'21JUL26 PM 1:31 CITY CLERK

2020 C OMMUNIT Y IMPACT R EP OR T

P L A NTI NG
SEEDS FORA R E S I L I E NTF U TU R E

DEPT. COM. 548
EM
HEcon
Prepared by the City and County of Honolulu
Department of Community Services

CONTENTS
Message from the Director................ 2
Impact-at-a-Glance.............................4
Promoting Public Health ....................6
Economic Relief for Individuals
and Families .......................................8
Small Businesses and Workers ......... 10

ABOUT THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU DEPARTMENT
OF COMMUNITY SERVICES
The Department of Community Services is an agency of the City and Countyof Honolulu focused on creating opportunities to improve the quality of life forthe people of O‘ahu. DCS oversees the City’s work in key areas such as housing,homeless services, community development, aging and disability resources,
grants, housing and rental assistance, workforce training, and youth services.
Under the leadership of Mayor Caldwell, DCS is responsible for implementing
federal CARES Act funds in these areas to support the people of O‘ahu during
the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, please visit http://www.
honolulu.gov/dcs.

Food Security ................................... 13
Housing and Homelessness ............. 17
Keiki ................................................. 21
Kūpuna .............................................24
Vulnerable Communities................... 27

1

MESSAGE
FROM THE
DIRECTORALOHA,In 2020, a year when all of our lives were upended by the threat of the deadly new Coronavirus, residents of the City
and County of Honolulu were deeply impacted. Many lost the freedom to visit with ‘ohana safely, tens of thousands
faced the prospect of unemployment or food insecurity for the first time in their lives and some grieved the loss of a
loved one.
As the City and County of Honolulu agency charged with improving the quality of life for the people O‘ahu and serving
the most vulnerable among us — from keiki to kūpuna and those facing homelessness or hunger — COVID-19 createdan unprecedented demand for the services we provide with our network of community partners. It also placed asharper focus on the Department of Community Services’ vital mission and made our work more critical than ever.
I am so proud of our more than 200 team members — over 50% of whom are frontline workers — who stepped up
for the community in this time of need and selflessly provided unwavering support to clients, partners, friends andfamilies 365 days a year.
Since March, DCS has distributed $89.1 million in federal funds to 65 partner organizations and 88 programs
supporting O‘ahu’s communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s leadership,
we collaborated with the Office of Economic Recovery, Office of Housing, Office of Climate Change, Sustainability
and Resilience and the Department of Emergency Management to fully leverage the available resources and amplify
our impact for our island’s residents. We invested in promoting public health, providing economic relief, supporting
small businesses and workers, enhancing food security, addressing housing and homelessness and supporting keiki,kūpuna and vulnerable populations.
In this report, you’ll read more about how DCS has responded to COVID-19 and how we have planted the seeds forour recovery and a more resilient future for O‘ahu. Our impact is only made possible by collaborating with nonprofits
across O‘ahu and their incredible contributions toward implementing new programs and providing critical services. Allof us at DCS are proud to stand alongside our partners serving those in need and for the benefit of our community as
a whole.
Mahalo nui loa,

Pamela A. Witty-Oakland
Director of the Department of Community Services

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Deanna Yanagisako plants
flowers at the Mānoa Gardens.

3

IMPACT-AT-A-GLANCE$8.5 MILLIONPROMOTING PUBLIC HEALTH
The public health emergency required urgent
action to protect community members,
establish new disease prevention protocols,
support vital medical services and stop the
spread of COVID-19. Funds were awarded toorganizations coordinating testing, outreachand education, isolation and quarantine
options for O‘ahu residents, as well as for
distribution of PPE and essential hygiene
items to shelters and community-serving
organizations.

$25 MILLIONECONOMIC RELIEF FOR
INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIESDCS and its nonprofit partners supported
those facing economic hardship due to
COVID-19 with financial assistance tocover basic living expenses, including rent,childcare and utility bills.

$8.4 MILLION

SMALL BUSINESSES AND
WORKERS
Small businesses, and the thousands of
local families they employ, have been deeply
impacted by the immediate and ongoing
disruption of normal operations due to
COVID-19. Funds were awarded to help local
businesses survive and recover and equip
out-of-work individuals with new skills,
training and opportunities to reenter the job
market.

