 Welcome to Ask the Crossroads. I am your host, Tisha King. Thank you for joining me today where we have conversations that are real and relevant. Today is no different. I'm very, very excited about our topic today. During this wonderful holiday season as we jump off with Thanksgiving coming up just this week, 2019, how exciting it is to give thanks. Today we have with us someone who knows all about giving and we're going to talk to her in just a minute, but we're tying it in with our homeless situation right here in Honolulu, Hawaii. As of January 2018, Hawaii had an estimated 6,500 homeless people. So we are talking about nearly 10,000 who are houseless. Some are the working poor, some have mental health issues, but all have needs. And today's guest helps to meet those needs in a very practical way. And it just so happens that this month is the month when most of us think about giving and giving to others as well as our friends and family. Well, today we're going to talk to the co-founder of It Takes a Village, Carol Reynolds. So join me in welcoming Ms. Carol Reynolds. Aloha. Aloha, honey. It's so good to see you today. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you for being here. Thank you. It is an opportunity for us to share some of what you're doing with It Takes a Village. So why don't you tell us how did you get started with this organization of yours? So, actually, we started off as a mentorship program. In 2000, we brought it back to Hawaii in 2011. But before that, in 2000, my husband and I were stationed, he was stationed in Maryland. And I was teaching at elementary school, at a grade school, middle school. And some of the children asked for help. They said, we need a step team. We need an after-school program or something like that. So six children came to my classroom and I figured, well, sure, I could do that. In Maryland. In Maryland. So you started an after-school program in Maryland to help students who saw it. Students who saw you out. They came to me. Actually, they wanted to start a step team. Okay. And they didn't have one at their middle school. And I said, I don't know how to step, but I will find someone who can. Now, we should mention that for our viewers who may not know, a step team is what, exactly? It is actually the tradition of most of the Greek fraternities and sororities. It is older than that, of course. It's an African tradition of sharing dance and telling stories in the African American culture. Okay. And the colleges had, you know, adapted that program or that style of dancing and performing and showcasing their talents. And that's what, and they have competitions, you know, in schools and things like that. So middle school children wanted to be a part of that. They wanted to learn that. So I reached out to a couple of the sororities and fraternities. And I thought it was just going to be six children. Okay. 100 children showed up. Now, stop right there. You started with the idea of six children. Six children. Just going to learn to step. I can do some, you know, school events, do some after school or at lunchtime when they have the little things doing on. 100 children showed up. And I'm like, well, how are we going to manage 100 children? I reached out again to our Masonic family. My husband was a Mason and we reached out to the family. And it was also an African American Heritage Committee group on the base of Fort Meade. Okay. Fort Meade in Maryland. And they jumped in to help. They said, well, sure, we'll help. Well, of those 100 children, of course, the principal had his specific idea of who should be able to step and what the criteria were going to be. And of course it was, if you have good grades, you can step. But I didn't like that because the children who didn't have good grades needed the confidence boosters. They needed someone to believe that they can do something. So I said, no, we will keep them all. If they do not keep their grades up, then they'll be cut from the team. Sounds good. Well, some of the children realized after stepping was hard. So they said, Miss Carol, can we have a choir? Huh. So we created a choir. Amazing. One of the young fellas said to me, he says, my brother is a black belt. Can I start a karate team? And I'm like, well, sure. So we went to a local dojo. Dojo? We went to a local dojo and he donated the clothing and we started a karate team. Wow. We had, then of course, as an academic, as a teacher, I said, look, we have to have some sort of after-school lesson. You must be learning something else. So we had math club, we had English club, and of course we were in the heart of culture. Yes. So they had to be a history, an African-American history club or group. And we were able to take the children to the monument. We took them to the African museum. Oh, wow. Some of them were the first time they'd ever been on a train. And so the program grew from there. I had lots of support, lots of help. But we were active duty. So that means we were leaving soon. Oh, my. And I left it in charge of a few people. But those children eventually went on to high school and it wasn't well supported after that. So it lasted for about five years. It's still really good. We were actually even awarded the Martin Luther King Drum Major Award in Maryland. Wonderful. I got some city-sized stations and, you know, awards and things like that. So when we came to Hawaii, I met with some other women who were doing these luncheons in Women's History Month. I went to a luncheon. Now, what year did you arrive here? We got here, I want to say, in 2004. Okay. So 2004, you were here? 2004. We got to Hawaii. My husband got stationed here. Okay. That was the second time. We were here in the 1990s. Oh, goodness. So your history with Hawaii runs very deep. Very deep. I love it. Actually, in the 1990s, I have a title here. Oh, what is your title? I am Mrs. Nubian Hawaii. 