HOPE Services Hawaii, Inc.

OUTREACH PROGRAMS

Homeless Outreach
Mobile outreach teams seek and engage with individuals and families experiencing homelessness at places and areas in which they congregate including beaches, tents, caves, parks, lava tubes, and food pantries and meal programs.  Staff provides emergency supplies, including food and hygiene items, assesses the individual or family's needs, and connects them to appropriate community resources with the ultimate goal of safe, stable housing.  Staff also provides linkages to mainstream programs within the community such as health care services, social security benefits, workforce development, job training opportunities, emergency shelter, transitional housing, or permanent housing in the private market place. This program is funded by the Department of Human Services (DHS).

Mental Health Outreach
Mental Health outreach workers provide the same services as homeless outreach for homeless persons suffering from mental illness.  The mental health outreach worker's goal is to link persons with mental illness to the State of Hawaii Department of Health, and Adult Mental Health Division (AMHD) system to access specialized mental health care.  Others are linked with the health insurance carrier who also provides behavioral health services.  This program is funded by the Department of Health, AMHD.

Friendly Place Campus: Friendly Place Resource Center
The Friendly Place Resource Center is a point of entry for homeless persons and families needing assistance in West Hawaii.  Consumers can access bathing and laundry facilities, mail, storage lockers, emergency food, emergency supplies, phone use, computer and fax use, counseling, case management, and linkage to community resources, including medical, dental, mental health care, education and job training, and shelter and housing programs.  Meals, showers and laundry services are available daily.  This program is funded by DHS and the County of Hawaii, Human Services Grant.

Representative Payee Services
Representative Payees provide financial management services for 200 persons who suffer chronic mental illness, which includes but is not limited to: coordinating the payment of essential financial management counseling for individuals or households that meet the disability criteria and receive Social Security type benefits.  This program is funded by the Department of Health, AMHD.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Outreach
Pre-screenings are conducted to determine eligibility for SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamp) benefits, and provide assistance with obtaining supporting documents to complete the application and help navigate the DHS system.  SNAP Outreach increases community awareness of the SNAP through outreach and in-services at community events/meetings, senior clubs and housing agencies, low-income housing projects, churches and other community organizations.  SNAP Outreach also provides information and educational workshops with regard to the SNAP, including the SNAP-Ed curriculum for our target population and the agencies and organizations that work with this population.  This program is funded by the DHS.

100,000 Homes Initiative
In October of 2011, HOPE enlisted the assistance of nearly 50 community volunteers to canvas the downtown Hilo area and complete vulnerability surveys in order to assess the community’s most vulnerable homeless persons.  Known as “Project HOPE”, the pilot project was conducted in conjunction with the national 100,000 Homes Initiative of Common Ground’s campaign.  As the first community in the State of Hawaii to implement the initiative, Project HOPE surveyed 139 homeless persons in order to identify 42 of downtown Hilo’s most vulnerable homeless.  HOPE has since engaged its community partners and, to date, has placed 14 of these individuals into permanent housing.


SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAMS

Emergency Housing
Kihei Pua Emergency Shelter, Hilo
This program provides 24/7 short-term emergency housing and services for up to 72 homeless individuals and families, with preference given to unsheltered families with minor children.  In addition to a safe place to sleep and bathe, consumers access case management, life skills opportunities, on-site food pantry, clothing bank, and cooking and laundry facilities.  This program is funded by the DHS, County of Hawaii, and the Hawaii Island United Way.

Friendly Place Campus: West Hawaii Emergency Housing Program, Kailua-Kona
This program provides short-term emergency housing and services for up to 31 homeless individuals, with preference given to unsheltered individuals with severe medical conditions.  In addition to a safe place to sleep and bathe, consumers access case management, life skills opportunities, on-site food pantry, and cooking and laundry facilities.  The program is open for consumer access daily from 5 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.  During the day, consumers can access the array of services offered at the Friendly Place Resource Center, also located on campus.  This program is funded by the DHS, County of Hawaii, Human Services Grant, Hawaii Island United Way, and program revenues.