$11.9 MILLION
FOOD SECURITY

DCS distributed funds in support ofinitiatives to address an exponential increasein food insecurity since the onset of thepandemic. The efforts fed O‘ahu’s hungry
families and included key investments
to support local farmers, agricultural
infrastructure and the long-term foodresilience for our communities.

4$19.5 MILLION$6.7 MILLION$6.3 MILLION$1.8 MILLION

The City and County of Honolulu mobilized
resources and community partners toaddress a growing number of people on
the brink of homelessness, as well as theincreased risk of exposure to COVID-19
among unsheltered individuals. Partnerorganizations utilized funds to prevent
homelessness, provide temporary shelter
and wraparound services, including medicalcare for COVID-19 positive individuals,
providing mediation services for tenants andlandlords and more.

DCS distributed funds to programs offeringchildcare for essential workers and working
families as well as academic support andliteracy workshops to minimize learning
disruptions for students.

Among the most at-risk in our community,
kūpuna are especially vulnerable tocomplications from COVID-19, on theirhealth and in access to food and services.
Public-private partnerships and grants
enabled the City and local initiatives to reachkūpuna safely at home with meal delivery,
health checks and wraparound services aswell as to support long-term facilities andcaregivers in protection of O‘ahu’s kūpuna.

DCS aided organizations serving vulnerable
populations such as those who havebeen the victims of domestic violence orare struggling with substance abuse or
behavioral health challenges. Initiatives
included raising awareness of the issues
and improving access to support for O‘ahu
residents whose physical, mental andemotional health suffered due to conditions
brought on by the Coronavirus.

HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESSKEIKIKŪPUNA

VULNERABLE COMMUNITIESTOTAL FUNDS DISTRIBUTED TO SUPPORT O‘AHU COMMUNITIES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: $89.1 MILLION

COMMUNITY IMPACT FUNDS FOR CITY & COUNTY OF
HONOLULU DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY SERVICES
400K+ RESIDENTS

Every zip code on O‘ahu served. Support
prioritized for individuals and families
experiencing economic hardship, unshelteredindividuals, displaced workers, keiki, kūpuna.

“There are hundreds of thousands of people on O‘ahu right now who are struggling to make ends
meet and wondering how long this will all last. In order for us to get through this, we all need tocome up with creative solutions and work together to help those in need.”— Mayor Kirk Calldwell“On behalf of the Department of Community Services, we want to thank our nonprofit partners

65+ PARTNERS

Community-serving organizations
strengthened through funding for new andflagship programs. Capacity built within local
service providers and reach extended to agreater number of residents across O‘ahu.

for working with us to serve the community needs of O‘ahu. Whether it’s during the COVID-19
pandemic or the work we do every day year-round, our team is honored to be a part of funding theincredible work that our partners have done during this pandemic.”— DCS Director Pamela A. Witty-Oakland
5$89.1 MILLION

Awarded to support at-risk and underserved
populations. Includes Community Relief,
Housing & Urban Development, Departmentof Labor and Older American funds.

88+ PROGRAMS

Initiatives expanded to address O‘ahu’s
community health, economic relief, workplace
recovery and readiness, food resilience,
housing and services for our island’s
unsheltered, childcare and academic support,
wraparound services for kūpuna and safety forvulnerable populations.

At left: DCS Director
Pamela A. WittyOakland, DCS Deputy
Director Rebecca Soonand Mayor Caldwell at
the Pūnāwai Rest Stop.

P R O M OT I N G
PUBLIC HEALTHIn March 2020, O‘ahu residents and businesses were suddenly
required to take extreme — and for some, costly — healthprecautions in the wake of the arrival of COVID-19 to ourisland. At the same time, many were facing the toughest
economic crisis they’d ever experienced,
as visitor and kama‘āina spending
evaporated with the halt of transpacifictravel and the county shelter-in-placeorder. Under these circumstances,6

17 INITIATIVES FUNDED$8.5 MILLION AWARDEDCARES funding administered throughthe Department of Community Services
and in collaboration with the Departmentof Emergency Management fulfilled
urgent needs in public health, including
continued health care for individuals wholost medical coverage; PPE and testingfor people experiencing homelessness;
hotel rooms for first responders; COVIDawareness education for culturally-diverse
communities; and facility upgrades for
hospitals and health centers.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS INCLUDE Aloha Medical
Mission, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement,
Hawai‘i Children's Action Network, Hawai‘i Hotel
Industry Foundation (HHIF), Ho‘ōla Nā Pua, Kōkua
Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services,
Pacific Medical Administrative Group, Papa Ola
Lōkahi, Partners in Development Foundation (WeAre Oceania), Project Vision Hawai‘i, St. Francis
Healthcare System, Wai‘anae Coast Comprehensive
Health Center.

