Bringing gifts and holiday joy to area teens and young children, Catholic Charities Hawaii (CCH), Hilo TARGET Store, and various first responder agencies held its fourth annual “Heroes and Helpers” event this morning.
This year’s event at the Target Hilo store had a total of 50 young participants. With this year’s focus primarily with keiki and youth residing in the Hilo district, this special event brings much needed joy during the holidays, while fostering positive relationships between the youth and the officers and other first responders.
The children were partnered with members of the Hawaii Police Department, Hawaii Fire Department, Hawaii Air and Army National Guard, DLNR, and other agencies. Each youth was given a $125 Target gift card made possible through donations from Catholic Charities Hawaii, Target Corporation, and others listed below. Community volunteers also gift-wrapped the items selected by the children:
Heroes:
- Hawaii Police Department – HPD
- Hawaii Fire Department – HFD
- Hawaii Air National Guard
- Hawaii Army National Guard
- State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR)
- Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
- State Sheriffs Office in Hilo
- County of Hawai‘i Office of the Prosecuting Attorney
Helpers / Volunteers:
- Target Stores
- Catholic Charities Hawaii
- Hawaiian Electric
- Starbucks
- Hawaii Police Department
- County of Hawai‘i – Office of the Prosecuting Attorney
- State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR)
- Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
- HCC ADN Nursing Cohort of 2025
- Big Island Medical Reserve Corps
Donors:
- Target Stores
- Catholic Charities Hawaii
- State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO)
- Veterans of Foreign Wars Hilo Post 3875
- Punalu’u Bakery
- Starbucks
- JeiAngel Digital Design
