 I'm going to join her in the journey and today's journey is right here in Honolulu, close to home. And we have with us Dr. Len Pang from YNI Cares and Lisa, you know, I'll never get your last name right so we're going to skip that. Just know this is Lisa. And she is from the organization which we get or participate with adopting a family. So that's where we are today adopting a family. I heard on the news this morning, just this morning, that one out of every six children in the United States is hungry. The richest nation in the world, that's obscene, one out of six. But there are people like Lisa and Glenn that make sure that local children are taken care of. So, Glenn, Aloha. Wow. How are you, Marsha? Marsha's my colleague on YNI Care. Well, tell us about YNI Care. Well, you know, when I decided to come on the air, I really wanted to hear more about adoptive family. You know, I'm very impressed with their organization. We're just one of the many organizations that try to do something with adoptive family because we realize, you know, there's so many needy families that aren't really going to have a very merry Christmas because of this pandemic. And just wanted to do something. But I'm here just mainly to listen to Lisa. Well, Dr. Pang. Yeah, come on now tell us. All right, with Dr. Pang is retired, but he's a real, real one of the best doctors in the whole world because of his empathy and his compassion. And one day he told me, this is what we're doing. And I said, well, okay, of course, anything he wanted, of course. But that was years ago. And he put together this group to give free testing to children on the YNI Coast, so that they could participate in athletics and the schools are required that they have these tests. So it was done free to all of the kids so they could participate in the school activities. So that is my memory of the beginning of YNI care. And from that day until today, it's been caring not just to YNI, but to everybody. So, here we are. And Glenn told me we are going to adopt a family, which is just a precious thing to do this time of year. Now, tell us about adopting a family. How do we do that. And if there's anyone that wants to adopt a family. How do we participate, how can they participate. Yes, hi, thank you so much for having us on your show today. And parents Inc. has been in Hawaii for over 44 years serving Hawaii families. It's an organization, so we serve a lot of families, needy families and a variety of different things happening, especially this year with COVID people losing their jobs and kids not in school and not having the income or the funds to do cover the basics rent food. So parents Inc. has done an adopt a family program, usually around the holidays, just for those families that are unable to do the extras, you know, the Christmas gifts and the Christmas tree and you know all the holiday festivities. But unfortunately this year is they're much more needy because of other circumstances with the COVID pandemic. So we have just seen a really influx of donors generous donors like you guys, Dr paying who just have stepped up and said hey we want to help in any way we can. This year we've had the most families and donors participating in our program, as ever. This is good and bad I mean it's bittersweet because it's sad that there's so many more people that needy, but then great that donors are stepping in and they have the compassion and the heart to help others that need help this holiday season. So, what we do is we put out a email blast through our cohorts and through his letters and ask any donor that wants to participate and adopt a family meaning to take on that family for the season to give them gifts and food and holiday spirit. So they can enjoy something and have something positive in their life during the holidays, and then we also ask the families we service and other needy families around Hawaii. If you have a need this this Christmas let us know we're going to match you up to a donor that's interested in helping out. So that's what we've been doing for the last couple of months and it's just been an awesome thing. You send us some pictures. Yes. What, what you're doing so we can show this. This is something that just happened over the weekend. This was a donor group and they were called on foolish addiction and they're into making wishes and dreams come true. We adopted one of our families a family of four mom dad and two children, and they showed up with a truck full of goods, a lot of food items, as well as some gifts for the children, and I was able to be part of that on exchange. And then parents in staff member needs to be present during the drop off and delivery of a donor and family. So when we make sure we take pictures and and then they get thank yous afterwards a formal thank you letter, and it just is really a nice thing to be part of to see the joy and people's face donors love to give that makes them happy. Yes, the families love to receive when they have a need so it's really something that's heartwarming to experience. So, when you go with us when we deliver the gifts. Yes, there will be some staff member at parenting. It will be at every drop off and pick up for gifts. Yes. And Glenn has been really excited about getting things for the children. Well, we're excited because what happens is we ask our families, you know what is your need. And then of course we share the ages of the children, and the genders of the children and gift ideas that maybe they want, and share that with the donor, and the donor gets to decide what they want to donate and pick out the gifts or, you know, like I said, sometimes it's food it's it's a dinner Christmas dinner from Safeway, or it's an activity. When you're a donor gave a family tickets to the UH game. So there's all different kinds of things you can do to support the family to just bring them together and bring some joy and connect connection through the holiday so it's positive and happy and not sad. And we just are really happy that Dr. Payne reached out to us and wanted to adopt one of our families and brought the group in. I mean, like I said that the overwhelming response this year has just been awesome and we just really appreciate the generous hearts we have here in Hawaii the