BATTLING THE VIRUS ON THE FRONTLINE OFO‘AHU’S PANDEMIC
WAI‘ANAE COAST COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CENTER SERVES WEST O‘AHU PATIENTSThe Wai‘anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC) has been on the frontlines of the pandemic in Leeward O‘ahu.
WCCHC maintained its 24-hour emergency medical services by adapting its operations and securing adequate personal
protective equipment (PPE) for its staff and patients, thanks to financial aid from DCS. The healthcare provider also stoodup drive-through COVID-19 testing and associated contact tracing, which allowed the organization to more effectively
follow up on any positive tests and isolate outbreaks.
In addition to the ER department, WCCHC shifted its primary health services to telehealth appointments to ensure
uninterrupted care to more than 38,000 patients across West O‘ahu.
“Our Health Center patients on the Wai‘anae Coast and in Kapolei, Waipahu and ‘Ewa have many barriers to accessing healthcare, never more so than now, but have proven amazingly adept at utilizing virtual technology,”
said Dr. Stephen Bradley, Chief Medical Officer for the Wai‘anae Coast Comprehensive HealthCenter.
“CARES funds have allowed us
The center has been planning to introduce telemedicine for some time, but the fundamental
challenge has been a lack of adequate infrastructure to fully implement the technology.
“CARES funds have allowed us to plan various upgrades and plan the needed improvements toa system that will revolutionize healthcare to the communities we serve and potentially to all
underserved areas throughout the islands,” Dr. Bradley added.

WE ARE OCEANIA SUPPORTS HARD-HIT PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY
We Are Oceania, a collaborative project from the nonprofit Partners in Development, filled acritical role in reaching out to the community hardest hit by the pandemic — Pacific Islanders.
This grassroots group helped connect families affected by COVID-19 to alternative lodging forquarantine or isolation, established a resource hotline with multilingual staffers, and provided
food and supplies to families facing hardship. WAO also communicated with the Pacific Islander
community through a cultural lens to inform and dispel questions, fears and uncertainties.

to plan various upgrades andplan the needed improvements
to a system that will
revolutionize healthcare to
the communities we serve andpotentially to all underserved
areas throughout the islands”– Dr. Stephen Bradley

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Above: New telehealthtechnology fromthe Wai‘anae Coast
Comprehensive
Health Center enables
patients in West O‘ahu
to meet virtually with
their doctors.

ECONOMICRELIEF FOR
INDIVIDUALS &FAMILIESThe Household Hardship Relief Fund wasestablished by Mayor Caldwell and the City and

8County of Honolulu to assist O‘ahu residents
experiencing severe financial hardship resulting
from unemployment or business interruptions.
The public-private partnership between thecity and its three nonprofit partners — Aloha
United Way, the Council for Native Hawaiian
Advancement and Helping Hands Hawai‘i —was seeded with $25 million in CARES funds tooffer direct payment for basic needs including
rent, mortgage, electric, medical insurance,
emergency household expenses, senior careand childcare expenses.

$25 MILLION
AWARDED
11,250+ RESIDENTS
SUPPORTEDCOMMUNITY PARTNERS INCLUDE
Aloha United Way, the Council for Native
Hawaiian Advancement and Helping
Hands Hawai‘i.

HELPING O‘AHU FAMILIES FACING
FINANCIAL HARDSHIP
More than 4,800 households and 16,600 individuals facing financial challenges due to the COVID-19 crisis received support
from the Household Hardship Relief Fund program to pay their bills. The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, which
helped to process applications and distribute funds, collected the following testimonials from the beneficiaries of the program.

9“I am so grateful to have this help in
paying for my rent. This enabled me
to provide for my parents and children
during this uncertain time. Thank you
so much for helping our ‘ohana.”– Cherish Sistoza, Wahiawa“I am very thankful for this program.

