SENATOR KIM AND REPRESENTATIVE TEMPLO SELECTED AS WINNERS OF THE 2025 NFWL BACKPACK PROGRAM

HONOLULU – The National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL) has selected Senator Donna Mercado Kim (Senate District 14 – Kapālama, ‘Ālewa, Kalihi, Kalihi Valley, Ft. Shafter, Moanalua Gardens & Valley, Red Hill) and Representative Shirley Ann Templo (House District 30 – Kalihi, Kalihi Kai, Ke‘ehi Lagoon, Hickam Village) as recipients of its 2025 Backpack Program.

The NFWL Backpack Program provides elected women leaders with backpacks filled with essential school supplies to distribute to students in their communities. The initiative aims to address critical educational needs while fostering meaningful community engagement.

As part of the program, Senator Kim will be distributing backpacks to students at Kapālama Elementary and Kalihi Elementary later this month, supporting families and ensuring keiki have the tools they need to succeed in school. Representative Templo will be meeting with student government leaders at Kalākaua Middle School and Farrington High School to provide backpacks filled with resources that introduce and inform them about government.

Thanks to the generous support of Walmart, NFWL will distribute hundreds of backpacks nationwide in 2025, helping to bridge gaps in educational resources and strengthen connections between elected women and their constituents.

This recognition highlights Senator Kim and Representative Templo’s ongoing commitment to supporting local families and promoting educational equity in Hawai‘i.

For more information about the Backpack Program and other NFWL initiatives, visit www.womenlegislators.org.

About NFWL

The National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL) is the nation’s oldest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering elected women at the state and local levels of government. NFWL offers resources, programming, and events that help women leaders address challenges and drive policy solutions in their communities.