The April 2026 newsletter highlights Child Abuse Prevention Month and the importance of strengthening families to protect Hawaiʻi’s youngest keiki, featuring the Domestic Violence Action Center’s trauma-informed work supporting survivors and their children. It emphasizes critical gaps like access to childcare, the need for early intervention and cross-system collaboration, and shares updates on child welfare challenges, military families, and potential funding impacts on early childhood programs.

This month’s newsletter highlights the final Living808 segments focused on the early childhood workforce shortage, provides updates on key legislation supporting keiki and families, and recognizes Family Support Awareness Month by emphasizing the importance of programs that strengthen families and promote early childhood development.

As we near the end of 2025, Commit to Keiki reflects with gratitude on the many partners, providers, advocates, and elected officials who have stood together for Hawai‘i’s youngest keiki. This has been a year shaped by challenges. Families have felt the strain of rising costs, program closures, and shifts in federal funding. Early learning centers, mental health services, and family support programs continue to juggle increased need with limited resources. Yet through it all, Hawai‘i’s early childhood community has shown remarkable strength and heart.

Behind every effort to support Hawai‘i’s keiki are champions leading the way. In this new series, we’re spotlighting one leader whose work is helping to strengthen the systems that care for our youngest keiki and their families. This month, we are honored to feature Nadia Holt. associate director, community impact at the Chamber of Commerce Hawai‘i, and a member of the Commit to Keiki Steering Committee.

On August 19, Commit to Keiki welcomed Governor Josh Green, M.D., County representatives, Steering Committee members, and community partners for our annual partnership breakfast. These gatherings are held each year to strengthen relationships between state and county leaders, align priorities, and ensure Hawai‘i’s youngest keiki and their families remain at the center of policy and investment decisions.