HONOLULU — Helping Hands Hawaii is hosting two Ready to Learn events at its Community Clearinghouse location to distribute school supplies to keiki on July 20 and 27.

Families will need to pre-register for either of the two days in order to receive a school supply kit for their keiki. Contact Helping Hands Hawaii at either rtl@helpinghandshawaii.org or call 808-536-7234 ext. 820.

Pickup times are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on both days at Helping Hands Hawaii at 2100 N. Nimitz Highway in Honolulu.

“We firmly believe that every child deserves a fair chance to succeed academically, and having the right school supplies is a critical part of that success,” Helping Hands Hawaii President and CEO Susan Furuta said in a release. “With the incredible support from our community, we are determined to ensure that no child feels ashamed or disadvantaged due to a lack of resources. Together, we can empower our students and build a brighter future for them and our community.”

Pre-registered families will receive a school supply kit containing a backpack, composition books, portfolios, folder paper, water bottle, pens, crayons, pencils and more.

Sponsorships by Honolulu Cookie Company and American Savings Bank, plus monetary and school supply donations from the community is enabling Helping Hands Hawaii to support at least 2,500 students across the state from kindergarten through high school.

Helping Hands Hawaii’s Ready to Learn program has provided school supplies to keiki for over 25 years. It helps to ensure keiki can return to school each year with new supplies and study alongside their peers without feeling ashamed or different. According to HHH, without proper support, students risk falling behind academically and may develop problematic behaviors that hinder learning and progress.

Sarah Yamanaka covers news and events for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.