This year, it was our goal to establish our Ohana Internship Program for our future leaders. And this past Summer, we were able to accomplish this with seven amazing interns.

One of our interns, Abby, had some words to share:

"I absolutely loved interning for Ohana because of all the core memories I was able to build with the youth and special needs. During our internship, we had the privilege to connect with the youth and build relationships with them over the course of the Summer. One of the day's, we traveled to each of the homes and baked yummy desserts together. This simple act of baking brought so much joy to the youth, and to us.

During our internship, we got to experience various events with the youth; such as our summer camp, the back to school drive, a water day, and so much more! If I had to pick a favorite, I'd choose Campland because we were able to connect with the kiddos on another level. Campland was truly a safe place for everyone to just be themselves and show their goofy side without stressing or worrying what the outside world has to say.

I loved being a part of this amazing experience because it reinforced that family isn’t always by blood. A core memory I'll cherish forever are the smiles on the kids' faces and being able to experience all of their 'first time' adventures.

For the future interns of Ohana, my advice is to; be yourself, go in with an open mind and heart, be excited, and spread love. Be open to making mistakes and learning. I believe that no matter what the experience is, you’ll learn so much, you’ll grow so much, but you’ll also be a role model to so many. My last piece of advice is to go for it! Don’t hesitate, and just have fun."