TUTU AND ME PRESCHOOL NEEDS OUR HELP
Our take
The future of Tutu and Me preschool hangs in the balance, threatening to sever a vital thread that has woven through the fabric of Kona, Waimea, and Honokaa communities for more than three decades. Tutu and Me program shutting down sites statewide amid funding cuts reveals the broader scope of this crisis, as budget decisions ripple across multiple islands and erase decades of investment in our youngest learners. These aren't just classrooms—they're the heart-centered spaces where keiki first learn that community means showing up for one another, where the gentle wisdom of Aunties and Uncles creates foundations that no amount of money can replace. When we lose programs like these, we lose more than childcare; we lose the living expression of what makes our islands unique.
What makes this moment particularly urgent is how it illuminates the fragility of our community infrastructure. The staff at Tutu and Me don't simply follow curricula—they embody the spirit of 'ohana, stepping into the gap when families need support and creating safe harbors for our most vulnerable learners. In Waimea, where childcare options are already stretched thin, the closure would create a cascading effect that reaches far beyond playground boundaries, impacting entire families who depend on these services to maintain stability and dignity. This isn't just about preserving a program; it's about recognizing that early childhood education represents one of our most fundamental investments in the kind of community we want to become.
The petition calling for restored funding recognizes something essential: these programs succeed because they're deeply rooted in the cultural fabric of our islands. Unlike standardized approaches that treat all children the same, Tutu and Me adapts to the unique rhythms of each community while honoring the wisdom of kupuna and the needs of modern families. Their approach—nurturing keiki while teaching them to care for the land and each other—creates ripple effects that extend far beyond preschool walls. When we support programs that understand this connection between child development and cultural grounding, we're choosing to invest in a future where our keiki grow up feeling connected to both their heritage and their possibilities.
The question isn't whether our community can afford to save Tutu and Me—it's whether we can afford not to. As Tutu and Me program shutting down sites statewide amid funding cuts demonstrates, the cost of losing these irreplaceable resources multiplies exponentially once they're gone. What other pieces of our community's soul will we be willing to sacrifice for budget balance?
Budget cuts are threatening to close Tutu and Me preschool programs in Kona, Waimea, and Honokaa. For over three decades, these programs have been the heart of early childhood care in our community—a place where keiki are loved, nurtured, and taught to care for the land and each other.
The Aunties, Uncles, and Kumu's at Tutu and Me do something irreplaceable. They don't just teach; they show up as ohana. Losing these programs would ripple far beyond preschool—it would impact families who depend on quality, affordable care and the staff members who would lose their jobs. In areas like Waimea where options are already limited, this loss would be devastating.
I started a petition asking our local government to reinstate the funding that keeps these programs running. If this matters to you—whether you've seen how these programs change kids' lives or you know families who need them—please consider signing and sharing it. What would you want someone to do if this was your ohana's future at stake?
https://www.change.org/p/reinstate-funding-for-tutu-and-me-in-kona-waimea-and-honokaa
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