AWARDS
JANUARY 2025
Ho'owaiwai Award
This award is presented by Ekolu Mea Nui to Adult Friends for Youth,
President & CEO, Mrs. Deborah Spencer-Chun.
For her dedication to transforming carceral systems and working tirelessly to end intergenerational incarceration.
AUGUST 2022
National Gang Crime Research Center
Adult Friends for Youth is a Recipient of the Frederic Milton Thrasher Award for the year 2022 for being an Exemplary Program. This award was established by the Journal of Gang Research in 1992 to honor and recognize outstanding scholarship, leadership, and service by individuals and programs in dealing with publice safety issues like that posed by gangs.
The NRGC Spirit Award was awarded to Mrs. Deborah Spencer-Chun & Adult Friends for Youth. Recognized for significant service directed at helping to set higher standards for Gang Prevention, Gang Intervention, and Gang Counseling Programs.
OCTOBER 2021
Hawaii's Friends of Restorative Justice
Mahalo Nui to Hawai'i Friends of Restorative Justice for awarding AFY's Malakai 'MO' Maumalanga with the Posthumous award for Restorative Work & Living.
Special Thanks to Ms. Lorenn Walker & Mr. Ian Crabbe,
Board Member of HFRJ for presenting the award.
MAY 2019
Honolulu Police Department
City and County of Honolulu
2019 Outstanding Citizenship Award, awarded to
Mrs. Deborah Spencer-Chun
with sincere appreciation and recognition of dedicated service to the
Honolulu Police Department and the community.
MARCH 2015
20 for the Next 20:
Deborah Spencer-Chun
"We don't have a termination phase so our kids come back at any time", she says. "It's so exciting that we have the kind of relationship with our students that they always call us and want to visit and keep us updated. I'm really blessed to have this job... I see this as a purpose in life for me."