Vision Statement
- Bring positive changes to underdeveloped communities through the core values of aloha and unity.
Mission Statement
- To help build a strong community through distributions of household goods, food, and clothing.
- To offer strong educational programs through networking with other members and agencies on Oahu.
- To offer assistance for those who are seeking employment opportunities, licensing, and housing.
OUr management team
executive director/ PRESIDENT
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Vice President
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Secretary
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treasurer
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Mākaha Community Center (MCC) stands as a non-profit organization with Christian values, established by the former Executive Director, Pastor Jeffrey Yamashita, on December 4, 2008. MCC was created to introduce educational, feeding, and occupational programs that offer equal opportunities to underprivileged students and communities. Initially, food and clothing distributions took place weekly on-site, but with time, construction efforts began on the property, leading to the suspension of MCC's services. The torch of MCC's vision was reignited in the summer of 2016 by the new Executive Director, Pastor Abigail Eli (Abbi), who officially reinstated the non-profit status on September 18, 2020. The following narrative details the inspiring story that breathed life back into Mākaha Community Center.
In the summer of 2016, Pastor Abbi took her 12 children to live among the homeless in the Pu'uhonua o Waianae village, one of the largest homeless encampments in Hawaii, situated at the Waianae Boat Harbor. During their two-month stay, they encountered three generations of homeless families coexisting in the same encampment. Abbi was dismayed to find that many teens were seldom attending school or had dropped out entirely, influenced by stigmatization and a lack of quality resources. Recognizing the urgent need for intervention, she vowed to prevent these teens from becoming the next generation of homeless individuals.
Upon returning home, Pastor Abbi immediately started working as a substitute teacher in Waianae, sparking a dream to establish a tutoring center for underprivileged students. She embarked on her college journey, earning a B.S. in Secondary Education with a Licensure in Mathematics. In August 2023, she was hired by the Department of Education as the Community Homeless Concerns Liaison for the Nanakuli-Waianae district, bringing her dream to fruition. Mākaha CC's tutoring services commenced, focusing on delivering quality education and stability to high-risk students, particularly those from homeless encampments, transitional shelters, and low-income housing.
Pastor Abbi revived Mākaha Community Center's vision within the confines of her living room, unwilling to wait for a building to be completed. She converted her living room into a makeshift tutoring center, lining the walls with desks and equipping it with used iMacs. The tutoring sessions began promptly, with children from homeless encampments walking two miles daily to partake in the sessions. The Eli family extended their outreach by picking up children from homeless encampments and transitional shelters. The center focused on completing homework and enhancing proficiency in typing, math, and reading, witnessing academic improvements in many students within a month.
Beyond tutoring, Mākaha Community Center actively engaged in collecting donations from across Oahu and distributing them to families in homeless encampments, transitional shelters, and low-income housing. Recognizing that unmet felt needs significantly impact a student's ability to focus on educational achievements, MCC prioritized addressing these needs to provide stability as a foundation for quality education.
In collaboration with Waianae Assembly of God, Mākaha CC transitioned from the Eli's living room to its current location at 84-123 Mākaha Valley Rd. on October 12, 2020. Committed to "Be The Change," Mākaha CC extends its impact to those living in poverty throughout Waianae, Hawaii. Currently, the center has served over 7,000 families across Oahu, demonstrating that together, positive change is possible.
In the summer of 2016, Pastor Abbi took her 12 children to live among the homeless in the Pu'uhonua o Waianae village, one of the largest homeless encampments in Hawaii, situated at the Waianae Boat Harbor. During their two-month stay, they encountered three generations of homeless families coexisting in the same encampment. Abbi was dismayed to find that many teens were seldom attending school or had dropped out entirely, influenced by stigmatization and a lack of quality resources. Recognizing the urgent need for intervention, she vowed to prevent these teens from becoming the next generation of homeless individuals.
Upon returning home, Pastor Abbi immediately started working as a substitute teacher in Waianae, sparking a dream to establish a tutoring center for underprivileged students. She embarked on her college journey, earning a B.S. in Secondary Education with a Licensure in Mathematics. In August 2023, she was hired by the Department of Education as the Community Homeless Concerns Liaison for the Nanakuli-Waianae district, bringing her dream to fruition. Mākaha CC's tutoring services commenced, focusing on delivering quality education and stability to high-risk students, particularly those from homeless encampments, transitional shelters, and low-income housing.
Pastor Abbi revived Mākaha Community Center's vision within the confines of her living room, unwilling to wait for a building to be completed. She converted her living room into a makeshift tutoring center, lining the walls with desks and equipping it with used iMacs. The tutoring sessions began promptly, with children from homeless encampments walking two miles daily to partake in the sessions. The Eli family extended their outreach by picking up children from homeless encampments and transitional shelters. The center focused on completing homework and enhancing proficiency in typing, math, and reading, witnessing academic improvements in many students within a month.
Beyond tutoring, Mākaha Community Center actively engaged in collecting donations from across Oahu and distributing them to families in homeless encampments, transitional shelters, and low-income housing. Recognizing that unmet felt needs significantly impact a student's ability to focus on educational achievements, MCC prioritized addressing these needs to provide stability as a foundation for quality education.
In collaboration with Waianae Assembly of God, Mākaha CC transitioned from the Eli's living room to its current location at 84-123 Mākaha Valley Rd. on October 12, 2020. Committed to "Be The Change," Mākaha CC extends its impact to those living in poverty throughout Waianae, Hawaii. Currently, the center has served over 7,000 families across Oahu, demonstrating that together, positive change is possible.
Where it all began....
family with 12 children live with homeless VOLUNTARILY
Seeing need all around them, here’s how one Hawaii family decided to act
