Food+ Finance Spotlight: Puamelia’s Story

Puamelia, Food+ Program Coordinator

When Puamelia Oclinaria talks about financial empowerment, they are not promoting a limiting mindset or telling people what they cannot have. They are helping people build the knowledge, confidence, and stability needed to create the future they want.

“Financial literacy helps people live the life they want to live,” they say.

That belief is at the heart of Puamelia’s work in the FOOD+ Finance program at CCFB. It is also rooted in their own story.

Born and raised in Hawai‘i, Puamelia experienced significant hardship at a young age. After losing both of their parents within six months of one another, life became increasingly unstable. By 13, they had relocated to Washington and were navigating foster care and the juvenile justice system.

During those years, Puamelia became determined to take control of their future. They were going to change the trajectory of their life, and they were going to do it by understanding something that creates barriers for so many people: money. As their perspective shifted, they began to see finances not as a limitation, but as a tool for creating opportunity and freedom. They pursued a degree in business with the goal of helping others build the stability and confidence they had worked so hard to achieve themselves.

Today, that purpose has come full circle. Through the FOOD+ Finance program, Puamelia helps neighbors build confidence with money, set meaningful goals, and take practical steps toward greater financial stability. Whether through one-on-one support, workshops, or community partnerships, their work is centered on reducing barriers and creating opportunities.

“I want people to feel empowered, not restricted, by their finances," they say. "Financial literacy isn't about limiting your life, it's about giving yourself the freedom to build the future you want.”

For Puamelia, financial empowerment is about giving people practical tools, greater confidence, and a clearer path forward.

Looking ahead, they hope to expand the program through partnerships with organizations like Family Promise and Share, as well as community workshop opportunities that make financial education more accessible.

At its core, FOOD+ Finance helps address the challenges that keep people in survival mode, giving neighbors the tools, confidence, and support to move toward lasting change.