1996. Nubian Hawaii. Yes. Guys, you heard it here first. We have Mrs. Nubian Hawaii from 1996. Yes, ma'am. The beautiful Miss Carol Reynolds. Who knew? Oh, my goodness. So we came back the second time around. Of course, I love community involvement. So I wanted to get back into doing something for the community. So at this particular event, I realized there were only active duty young women. If it's a luncheon about educating women about, you know, history of women, we have to reach back. Yes. We and I can't keep telling the same story to each other. We have to reach somebody else. That's right. So I said, well, where are the young people? Who are you talking to? Who are you inviting? I said, well, what do you want to do? I said, we need to reach the high schooler. Okay. We need to do something there. And so I said, well, let's have a pageant. Okay. So we created the empowerment women's pageant in the month of March to celebrate women's history month. Yeah. And we did that for five years. Okay. We graduated about 25 women total over those five years. I mean, everybody came through the winners and some of the students stayed with us. Yeah. And I just wanted to tell you about in Maryland, I followed, we kept 35 children of that program, stayed with us as part of our mentorship program. I see. So you had a mentorship program in Maryland for approximately five years. And during that time, you were able to graduate about 35 children. All the way through college. All the way through college. Starting in middle school. Starting in eighth grade. Wow. That's a beautiful thing. Yes. And Facebook allowed us to keep in touch. Amazing. And because before that it was Yahoo. Yeah. We're really dating ourselves now. We really are. And the writing letters. Yahoo and Myspace, yeah. And I didn't even have, so a lot of them were handwritten letters, you know, all the handwritten notes. Handwritten notes. So this was some of the, you know, I sent home to the parents. Oh, my goodness. All my permission slips and things like that. We had to handwrite them out on photocopies. Oh, wow. But they stayed in touch with you. They stayed in touch with me. And sent letters and mail and e-mail. To keep in touch with them, you know. And that's how you know 35 students who were in your program went all the way to and through college. Right. That's a feat in and of itself. I tell you, it was amazing. Yeah. So we came here, we did the pageants here and one of my truths is that I started the program here because my daughter was going into middle school. I was, I taught middle school in Maryland. Yeah. I knew the environment. Yes. I needed to make sure that the people she had around her were the people I approved of. Exactly. I want to tell you, I teach middle school currently and when my children were in middle school, I'll say my first born, I would ask her every day if she'd lost her mind. I just don't know. I think it's a true thing. Things happen in middle school. Their hormones change. They have a little bit more independence. And so you kind of need to participate in their life very closely. It sounds like you've done. So let's fast forward. So you got involved here in Hawaii approximately 2004 and you started this program and an effort to stay involved with your own children, but also to help a greater part of the community. A greater part of it. Okay. And so my daughter graduated and I decided I did what I was supposed to do. And you're done. That's it. No more. No more. I'm just going to go back to teaching. I was teaching third grade. Decided to know. And then I got invited to a senior center for Christmas celebration. Okay. And they kept asking for things. Oh, can we have a pamper day? Can you come back and do this? Can you come back and do that? And I was like, well, sure. And at the senior center, someone said, are we going to feed the homeless? Would you like to help? Help. Okay. And I met a gentleman by the name of Kapua. Kapua. Kapua Tani. He is the volunteer coordinator at the next health center. And what year was that? That was 2011. Okay. All right. And the rest is history. And the rest is history. Well, it can't be history because that's what you're talking about. But I love how this started in a very organic way where you were back in 2000, whatever, working in Maryland to help in the community and reaching out beyond your own family is something that doesn't seem like it's new to you. I have a few pictures that I want to share. We're going to put up, first of all, your organization, is it a nonprofit organization? It is a community nonprofit organization. And show that again, or it takes a village. Okay. This is a community nonprofit. And it takes a village Hawaii because there are many, it takes a village. So it takes a village Hawaii. Right. Yeah. Now, why is it, why do we distinguish that it's a community nonprofit? Because we are not 501C3. I do not get money from the state. So where do you get your funding? From the beautiful hearts of my volunteers. Beautiful. And right now, the chapel, actually Hickam Chapel at the base, they are one of my, lack of a better word, sponsors. Okay. They have adopted the program as part of our community program in the chapel. I love that. And they sponsor two of the meals every month. All right. So let's take a look at some of the pictures of some of your