Governor Josh Green, M.D.

STATE OF HAWAIʻI

KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

 

JOSH GREEN, M.D.

GOVERNOR

KE KIAʻĀINA

 

DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION

KA ‘OIHANA HOʻOMALU KALAIMA A HOʻOPONOPONO OLA

    

TOMMY JOHNSON

DIRECTOR

KA LUNA HO‘OKELE

 

EASTER KEIKI DAY REUNITES INCARCERATED FATHERS WITH THEIR CHILDREN

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 29, 2026

HONOLULU — Staff and volunteers at the Waiawa Correctional Facility (WCF) transformed the facility pavilion into a family-friendly environment with pastel-colored banners and large inflatable bunnies for a special Easter Keiki Day event.

Nine incarcerated fathers reunited with their children Sunday, March 29, 2026, for an early Easter celebration where they hugged their children and spent quality time participating in activities and catching up with one another.

WCF hosted the gathering in collaboration with the Department of Human Services (DHS) and Keiki O Ka ʻĀina (KOKA) Family Learning Centers. Seventeen children, including two adult children and one grandchild as well as 10 caregivers attended the event.

For three fun-filled hours, fathers and their keiki decorated cookies and participated in arts and crafts. Families also tossed a football and frisbee to one another and took part in an Easter egg hunt where children filled their baskets with pastel-colored toy eggs.

During the event, families also enjoyed fried chicken, noodles, macaroni salad, hot dogs, scones and pumpkin crunch for lunch as Hawaiian music blared from a portable speaker.

Director Tommy Johnson of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) thanked DHS for their collaboration as well as WCF and KOKA for their efforts organizing the event to ensure incarcerated fathers maintain bonds with their children.

“Keiki Day events like today’s Easter-themed gathering gives fathers an opportunity to bond with their children. Family reunification is a critical component of successful reintegration back into the community and helps reduce recidivism, and by reducing recidivism, we have safer communities” Johnson said.

Today’s special occasion is one of several Keiki Day events WCF hosts annually.

Laughter filled the air at the pavilion grounds as fathers and their children participated in a water balloon toss game. As the event came to a close, children received large Easter gift bags filled with new toys thanks to donations from KOKA and community partners.

KOKA Executive Director Momi Akana said a strong family or community support are main factors that help dads who will be returning to the community. That’s what programs like Keiki Day does, Akana said, adding that reintegration starts before the men reenter society upon their release.

“Hopefully their commitment will be ‘I’m out, I’m going to stay out and I’m going to be with my family and be with a community that is supporting me.’ We want them to feel that support,” Akana added.

Easter Keiki Day footage and photos, courtesy of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, are available at the following link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/142J-Q5_ruWJx7j1PzVxvC61vYRhLCAFc?usp=sharing.

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