The Institute for Human Services, or IHS, is a homeless shelter for men, women, and families that provides many different support services and programs to help people get back on their feet. Volunteers at IHS work hard to help guests find jobs, housing, and general well-being, but the path to a stable life can be difficult.

The Luke Center, in collaboration with the Red Cross Club and JROTC, decided to set up a mini carnival at IHS to bring smiles to the faces of IHS families. Games with prizes, arts and crafts, snacks, and even a hula session were all part of the fun-filled Friday night.

Marisa Nagata '18 shared, "The IHS carnival was a new experience that I really enjoyed because I was able to reach out to a different part of the community and give back. The guests at IHS were so gracious and kind.  I feel we all made a connection with the kids and adults there that night."

As the evening progressed, prejudice surrounding Punahou students and prejudice surrounding homeless families dissipated as students and families alike smiled, laughed, and connected.

Alexis Sanehisa '19, the mini-carnival's student leader, stated, "This project took a considerable amount of time and energy, and I was so relieved to see it work out. It personally meant a lot to me and I wanted to see it through. This event was an amazing experience for me, and I hope the volunteers also learned from it. The IHS families and children had a lot of fun, and it's great that we could accomplish something worthwhile that brought smiles to their faces."