Transitional Housing
Beyond Shelter, Hilo
This program, part of an apartment complex, provides four (4) transitional housing units and services for homeless families with children or are in transition from short-term shelter programs.  Consumers access renter education and financial literacy classes, and linkages to community resources.  This program is funded by the DHS, Hawaii Island United Way, and program revenues.

Wilder and Kuleana Transitional, Hilo
Two (2) scattered site single-family units provide transitional housing and services to homeless families with children or are in transition from short-term shelter programs.  Consumers access renter education and financial literacy classes, and linkages to community resources.  These programs are funded by program revenues.

HOPE Resource Center, Hilo
This program provides 24/7 transitional housing and services for men returning to the community from incarceration.  Consumers participate in daily house meetings and random drug testing, as well as substance relapse prevention groups, employment readiness and training, renter education and budgeting, and other life skill building opportunities.  Structured recreational activities are coordinated and offered on the weekends, and the consumers engage in restorative justice by engaging in service activities in the community.  Staff works closely with the Going Home Consortium, which includes justice agencies and community agencies and partners that are service-focused on the reintegration population.  The goal of the Consortium is to coordinate seamless re-entry of this population in order to reduce recidivism and prevent homelessness.  This program offers an alternative to continued incarceration.  This program is funded by the DHS, County of Hawaii, Human Services Grant and Hawaii Island United Way.

N? Kahua Hale O Ulu Wini, Kailua-Kona
This newest housing program developed by the County of Hawaii, Ulu Wini provides 17 units of service-enriched, transitional housing for families with children.  Consumers are required, through program agreement, to participate in service programs offered on- or off-site (with a focus on financial literacy), as well as required community service activities to maintain beautification of the site.  This program is funded by the DHS and program revenues.

Ohea and Iwalani Supportive, Hilo
Two (2) scattered site single-family units provide next step housing and services for men and women returning to the community from incarceration.  The homes provide a sober living environment, with consumer access to life skill building opportunities focused on improving bonds with family and community, along with individual financial empowerment.  These programs are funded by program revenues.

Permanent, Supportive Housing
Beyond Shelter, Hilo
This program, part of an apartment complex, provides four (4) rental housing units and services for homeless families with children or are in transition from short-term shelter programs.  Consumers access renter education and financial literacy classes, and linkages to community resources.  This program is funded by program revenues.

N? Kahua Hale O Ulu Wini, Kailua-Kona
In addition to transitional units for homeless persons, Ulu Wini provides 59 units of service-enriched, affordable rental housing for families with children.  Consumers are required, through lease agreement/addendum, to participate in service programs offered on- or off-site (with a focus on financial literacy), as well as required community service activities to maintain beautification of the site.  This program is funded by the DHS and program revenues.

P?hoa Kupuna, P?hoa
Currently in the permitting phase, this “reuse” project will be structured from 20 cottage units that were originally used for transitional housing in Kohala, and were slated for demolition by the County of Hawaii.  The new project, to include 11 studio units of affordable rental housing for seniors, will include service enrichment and activities for seniors.  This program is funded with private funds.


HOMELESS PREVENTION AND HOUSING RETENTION SERVICES

Tenant Solutions
This program provides assistance to landlords who partner with our organization to house HOPE consumers.  Landlords have 24/7 access to a housing coordinator to facilitate conflict resolution as needed between landlord and tenant.  Consumers placed through our housing program are required to complete renter education courses that cover financial literacy, counseling and budgeting, tenant responsibilities, housekeeping, fair housing, and the landlord-tenant code.

Emergency Solutions Grant: Rapid Re-Housing
This program provides housing relocation and stabilization services as necessary to help individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness living in shelters or in places not meant for human habitation move as quickly as possible into permanent housing and achieve stability.  Services may include housing search and placement, housing stability case management, credit repair, as well as financial assistance for rental application fees, security and utility deposits, and rent.  This program is funded in accordance with the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009 through the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Housing Placement Program
This program provides pre- and post-rental housing counseling, housing search and placement services to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) eligible families with a new Section 8 voucher or those transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing.  Families may be eligible for initial move-in costs such as rental security deposits, utility deposits and/or rent assistance to help families move directly into housing. This program is funded by the DHS.

