Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann today announced that Kane'ohe and Manoa District Parks will be made available to the YMCA and Kama'aina Kids to provide child care for families affected by upcoming furloughs of public school teachers and other state workers.

The programs will begin this Friday, in conjunction with the first day of "Furlough Fridays."
"We're looking at this as an opportunity to help our friends in state government who are facing a difficult situation," Hannemann said. "We want to provide an alternative for parents whose children won't be in school to care for their children."
The YMCA will administer the program at Manoa District Park. Kama'aina Kids will operate out of Kane'ohe District Park.
Hannemann said the city will gauge participation in the programs to see whether district parks in other communities should also be made available to Friday childcare programs.
Both programs, available to children from kindergarten to sixth grade, will run from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will include both educational and recreational components at a cost of $25 per day. Food is not included and parents or caregivers will be required to provide their children with lunch and two snacks.
Hannemann emphasized that scheduled programs at the parks will not be affected.