sponsor or some of your volunteers. Yes. And we'll see this group of wonderful people. They look like they're having a good time. We had a blast right there. That's the young lady in the picture, the one in the back actually. She is the owner of Werner's embroidery here in Hawaii. And she is a wonderful supporter of our program. She donates dishes. If I need something embroidered, she will support. Beautiful. In our next picture, in our next picture, our next group, this group here. Right. And this group are some of the men of the Masonic Lush. That's my husband, Wayne, the back. Okay. And so they had just come from a meeting. See some of them in bow ties and suits and stuff. And they just came right over. They look very formal to serve dinner. In our next picture. Okay. Right. And these are some of my church family and Rotarians also. Also, you're a member of the Rotary. I am a member of the Hickam Pearl Harbor. Rotary. I'm a Rotary member as well. I know. That's wonderful. And our next picture. Okay. And these are one of, this is one of the sororities that always support. Okay. Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority supports. Okay. Wonderful. And is there one more? Oh, look at that large group. Yes. And actually this was denied that my Rotary Club actually sponsored. And we also do toiletry bags every year. I do them every three months. I see. We collect soaps, soaps, soaps, shampoos, and we do. I call it purses with a purpose. Oh, I love it. Yes. So a lot of people have different ways that they give. And when we come back from our break, we're going to talk about how people can get. And then you want to give a special thank you. I do. So wonderful. So you've been watching at the Crossroads where we're having a wonderful discussion with the lovely Carol Reynolds, co-founder of It Takes a Village, Hawaii. She's been doing a great job. And when we come back, we're going to continue right after this. Hawaii Energy. The Hawaii Energy Policy Forum. Hawaiian Electric Company. Integrated Security Technologies. Galen Ho of BAE Systems. Kamehameha Schools. MW Group Limited. The Schindler Family Foundation. The Sydney Stern Memorial Trust. Polo Foundation. Yoriko J. Sugimura. Thanks so much to you all. And welcome back to After Crossroads. I am your host, Keisha King. And today we want to say thanks for giving. And that thank you is coming from Carol Reynolds, co-founder of It Takes a Village, Hawaii. So welcome back, Carol. Thank you. It is such a pleasure to talk with you about your community nonprofit organization and how you all give back to the homeless and you do this by way of feeding them. And people usually sign up. I know that's how it works for me. And how can others get involved? For example, anyone who's watching right now, why don't you look right here at this camera and let them know how they can get involved to support you. Well, we have a Facebook page. It Takes a Village, Hawaii. And you can send me a message. I usually have a calendar of dates that are available that usually I get from the next step shelter as to when a meal is needed. And you have to be willing to prepare, to purchase, to prepare and serve the food. I will usually show up to help you to show you what the ropes are, how things are done, or even some of the volunteers at the shelter. Come out and help. And really, that's it. That's what you need to do. Just be willing. So that's so easy. So go to your website, which is It Takes a Village, Hawaii. VillageHawaii.com.org. No, it's a Facebook page. It's on the website. Okay, perfect. Even better. So go to your Facebook page. It Takes a Village, Hawaii. Send the message and say, I want to help. That's it. I want to help. There are so many different organizations that do so many great things in the community. I've spent this year trying to talk to as many as I possibly could to get the word out to say, this is what's being done in our community and this is how you can help. I wonder, is there a larger network or nonprofit that organizes all the nonprofits to know who's doing what, when, where, and how? Have you heard of anything like that? Actually, a couple of years ago, I actually did work when Governor Abercrombie was in the seat. There is a workforce program that, but I think most of them were 501C3. So they were getting money from the state. So they were accountable to the state for how much money they spend, where they spend it, how much they spend on each plate. I think that was one of the requirements. You had to set it, you know, what you were giving the people and things like that. So if you are a 501C3, you would already kind of know how to do that. If you are not a 501C3, there are many other programs. There is, I think it's called the Vaaloha program. I think her name is Christine. She does wonderful stuff in the community. As far as other organizations that I actually work with, I am a part of the Masonic family here on the island. The Order of the Eastern Stars and the Masons. And as a community, we do a lot of programs also in Hawaii. So they also, they have adopted schools which we donate school supplies to. They do car washes. They even have some of the women in need shelter with their program. We provide baskets for Thanksgiving and Christmas. So, I mean, all you have to do is ask somebody. Everybody can help. As long as your hands are open, you have the opportunity to give and bless someone else. And that's the beautiful thing. It feels so good to give. And I try to express that so often is that when you are giving to others, you feel good, which is not being tipped. It's usually