aloha spirit and donors like you guys that care so much. When you're hiding there you are. So, tell us how you got started with this adoptive family. Every year we kind of come up with projects to do I mean we, we do various things and we mainly we've done in a lot of physical exams for children that can afford physical exams and the main one like you mentioned was to do those sports physicals for the people and those kids in wine I and at that time cost I was still working so we were able to have contact with a lot of nurses and doctors that wanted to volunteer. And so, you know, on two separate years we, we did physical exams for over 350 kids, you know that couldn't afford their physical exams to participate in sports. And do we wanted these kids to be able to qualify for sports because they felt, you know their grade point average actually increased when they did sports so we didn't have any contact with the, you know, physicians and then if they did the physical you had to pay for it but we were able to do it on a volunteer basis. That's just one of our projects but you know we have a project. We have a schedule we're supposed to do it this year with St. Francis, being on the board with St. Francis I was able to connect with them to use one of their classrooms to teach Kapuna how to work their iPhones and their students to connect with their families you know because during this pandemic, you know they're at home and they're not able to, or they're in assisted living facilities not able to connect with their families so we were trying to work with Chamber of students to connect this to a couple of high schools, you know with the students with the seniors would have to do the community service, you know for college. So we would have them who, you know they're these seniors are very adept at using technology to teach. I teach the Kapuna how to do their technology. So yeah we were going to do that and there's another project we're going to do with the Sisters of Keau with Wainae to help them set up aquaponics to have the homeless, you know, work the aquaponics and or sustainability, you know, being able to grow vegetables and raised fish and they could either sell it or use it for their shells but but you know we have different projects and plan but you know with this pandemic we've been on hold so since we were so dormant I wanted to do something and I said I don't know where we got it that you know a lot of these kids were not going to have a very merry Christmas because of you know this pandemic a lot of the parents were not working and so this is why I got on the computer and I looked for you know gifting to some family and this is how we found adopt the family and I'm so happy that we're able to do that at least you know we're doing something oh you're always doing something yeah but we enjoy you know just paying back you know we've had you know we've been so blessed I have been blessed you know in my practice is be able to practice medicine for 35 years and having that opportunity and meeting so many wonderful people and that's how we started with wine I care is as I met my patients a lot of them came from wine I and when I talked to them I they invited me to wine I and I met with a lot of the corner there we talked about a lot of the homeless in wine I and and this is how I met Katie our president was she is our she's a PhD and she teaches non non-profit she has a college that she goes to and without why without Katie I don't think I could have she's really gotten this organization and he said that she couldn't join us today because she had a class but people like my show and all the people on our board have had some experience with nonprofits and they've been contributing a lot to you know this organization we're fledging and we try to do whatever we can and we we enjoy just giving back yeah now my daughter who isn't an iron work because she met you when you were testing the children and why and I because she worked with you then as a volunteer that's how you met Marilyn yeah and we hope you know this year just coming year we'll be able to do you know a lot more we we try to do some project with the homeless but that didn't yeah try to work with the state but that didn't turn out yeah well you know everything is really crazy with the state because they're so involved with the pandemic like I don't know that they have time for anything else and then the budget is like so you know for them this is I like to tell Lisa as Lisa if you know we like to collaborate with different organizations and maybe we can get together to do something in the future oh yes we would definitely like that we collaborate with nonprofits and other community members all the time we feel like that's the best thing to do to make sure that we're all doing our part in Hawaii and reaching as many people as we can and right now I'd like to mention that we are collaborating with Unprevent Child Abuse Hawaii we're running a photo contest so it's another holiday thing we're doing we're asking families to take a holiday picture of themselves and get a little creative if they want to dress in certain attire or they want to you know spice it up a little bit to make it funny or they want to sit around the Christmas tree or just whatever is special to them to take a holiday photo submit it to our Facebook page and then we're going to announce a winner and we're giving them $100 gift card for food at some restaurant would you put your contact in the email you said your web page telephone number whatever you want so people can participate and they know how to reach you yes definitely yes an answer to Dr. Payne we would love to collaborate with you in the future near future as soon as the holidays are over we can get in contact and sounds like you're already doing great work volunteering for the Y&I community and I'm sure other areas as well like the whole Oahu and we also have two offices on the big island so we have a really big reach in Hawaii and we'd love to have more support and collaboration in our services as well I think the good thing about your organization Lisa is that you know you're accommodating and you know you return calls that makes a big difference and you know you facilitate our connection with the