How did Ohana Hygiene come to be ?
- ohanahygieneprojec
- Apr 4
- 2 min read
Many notice, but not enough are willing to do.
This is the spark that fueled our fire of Ohana. When my family visited Oahu in January it was painful to see, knowing if I was going to be homeless, I think I’d probably choose to be there too.
When we returned home I reached out to a few agency’s on the island and they all referred back to the housing cost, mental illness and drugs or alcohol abuse.
Why was I so concerned about the crisis when in my own back yard, it’s the same picture minus the beautiful ocean scene.
A few weeks later I saw a family from my home town being dutiful and preparing bags so I reached out because I had to know what in the world they were doing.
She told me their church had a fund that had to be used towards children so they were helping out putting care bags together for them.
The fire was smoldering at this point.
She encouraged me to do the same in my community.
I didn’t know what I was doing , only that I needed to do.
And that is when Ohana Hygiene Project Nh came to life.
My strong belief in safe, non-toxic products is another piece that I firmly stand upon.
If we are going to provide someone with personal care products it’s our mission to ensure they are receiving products that arnt going to cause hormonal imbalance, cancer, skin irritation and respiratory issues to name a few.
I was a few days into my digging when I first saw the name McKinney Vento Act.
This is a brief description of what exactly McKinney Vento Act is and why we felt called upon to serve these children.
The McKinney-Vento Act in New Hampshire is a federal law ensuring that children and youth experiencing homelessness—including those sharing housing due to hardship ("doubled-up"), in motels, or in shelters—have immediate access to public education, transportation, free school meals, and academic support, with specialized liaisons in every district, such as the SAU#6 Homeless Liaison or the SAU 29 McKinney-Vento Liaison.
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Key Rights and Protections in NH:
Immediate Enrollment: Students can start school immediately, even if they lack required documents like immunization records, proof of residency, or school records.
School Stability: Students may stay in their "school of origin" (the school they attended when stably housed) and receive transportation, even if they move outside the district.
Support Services: Free school meals, transportation, and assistance with school supplies and extracurricular activity fees are provided.
Definition of Homelessness: Covers children who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including those "doubled up" with others due to economic loss.
Dispute Resolution: If a dispute arises over school enrollment or placement, students have the right to attend the school of choice while the dispute is settled.
I look forward to serving more children across New Hampshire as we develop more partnerships and sponsors.
Thank you for giving your time.
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