Friday, July 15, 2022 | Today's Paper | 82.067°
Aspen Taylor Hanohano created a visual representation of child victims/witnesses Brave Footsteps to talking about their experiencing by paving the path children walk from the street to the doors of the Children’s Justice Center in Hilo with slippers she collected.
In recognition of National Child Abuse Awareness Month, the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of East Hawaii (FCJCEH) and the Hawaii State Chapter of Children’s Justice Centers (HSCCJC) sponsored a slipper drive during the months of April and May.
In recognition of National Child Abuse Awareness Month, the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of East Hawaii (FCJCEH) and the Hawaii State Chapter of Children’s Justice Centers (HSCCJC) sponsored a slipper drive during the months of April and May.
Through the efforts of two key community partners, 850 pairs of slippers were collected. The slippers will be distributed by the FCJCEH to child victims of abuse/child witnesses to crime and their siblings through the Special Needs Request program and various child welfare related community agencies.
Aspen Taylor Hanohano, Miss Elementary America 6th Grade, gathered 750 pairs of slippers as part of her Brave Footsteps campaign.
The Brave Footsteps campaign was designed to bring awareness to child abuse and its effects on the community and keiki. The slippers collected represent the Brave Footsteps children take as they walk into the Children’s Justice Center to be interviewed as victims of child abuse or witnesses to domestic violence or other serious crimes. Hanohano received slippers from around Hawaii Island and even nationally.
An additional 100 pairs of slippers were collected by the Akaka Falls Lions Club.
Slippers were gathered from their membership, as well as through a community awareness event they sponsored at the Kinoole Farmers Market, where they were joined by representatives from the FCJCEH and Aspen Taylor.
The FCJCEH and HSCCJC are tremendously grateful for the support of these two community partners and all who contributed to caring for child victims of abuse in East Hawaii.