family and give us information we need so I think that you know I commend you for the organization you have well thank you that we really appreciate that we try to do the best we can we think relationships are the most important thing that's why parenting is so important to us we understand and realize that the relationship between a parent and child is significant for their development and them to thrive as adults in the future so we have to learn how to build relationships with everyone in order to teach that to parents and build strong families and foundations I think that that's very important you know when people call an organization and I found that sometimes we don't get a call back when we ask questions we don't get an answer so I think that the success depends upon how how that is facilitated making it easier for the person that wants to donate don't you get sick Glenn that's not allowed my allergy but thank you Lisa for allowing us to participate yes thank you for participating it's just I've been overwhelmed this year at the response it's just really nice when we're in this kind of situation in our country now in our world and people just want to give back they want to support each other and it's just really nice I think the lowest spirit is thriving always has been when we're at our lowest we seem to rise up and donate the most giving is just significant and that's something that a lot of nonprofits are experiencing right now is a lack of giving in our funding areas you know like the fundraisers we used to have we can't have anymore because of COVID or the donations we used to get we don't get because they're all earmarking the money towards the COVID issues so I think a lot of nonprofits are kind of struggling and we feel that the same is like how families are struggling and it's important for us to understand that we need to accommodate them as well they're just you know there's so much pain I think going on right now and challenges and so many areas of people's lives that we want to do anything we can to make it just a little bit better now we the program will be aired we'll get to send you a link at the end of the day but it will be on YouTube and everywhere else and the people that are watching that will watch not today but as it goes around the world can they send pictures can they participate also absolutely yes anyone can participate and I can send a flyer out to you guys to post if you want I'm showing the details of that but we it's open to everyone anyone that needs help at this time we want to accommodate and we know that that's a lot of people and there's a lot of people that don't want to reach out and that's another thing that we're struggling with some of our needy families don't out of guilt and shame or you know other various reasons are afraid to ask for support or feel like that's not you know kind of shameful to ask for support and we want to encourage everyone if you need help and support please ask for it because we're here to offer that so don't get in shame when you need support we all go through our challenges in life and we want to make sure that you get what you need and that the children are safe and taken care of and that they have a little joy in their life during these holiday seasons as well now we can take pictures when we go to visit the family is that we have had a few families not want that so it depends on the family but we do require everyone to sign a waiver so that we can take the pictures and use the pictures you know to display or what have you most I would say 90% of the families do allow pictures yeah well we don't want to step on anybody's toes and if they feel uncomfortable we want to know we want to know that yeah we find all that information out in advance and let the donor know beforehand so we are going to go take the gifts next week I think it is is that right Glenn then when are we going when are we going to take the gifts to the children I'm sorry I muted myself but we're going to meet this Friday and as Katie and we're going to join us but you can't make it can you join us and send you the address but then you know we wanted to emphasize adopt the family more we're just a small player in this we're just enjoying enjoying this so much to be able to communicate and I think they're going to pick up their dinner on Christmas day so they'll we ordered a meal for them but we deliver the gifts on Friday yes that is so nice when parents can go pick up a full get a full meal for Christmas and feed their whole family it's awesome if the meal from Zippy's is fabulous the Christmas oh my goodness they have so much stuff for the Christmas dinner and it's Hawaiian yeah I'm sure that they're going to love it it's pig chicken long rice salmon and help here boy that was recommended by it was recommended by your organization yes that's something that families really enjoy especially that local food right can't always afford or have the means to do all those fixing so special thank you so much yeah that one sounds really good I am absolutely I'm sure they will enjoy it no doubt yeah you know we only have a minute left and this has been such a pleasure Glenn I just adore Glenn he has given for as long as I know him he just gives and gives and gives whatever it is and so thank you Glenn for all the years that we've been together and all that you've done and Lisa what a wonderful project you have I am so pleased that there are people like you in the world that give and make sure that other people have this is just a wonderful opportunity and again we have your address Eric did you put up the address I didn't see it but I'm sure you did where they can reach Lisa and anybody that wants to contribute and how they can contribute and you call and how to reach Lisa thank you thank you so much we are just about out of time as I said it by the end of the day you will get a link from Haley that gives you where you can send the program to whomever you want for as many people you can put it on your website right we will do that yeah and thank you so much thank you so much for having parent sync on and for Glenn Dr. Peng and your generous hearts and giving back to the community and our adoptive family program thank you again so much and we'll see you next time