all corners of the island. Over the past few years, because of fewer volunteers, the group has dedicated its focus to the east side of Oʻahu, providing wishlists and resources to about 30 schools across the windward area.
Everything about the program is volunteer-based — the group's website, the legal services to establish CHS as an official 501(c)(3), the warehouse where the supplies are kept year-round, the vans to transport equipment and everything in between have been donated from various companies, nonprofits, and individuals over the years to support CHS's mission.
Around the start of each school year, CHS hosts its annual garage sale in Kailua, which brings in most of the group's funding. This is used to purchase wishlist items that have not found a match through donations.
Wells' front lawn houses the brunt of the sale, including items like household goods and decorations, books, clothing, and electronics, as well as more exclusive, rare items like a Husqvarna sewing machine that was featured this year.
Patricia Yee, a volunteer with CHS since its inception, is Wells' next-door neighbor who uses her yard for the bigger pieces, like furniture and paintings. She said it's been a privilege to form connections with people over the years, and she loves seeing the "regulars" who come to every garage sale.
“We have so many retired teachers who come to support our cause because they know how it is as a teacher trying to do their best for their students,” Yee said.
She added that most of the CHS volunteers are an “aging group” and she would love to see younger folks step in to fill their shoes.
“Even though we love helping out, it's ultimately for the schools and the students, so it would be good to have a bunch of young people come out because it’s for a good cause,” Yee said.
Residents from all across the island can reach out to the Community Helping Schools team through its Facebook page. Items can be donated year-round.
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