“Thanks to your help, we were able to“We lost our livelihood when COVID-19 hit.

I could say and write so many words

avoid being homeless. We used theWe had zero income immediately because

about it because it helped me getfunds to help us pay our rent during

we are house cleaners for vacation rentals

through the month and saved me andthis time. My husband is in the tourism

and that stopped. Unemployment would

my family from being evicted. Fromindustry and is the sole provider. He

not start for PUA till months later. Your

the bottom of my heart, thank you.”is still furloughed. Your program has

program helped us pay rent when we had

helped keep a roof over my family’s head.

nothing to give our landlords. Thank you so

Mahalo plenty!”

much.”– Fanesog ‘Ohana, Wai‘anae– Long ‘Ohana, Ewa Beach– Lokboj ‘Ohana, Kalihi

SMALL
BUSINESSESAND WORKERSUHERO reported that between January
and April 2020, Hawai‘i small businesses
suffered job losses of more than 40%,
putting tens of thousands of O‘ahu

7 INITIATIVESFUNDED

residents out of work. Of those businesses
participating in their survey, nearly 20%
reported no revenue while another 20%$8.4 MILLION
AWARDED

reported earning less than half theirbaseline monthly revenue in July. In aneffort to support struggling businesses andindividuals, the Department of Community

COMMUNITY PARTNERS INCLUDE

Services funded programs focusing on jobs

Economic Development Allianceand skill development for displaced workers

of Hawai‘i, Kula no na Po’e Hawai‘i,

and initiatives fostering economic recovery.

Council for Native Hawaiian
Advancement, and collaborations
with the Department of Labor and theDepartment of Housing and Urban
In July, WorkHawai‘i students
return to the classroom to receive
vocational training.

Development.

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STIMULATING THE ECONOMY WITH SMALL BUSINESSSUPPORT AND WORKFORCE TRAININGECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE OF HAWAI‘I’SINNOVATIVE PROGRAM CONNECTS DISPLACED WORKERSWITH NEW CAREER OPPORTUNITIESThe Economic Development Alliance of Hawai‘i designed the Aloha
Connections Innovation (ACI) program to provide a pathway to jobs and career
opportunities in the innovation sector for workers who have been displaced
due to the pandemic. Funded with CARES Act money, the program has three
primary goals:•

Provide jobs and skill development for O‘ahu’s displaced workforce seeking
potential career changes•

Enable small businesses and innovation-driven enterprises in future growth
sectors to assist with displaced workers to reboot our economy; and•Connect interns with businesses that seek additional support, bringing
them into contact with potential future employers“I finally had a chance to move
forward after months of uncertainty
and persevering through job
rejections. It was a promising step inthe right direction.” – Maddie Buresh“Thanks to the ACI program,
this experience has been truly
amazing, I am learning so much,and it has been a lot of fun.”– Brandon Kubo

When the pandemic hit, Maddie Buresh lost her job and decided to embark on a
new career path in digital marketing. Through the ACI program, Buresh applied
and was hired as a digital marketing intern with the Bizgenics Foundation.
“When I opened my email and saw the job offer, I almost couldn’t believe it,”said Maddie Buresh. “I finally had a chance to move forward after months of
uncertainty and persevering through job rejections. It was a promising step inthe right direction.”
Brandon Kubo also lost his job in the hotel industry due to the economic falloutof the COVID-19 crisis. He wanted to branch out into a more creative sector likesocial media and digital marketing, but struggled to find a job because he didn’t
have the experience most employers require.

“I searched for a job unrelated to tourism, but most employers required specificamounts of experience which I did not have. I felt lost not knowing where to start,”
Kubo said.
That’s when a friend introduced him to the ACI program. Kubo applied and was hired
as a marketing and outreach associate with the Hawai‘i International Film Festival.
“Working in a creative industry like film provided the experience I was searching for.
Thanks to the ACI program, this experience has been truly amazing, I am learning somuch, and it has been a lot of fun,” Kubo added.