Shelter Plus Care: Kukui
This program assists hard-to-serve homeless individuals with disabilities and their families.  These individuals primarily include those with serious mental illness, chronic problems with alcohol and/or drugs, and HIV/AIDS or other related diseases.  The program also provides pre- and post-rental counseling, housing search and placement, and rental subsidies to eligible households, as well as supportive services through case management, home visits, advocacy, and landlord/tenant mediation.  Additional supportive services are provided through community service providers.  This program is funded through the HUD Continuum of Care Assistance program.

Shelter Plus Care: New Direction
This program assists hard-to-serve chronically homeless individuals with disabilities.  These individuals primarily include those with serious mental illness, chronic problems with alcohol and/or drugs, and HIV/AIDS or other related diseases.  The program also provides pre- and post-rental counseling, housing search and placement, and rental subsidies to eligible households, as well as supportive services through case management, home visits, advocacy, and landlord/tenant mediation.  Additional supportive services are provided through community service providers. This program is funded through the HUD Continuum of Care Assistance program.

Health Connector
In response to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) signed on March 23, 2010 and modified by the Health Care Education and Reconciliation Act on March 30, 2013, HOPE was selected as a Marketplace Assister Organization (MAO) through Hawaii’s Health Connector in August of 2013.  The program is designed to assist uninsured and underinsured individuals and families in Hawaii County to enroll in a qualified health plan and provide public education and outreach activities to raise awareness about the Connector.  This program will be implemented through December 31, 2014.  This program is funded through the Hawaii Health Connector Hi`i Ola Program.

Support Services for Veteran Families
HOPE has been selected by U.S. Veterans Initiative (U.S. VETS) to implement its Support Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) by assisting 20 veteran households with emergency rent assistance, deposit, utilities or emergency needs that focus on either transition to a new permanent housing situation or retention of permanent housing.  The goal of the SSVF program is to provide assistance to rapidly transition veteran families from homelessness and increase long-term housing retention.


OTHER SUPPORT PROGRAMS
Women Supporting Women
To help pave the way for women returning to the community from incarceration, HOPE contracts successful graduates of its programs to cultivate community relations and provide mentorship for women who are preparing for transition out of incarceration.  These navigators participate in community-based groups and events to heighten awareness to the need of this population.  In addition, navigators provide a mentorship role for the women currently participating in our reintegration housing programs. 

On October 1, 2010, the Office for Social Ministry, Care-A-Van Program of the Diocese of Honolulu became HOPE Services Hawaii, Inc. (HOPE).  Although our name has changed, we will remain the same nonprofit 501 (c) (3) corporation providing the same services and programs to those most in need in the community with the same dedicated staff and support from the Diocese of Honolulu. Please note while the Office for Social Ministry Department will continue at the Diocese of Honolulu to work with our parishes and schools, the work of the Care-A-Van Program will now become part of HOPE Services Hawaii, Inc. Bishop Larry Silva remains committed to helping the homeless and the incorporation of the Care-A-Van program into HOPE Services Hawaii, Inc. will allow us to be more visible in our community.

It has become obvious that in order to end homelessness in Hawaii, social services, politicians, the business community, and especially the faith community, will need to work together toward the common goal of serving our brothers and sisters who are without a place to lay their heads each night. The faith community offers diverse services to the homeless to help them transition off the streets. A sense of community, belonging and long-term personal accountability are critical to helping people realize their self worth.

We invite your involvement, whether your faith-based organization has been serving families and individuals experiencing homelessness for generations or you’re just getting started, HOPE Services Hawaii would like to partner with you or your group. We recognize that it will take a community to directly and effectively impact homelessness in Hawaii. Come partner with us, talk story. If you would like to get more information on how your organization can get involved with putting an end to homelessness, please contact 808-935-3050. I t will further allow us to expand our reach to all islands and do what we do best. And that’s serving the most vulnerable of our community.