I really can not say enough great things about this organization. We were brought to Five Mountains Hawaii (FMH) by our involvement in Kohala Coalition Against Drugs. We found their program North Hawaii Drug Free Coalition (NHDFC). We quickly became part of that leadership team and the ball has just continued to roll forward. I have been blessed to attend training at CADCA in Washington DC. NHDFC has supported our efforts in our non profit, Roots Advocates For Youth, as a positive youth engagement activity to help keep youth involved and healthy. I was blessed to get training as a mentor through Five Mountains for another project of theirs, Life Plan. I was able to volunteer for a school year and see one entire 8th Grade Class go through this program. To see and hear what this program has sparked in these youth has made it a complete success story for me. The icing on the cake for me is how FMH supports volunteers in building personal leadership/capacity skills. FMH investment in my personal training received through FMH for my current training in Nonprofit Management course I will be able to not only take with me but have skills for my future and potential job opportunities. I have huge hopes and wishes that FMH will be around for years to come. My experiences with this nonprofit I will always hold dear and forever be grateful. Sincerely, Kimberly Lepold, Roots Advocates For Youth, a 501 c(3)

When the Take if Off Hawaii program started I was skeptical, but I found a team, joined and found it very rewarding. It strengthened no only my health but also my ties to the community which ultimately serves to improve a sense of well-being. I also volunteered to help compile the program materials and present a healthy food recipe at one event. Congratulations to Robin and all who made this program come together

Amazing outreach to provide young people the Lifeplan experience. Five Mountains has taken on the leadership role in connecting young people to a process to design their future. They have provided the infrastructure to support training adults to work with young people in Lifeplan. They have helped create the first Lifeplan Institute in a local area. It is a pleasure to work with a great organization like 5 Mountains.

I have seen the positive impacts of Five Mountains Hawaii throughout my community. Some of our worst local health issues are confronted by Five Mountains programs that offering proactive, preventative solutions. What inspires me the most is that way that so many Five Mountains programs directly empower other organizations and grass roots groups to reach and engage individuals.

Excellent upgrade of Take it off HI organization, using tech. Lifeplan addresses the economic base of poor community health - smart!

I serve with the Lifeplan program in Kohala Middle School! Having seen each and every 8th grader in our community go through this program has totally inspired me! I can see how this program... and all the program can literally CHANGE OUR YOUTH and their futures. In 4 years, those 8th graders will be Seniors... and hopefully, every kid in the entire high school will have gone through this program. I expect to see HUGE change in the DREAMS... PLANS... and PURPOSES of this upcoming generation in our community... and more importantly... IN OUR WORLD! I believe I have had a part in training LEADERS! I am so privileged!

I recently attended the N. Hawaii Drug Free Coalition meeting in Kohala. I have attended a few meetings in the past and it seems that we still have committed people in our communities who care to put some time into solving this problem.

As in the past the meeting was a review of individual problems and no real solutions.

I feel that our communities are more aware of the problem, which makes it easier for families with abusers better equiped to cope with their problems.

I feel that it still takes more education for both sides of the drug problem, both the abusers and their families and communities which they effect.

So I feel we need more education, and more ENFORCEMENT! We need a constant flow of events which, number one get the families out and having fun, and also give our educators and social services groups the opportunity to show case themselves and hopefully help someone. Again we have to provide more healthy alternatives for our communities and show them that there are better ways to spend their free time.

Thanks for your efforts in trying to make Hawaii a healthier place.

At a time in my life when I needed something constructive to do, I decided to volunteer some time to Five Mountains Hawaii. I was respected for my skills and for my time.
In time, I participated in some of the programs offered by Five Mountains. I was a team leader and organizer of Take It Off Hawaii, I am a certified trainer in the Life Plan, and I have helped organize many meetings and trainings.
I have seen every program Five Mountains Hawaii offers is run in a professional manner with respect for all participants. A lot of the time put into the programs is volunteer and the communities and schools have gotten behind most of the programs of Five Mountains Hawaii. I am proud to be both a volunteer and a program participant of Five Mountains Hawaii.
My only feedback for the organization is that they need to be able to hire organizers for each program while it is running so the programs will be more organized and effective. Right now, all organizing and implementing is left to volunteers and the Five Mountains Director. This makes for an inefficient organization for most programs.

I volunteered to be a teen mentor through Lifeplan Institute of Hawaii, a program of Five Mountains Hawaii. I'm excited about this mentoring program because the first year results are in from the middle and high school students and they are outstanding! Our local Dept of Educ has included this program as part of their curriculum and the kids have reported a significant understanding of their life goals, risk factors they face as teens, strengths they possess to achieve their goals and are confident they can thrive as a teen. This is so beneficial to our community: healthy, confident teens = healthy community :D