11POP-UP MĀKEKE OPENS NEWONLINE FRONTIER FOR LOCAL SMALL
BUSINESSESIn response to the pandemic’s impact on small andmicrobusinesses, the Council for Native Hawaiian
Advancement created Pop-Up Mākeke, an online
marketplace featuring more than 400 Hawai‘ibusinesses and 12,000 locally-made products.
Customers can visit the online hub to browse
products or watch QVC-style shows featured on
KHNL, KGMB, K5 and Facebook Live.

DCS’S AMERICAN JOB CENTER HAWAI‘I
AND WORKHAWAII PLACE PEOPLE ON
THE PATH TO SUCCESS
Within DCS, the American Job Center Hawai‘iserves as a one-stop shop for job seekers looking
for training, financial assistance and careeradvice as well as employers seeking recruitment
assistance and outplacement support. DCS’s
WorkHawaii is another vital resource offering
programs in the following areas: job readinesspreparation, rent to work, ticket to work,
vocational rehabilitation training and youth
services. The youth program helps teens andyoung adults access programs and services that
put them on the path to economic, educationaland social well-being.

(Center) Kūhiō Lewis,
president and CEO of
the Council of Native
Hawaiian Advancement,
and the Pop-up
Mākeke team connect
local products with
consumers.

The youth program
helps young adults
ages 16 to 24 achieve
their educational andemployment goals.

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FOOD
SECURITY

The Bank of Hawai‘i Foundation’s December
COVID-19 Insights survey found that 1 in
4 Hawai‘i residents have experienced foodsecurity since the start of the pandemic. The
increasing demand for access to fresh foodand meals revealed our communities’ needfor a more resilient food system. Programs
supported with CARES funding administeredthrough the Department of Community
Services and in collaboration with the Office

21 INITIATIVES FUNDED$11.9 MILLION
AWARDEDof Economic Revitalization established food

COMMUNITY PARTNERS INCLUDE

distribution events, growth and development

Aloha Harvest, Feeding Hawai‘i Together,of microfarms and urban gardens, distribution

GoFarm Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Agricultureof food vouchers and improvements for foodpackaging facilities.

Research Center, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau
Foundation, Hawaii Foodbank, Hawai‘i Food
Manufacturers, Ke Kula Nui O Waimānalo,
Kōkua Kalihi Valley, Kula no na Po’e Hawai‘i,
Lanakila Pacific, Mālama Meals United,

Aloha Harvest hosted more than 200 food
distributions across O‘ahu, sharing more than 1.5
million pounds of food with over 50,000 families.

Pacific Gateway Center, Pili Group, SSFM
International, The Salvation Army, Wai‘anae
Coast Comprehensive Health Center.

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CULTIVATING FOOD SECURITY FOR
VULNERABLE COMMUNITIESURBAN GARDENS HELP FOOD-INSECURE RESIDENTS BECOME MORE SELF-RESILIENT
Working together with residents at seven City-owned, special needs housing locations, DCS helped create urban
gardens, constructing more than 160 garden beds and planting 20 fruit trees with the goal of providing sustainable,
fresh produce to individuals and families facing food insecurity. Nearly 1,100 residents from vulnerable communities,
including previously homeless families and youth, kūpuna, domestic violence survivors, and low-income families,
will plant, harvest and eat the homegrown fruits and vegetables.
“Growing our own food on-island is vital to making our community more resilient,” said Mayor Kirk Caldwell.
“Expanding our food production footprint will not only provide locally grown produce; it is part of a movement where
the food we eat is grown, picked, processed, distributed, and prepared by the people of O‘ahu for the people ofO‘ahu. Along with helping to sustain the bodies of those affected most by the pandemic, this project will also feed
their spirits as they see their hard work grow into what will become vibrant urban gardens.”
At ALEA Bridge in Hale‘iwa, program coordinators installed 13 garden beds and fruit trees like mulberry and avocado.
April Keller and her young son venture out to the flourishing gardens every morning to look at the array of growing
vegetables, including tomatoes, squash, lettuce, and kale, as well as herbs like mint.
“My son really loves tomatoes and picking them off the vine, so we are both really excited to see them growing,”
Keller said. “He is fascinated with the whole process, and it’s a good teaching opportunity for him.”
Keller looks forward to tending the garden and making healthy meals and mint tea for her family. She recently
harvested cabbage, cilantro, green onion, parsley, and kale from the gardens to create kalua pig and cabbage withcilantro rice.
The project was made possible by a private-public partnership with DCS, the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability
and Resiliency, Department of Parks and Recreation, Department of Land Management, Hawai‘i Community
Foundation, SSFM International, Supersistence, local landscaping companies, and community-based nonprofits.