secondary. But you walk away feeling like you were the recipient of the greatest blessing. Yes, yes. My father used to say that you must never pray. You know, people talk to do this to pray, right? He says, but that's a closed hand. How can God give you something if your hands are closed? He said, so pray with your hands open. People can take what they need. Somebody will always give you what you need. I love that. I love that. Thank you so much for sharing that. So now, we heard about the, you just mentioned someone who is sponsoring two meals for you all. Yes, Hickam Chapel. So I know you want to give them a special shout out and thank you. I would love to thank my church family. Hickam Chapel, her name was Chaplain Hugley. She was the first one who said, let's eat the homeless. So let us be a part of that. So I have a total of about 50 volunteers, 50 after volunteers that at any moment, you know, are part of it. They go out and five or six times a month. They help doing something in the community. Collecting clothing or eating the homeless. So I would like to give a special thanks out to my church family. Chaplain mentioned, Chaplain Shawn mentioned. He's loving Chaplain at the Hickam Chapel and really the one who has to sign up and say, yes, you can do this. But then there's Sergeant Rodriguez, there's Adela, there's Miss Donna Moorfield, Chaplain Rowe, the whole family, everyone there specifically. I would love to thank. The volunteers, happy Thanksgiving, not Merry Christmas yet, but happy Thanksgiving to you all. All of the sororities, members of the Lynx, Sandra Sims, and Carolyn, these are just women who just you know, I just have to I just have to wave and they come and support me. The Delta is, Libra is no longer an island, but that's my girl. But all of the sororities, I want to pick anyone out in particular, but all of the sororities, all of the fraternities, all of the Masonic families, you, Kisha, Kisha did a Facebook post and called me out and called out for support. That's what I mean. It called out for support and people showed up. They did. I just love it. I have my women's group, women to women, just everyone, everyone who over the years have a heart. There's one particular woman, she's no longer on the island, but her name is Maxine, called her Mama Maxine. She has the heart, she truly has the heart of a servant and her daughter Alicia now sent her the Lynx so she can share it. They now live in Texas. She has been my driving force. Every time I want to do something, I don't want to do something. I want to do something about it. You will say get up Carol and go do it. Keep moving. That's the thing. I think that it's beautiful people like you and Maxine who have that heart to do for others in a very practical and realistic way meeting their basic needs. Shelter and clothing. I do have one special thank you to the other half Mr. William T. Reynolds III. I couldn't do any of this without him. I was talking to a gentleman outside, and he says, how do you, how are you going to afford to do all of this? I said, I just know what my blessings are. I have two wonderful children, Malika and Gabrielle, who, they were raised this way. And so I love to see them do it in the community and go back out there and give also. And I can call them at any moment. I'm still mama. That's right. But they do it because they want to, not because they have. So I would express special thank you to them. I think that's wonderful. Since you mentioned your daughter earlier, and being closer to her in middle school, probably guided her so that she could make better choices or good choices for friends. But I think also having parents who give in the way that you give and support others in the community also makes a difference in shaping a trial. So thank you. I truly think so. Thank you for your example. Thank you for what you do. Thank you for giving people like myself and others an opportunity to give. I never could have imagined that when I came here, I would get involved in the ways that I have or that I would be accepted in the ways that I have because of getting involved. And I thank you for the group that you have of people around you, all the groups, all the organizations, and just the wonderful influence that you have on the entire island. So it's Thanksgiving. I want to say to you thank you for giving so much. Thank you, my darling. Thank you. And thank you for being here with us today. You've been watching at the Crossroads where we've been having a wonderful conversation with Carol Reynolds. People often talk about the homeless and what they could do and how many programs, and they're getting food for free, or they're getting so much help, but they won't change their lives. It's not really as easy as it seems. It's not easy for you and the way that you live. No matter how wonderful it is, you still have challenges. And those with mental health issues or financial issues, they have challenges too. And it may be just this one kind act of a meal that changes the trajectory of their life. So rather than complain, this Thanksgiving, be sure to give thanks for what you have. And in your own unique way, reach back and give to others. It'll make you feel good. This I know from personal experience. And please remember that you can go on Facebook and reach out to It Takes a Village Hawaii and talk to Carol, send her a message and say, I want to get involved. I want to make a difference in the lives of others. Please do it. It's the holiday season. There's no better time than right now. Thank you so much for watching at the Crossroads. We'll see you next time. Aloha.