Join us in making Hawaiʻi a better place for keiki
The Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network Community Champions for Children Membership Plan is a movement of people who share one goal: to make Hawaiʻi a great place to be a kid. We partner with families, policy makers, business leaders, preschools, and nonprofit agencies to ensure Hawaiʻi’s children are healthy, safe and ready to learn. With a unified voice, we speak for Hawaiʻi’s future.
Community Champion members come together each year to create a Children’s Policy Agenda, speaking with a unified voice for Hawaiʻi’s future. The proposed bills and resolutions represent the top priority issues of our Community Champion members. Under each initiative listed, there is a lead organization that serves as the primary point of contact for advocacy.
The Agenda is organized into the following categories affecting kids and families:
- Economic Security and Equity for Children
- Family Strengthening
- Health and Wellness
- Child Safety and Welfare
- Education
What is the Community Champions For Children Membership?
Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network (HCAN) has a proven track record in advocating for meaningful policies in early childhood education and development.
The Community Champions for Children Membership Plan offers our advocacy tools and resources to the nonprofit community and direct service providers. Members get timely information and easy-to-use tools they need to influence positive policies and investments for kids.
Become a member (free)
Meet our members
Our most recent successful initiatives
2022
- Improved the state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to make it fully available to the lowest-income parents.
- Obtained steady increases in the state minimum wage to reach $18 per hour by 2028.
- Established a statewide Early Childhood Workforce Registry in order to collect data on the state’s childcare workforce.
- Restored funding for the Preschool Open Doors childcare subsidy program
2021
- Started towards the state goal of providing all 3 and 4-year-olds with preschool by establishing a stipend program for early childhood educators. Also created a coordinator position to assist in the implementation of the goal.
- Secured funding for the state Family Planning Program to ensure that all people in Hawaiʻi have access to basic, preventive health care and education regardless of where they live, how much money they make, or if they have health insurance.
2020
- Required the Department of Education to establish a standardized data collection process for schools and complex areas to maintain records and report data to the department. The department will be required to submit an annual report to the legislature including data collected about student discipline, seclusion, restraint, and other information on students.
- Prohibited the suspension or expulsion of children participating in the Executive Office on Early Learning's Public Prekindergarten Program.
“Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network provides me with the advocacy tools I need to effectively advocate for the children and families we serve at Imua Family Services. HCAN is at the front lines, educating and informing on our families’ behalf. HCAN keeps me engaged in issues that are close to my heart as a nonprofit CEO and as the father of a 5-year old boy.”
- Dean Wong, Executive Director, Imua Family Services
How does it work?
- Membership term: one year, starting on the date you sign up
- Participate in the Children’s Policy Agenda
- Information is disseminated by email
Sign up as an individual member or organization member.