14

15

“Along with helping tosustain the bodies of
those affected most by the
pandemic, this project will
also feed their spirits asthey see their hard work
grow into what will become
vibrant urban gardens.”– Mayor Kirk Caldwell

PACIFIC GATEWAY CENTER INVIGORATES FARM-TO-TABLE
FOOD SYSTEM
Amid rising food insecurity, Pacific Gateway Center immediately pivoted tosupport refugee and local immigrant farmers while providing free food toforeign-born individuals, kūpuna and vulnerable, at-risk communities. The
farm-to-table partnership enlisted Under My Umbrella, local restaurant Pig
and the Lady, a group of volunteer chefs from Chef Hui, the Marshallese
Community of Hawai‘i, West O‘ahu Christian Church, volunteers from Help
is on the Way and other responsible citizens to prepare and distribute 800
meals to Marshallese, Micronesian and Pacific Islander communities as wellas members of UNITE HERE Local 5.
“We’re so grateful and appreciative of the food we received,” said a recipientof one of Pacific Gateway Center’s food distributions. “It restores our faith inhumanity, seeing people come together and kōkua. We can get through this
together. The uncertainty is a heavy burden to carry, but you folks helped usdeal with it.”
Since April 2020, Pacific Gateway Center has been hosting a weekly food
distribution at its Nā Kūpuna Makamae Center, reaching over 12,000 families
and distributing over 150,000 pounds of food and locally grown agricultural
produce.

16HOUSING &HOMELESSNESS

According to the Hawai‘i Data Collaborative, 59%
of Hawai‘i households are considered asset-limited,
income-constrained, employed or below (ALICE),
up 17 points since the pandemic began. As moreO‘ahu residents live with financial vulnerability,
the demand for services supporting the island’s
economically-disadvantaged and its unshelteredindividuals has increased. The Departmentof Community Services awarded Community
Resilience and Housing and Urban Development
funds to address the needs of the growing

17

16 INITIATIVES FUNDED$19.5 MILLION
AWARDEDpopulation of at-risk individuals across O‘ahu.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS INCLUDE
ALEA Bridge, Family Promise of Hawai‘i, First
United Methodist Church, Habilitat, Inc.,
Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center,
Institute for Human Services, Mediation
Right: Future resident Sean Fernandez with a Hale
Kipa Case Manager standing outside 38 newlycreated affordable housing units at the MaunakeaMarketplace.

Center of the Pacific, Partners in Care,
Residential Youth Services & Empowerment,
River of Life Mission, Young Women’s
Christian Association.

MAYOR CALDWELL
CHAMPIONS SOLUTIONSFOR O‘AHU’S HOUSING,HOMELESSNESS CRISIS
Addressing O‘ahu’s homelessness crisis
was the responsibility of the state before
Mayor Kirk Caldwell stepped up and leaned
into finding meaningful solutions. During
the past eight years, Mayor Caldwell’s
administration and the city’s Office of
Housing has:
ESTABLISHED HOUSING FIRST —a permanent, supportive housing
program, which includes housing units
available through projects like Pūnāwaiand provided around 825 Housing First,
veteran, and other special
housing vouchers.

18

In partnership with the Departmentof Land Management and the Officeof Housing, ADDED ROUGHLY 1,300
AFFORDABLE UNITS to its affordable
rental housing portfolio, raising thetotal to more than 2,500 units.
ACHIEVED A 10% REDUCTION IN
TOTAL HOMELESSNESS — roughly
510 individuals — between 2017and 2020.
In partnership with the Department
of Health, OPENED TEMPORARY
QUARANTINE AND ISOLATIONCENTERS with stabilization beds
and services to care for unshelteredindividuals who may have been
exposed to COVID-19.

