Hawai’i Police Department
Puna District
Captain Steven Guillermo
Phone: 966-5835
October 7, 2009

(See larger image here.)

Community Police Officers Scott Amaral, left, and Sandor Finkey pose with volunteers of the Kea’au Nutrition Center, who donated 25 bags to a backpack charity drive.

Seniors from the Kea’au Nutrition Center donated 25 backpacks and bags Wednesday (October 7) in connection with a drive to collect used backpacks for people in need.

“We would like to thank them for their dedication and support of the Puna community,” said Community Police Officer Scott Amaral.

Nonprofit agencies are distributing the backpacks at women’s shelters, homeless shelters and transitional housing facilities. Police Chief Harry S. Kubojiri offered police stations as drop-off points to make it convenient for members of the public to donate backpacks for the drive, which was held during August and September.

The public may continue to drop off backpacks at police stations and officers will pass them along to the appropriate agencies.