Extreme Makeover Hawaii

I happen to love this show, it brings tears to my eyes everytime. I remember when we were struggling as a family and what it means when someone lends a helping hand. She is a very deserving person and I am so glad she has been recognized and will receive a brand new home. I must have missed the episode but will look out for a re-run.

Gia, the episode is filming as we speak so it hasn't aired yet. I *think* the unveiling might be happening as early as tomorrow, because my son's class was invited to show up for "filming."

With so much crazy injustice in life, it is refreshing to see good deeds rewarded.

how the hell did you qualify when your husband makes 150k a year at the bank. their is much more deserving people, cool house though.

Keawe, I can't speak to the specifics of their financials, but having been a benefactor of Momi's preschool, I can assure you that the community center building in particular is badly needed. Keiki `O Ka `Aina is making a difference in the lives of countless families around the island. In my mind, that's a worthy cause.

Lemme see..So the husband earns $150k/year and Momi earns $100k/year from the same non-profit that is the beneficiary of the Extreme Makeover. Jeez...what's considered needy!!!???

The new 3,500 square foot home given to Theresa Leimomi Akana and her family by the hit ABC television show “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” has created a lot of controvery because it is built on land purchased just six months ago by the nonprofit agency she founded and now heads. Hawaii State Grant money was used to purchase the land. What I found more controversial was the fact that the television program’s producers pointed to Akana’s actions more than a decade ago in founding the group when she was a welfare mother, and sustaining it at times using her own food stamps to buy snacks for participating children. Food stamp benefits help supplement an individual’s or a family’s income to help buy nutritious food. Most households must spend some of their own cash along with their food stamp benefits just to buy the food they need. If she had enough food stamps to feed those participating children, and enough to feed her family, it just sounds very wrong.

Malia and Cate, thank you for taking the time to respond here. I can totally understand how many people are perplexed by the decision to pick Momi and Keiki ʻO Ka ʻAina as the benefactors of a makeover. I continue to be happy for them in their good fortune, even as I recognize it is not my duty to defend the circumstances surrounding the show.

I'm going to close comments on this thread, not because of anything anyone has said, but because the primary goal of this site has and always will be food in Hawaii. I'm guilty of introducing this distraction and want to get back to my passion: cooking and eating.

Thank you again for visiting and commenting.