Cup-of-Cheer 2025-2026
Cup-of-Cheer has grown a lot over the past five years, but the mission is the same as when we started: uplift and promote positive connections on school campuses by showing appreciation for all school personnel, not just teachers. We do this by showing up and sharing drinks, treats, classroom supplies, gifts, and encouragement. Spread across as many public schools as we can reach, these pop-ups are a simple way to give back to the people that pour so much from their own cups in service of the students.
Coffee and donuts at Kealakehe Elementary School.
This series continues thanks to our partnerships. The Department of Education’s West Hawai‘i Complex Area helps us bring cheer to any public school campuses that can welcome us into their busy schedules. At minimum, we bring hot coffee and fresh pastries to staff, but also share cold drinks, stickers, school supplies, fruits, sandwiches, and more when we get extra donations.
This year, we were once again supported by Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG) Rho Chapter at some of the schools in the Konawaena Complex, with lots of wonderful homemade food, candies, and a beautiful banner.
Some of our Delta Kappa Gamma helpers and their homemade treats at Konawaena Elementary School. DKG members are current and former educators, and really enjoy visiting their campuses.
With 2025’s fall semester pau, we have visited 16 out of the 19 public schools in the Honokaʻa-Kealakehe-Kohala-Konawaena Complex Area, and we will visit our 17th of the school year in May. This is already another record-breaking year for participation, reaching over 1,000 school personnel! We’ve had plenty of growth, from 9 schools the first school year, 12 the second school year, and 14 last school year.
We’d like to thank all of the supporters we’ve had. It was a busy fall semester serving so many schools, but it was worth all the early morning drives.
(Read about previous Cup-of-Cheer events here, here, and here.)
Although we’re happy with how Cup-of-Cheer went so far this school year, we’re already gathering resources and planning for next year. Will it finally be the year we reach all 19 schools? Maybe you can help!
School and complex area staff gather to talk story at Pa‘auilo Elementary & Intermediate School.
Donations of funds, food, services, and gifts to give to staff are welcomed year-round. You can give for specific schools, or donate to the project overall.
Since many people do not consume coffee or donuts, we are especially hoping to stock up on shelf-stable snacks, drinks, and gifts. Small gifts like stickers and folders are easy to store and transport, and are always a big hit! And we can always use the basics like coffee creamers and other add-ins, as well as napkins and plates.
Contact us if you’d like to volunteer with future Cup-of-Cheer projects, or donate supplies or items we could give to staff.
You can also donate funds directly to our 501(c)3 fiscal sponsor organization, Friends of the Future, and contact them to specify your donation for Cup-of-Cheer.
Want to support or join our partners?
Visit the Department of Education’s complex area website at https://www.westhawaiicomplexarea.org/
Visit Delta Kappa Gamma’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/dkg.rho.5