“When I came into office in 2013, addressing homelessness and its root causes became a key priority of ouradministration. Projects such as the Pūnāwai facility, Housing First rental assistance programs, Hale Mauliola navigation
shelter, mobile hygiene trailers, and with the pandemic, Temporary Quarantine and Isolation Centers, are some of themany tools the City developed and implemented to assist those most in need by providing them a hand up. These key
initiatives, which are guided by our local upbringing of helping others with compassion, accountability and aloha, areonly possible with community buy-in and the support of the City Council leadership.”– Mayor CaldwellPŪNĀWAI REST STOP HELPS HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY,STABLE HOUSING
The Pūnāwai Rest Stop located in the heart of ‘Iwilei is designed to provide care, compassion and recovery
to individuals experiencing homelessness on O‘ahu. The facility serves 2,500 unduplicated individuals eachyear, placing more than 100 people into housing annually, delivering more than 6,000 case management
contacts and offering showers, toilet access, laundry services, veterinary checks for pets and postal
service. The City and County of Honolulu operates the rest stop in partnership with Mental Health Kokua.
“By having a place like the Pūnāwai Rest Stop, it’s a place for people to regain some dignity in their life.
It’s a starting place, it’s a place to regroup and a place to rebuild,” said Greg Payton, CEO of Mental Health
Kokua.
Named after the healing waters that run under the Kūwili Street location, Pūnāwai brings together
community-based partners through a hygiene center (ground floor), clinic (mezzanine), respite (second
floor) and permanent supportive housing component (third floor). In November 2020, the City blessed thecompletion of 21 permanent supportive housing units.

19“The ultimate goal is to get them housing,” said Dorene Toulant, Program Director of the Pūnāwai Rest
Stop. “Everybody deserves that chance, everybody deserves the option of having a place. It’s difficult to bea productive member of society without the basic need of housing.”
Pūnāwai Clinic and Respite is anticipated to open for modified service in January 2021, with the full clinic
anticipated to open in the summer of 2021.

A Pūnāwai client talks about the importance of a safe space forbasic hygiene. “Hygiene is a big thing, especially when you’reliving out on the streets,” he said. “It gives you that peace ofmind that there’s somewhere to go when you need some kindof treatment or someone to talk to.”IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, THE REST STOP HAS PROVIDED MORE THAN 145,000
SERVICES TO THOUSANDS OF CLIENTS.
55,600 loads of laundry

78,300 showers

230 placements tohousing or treatment

8,300 casemanagement contacts

MEDIATION CENTER OF THE PACIFIC HELPS TENANTS, LANDLORDSFIND SOLUTIONSWith thousands of residents facing financial hardship and unable to pay rent, open
communication between tenants and landlords has never been more important. Enter
the Mediation Center of the Pacific.
“Through mediation, landlords and tenants are assisted in engaging in conversations
that encourage them to work together to apply for rental assistance, agree on
payment plans, and discuss future options that will enable the tenant to remain in
their residence when the moratorium ends, said Tracey Wiltgen, Executive Director of
the Mediation Center of the Pacific. “By participating in mediation, the relationship ofthe landlord and tenant is strengthened, and the legal process of eviction is avoided.”

Volunteer mediators Chuck Buckla and Kendra Epsteinshare information about the center’s mediation program at
a CARES Resource Fair.

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KEIKI

Parents and children faced newchallenges as families moved indoors
and schools moved online following
county emergency orders. Issues
related to childcare and education
21

required innovative solutions for keiki
of frontline workers and students
learning in virtual classrooms, while
programs were developed to support
at-risk youth with counseling, tutoringand social services.

12 INITIATIVES FUNDED$6.7 MILLION AWARDEDCOMMUNITY PARTNERS INCLUDE
Boys and Girls Club of Hawai‘i, Child & Family
Service, Hawai‘i Literacy, Kama`aina Care Inc.,
KCAA, Parents And Children Together, Readto Me International, Seagull Schools, Inc.,YMCA of Honolulu.

CARING FOR THE KEIKI OF ESSENTIAL WORKERS
AND FAMILIESYMCA OF HONOLULU CREATES A SAFE, ENRICHINGENVIRONMENT FOR KEIKI
As the Coronavirus pandemic swept across O‘ahu, the question on
many parents’ minds was, “what should I do with my kids?” While somejuggled working from home with their keiki underfoot, essential workers
found themselves in the midst of a childcare crisis.
The YMCA of Honolulu, Kama‘āina Kids and other childcare“Working parents had a safe,enriching place for their keiki togo when school campuses wereclosed, which was a great relief
to many of our families.”– Kerri Van Duyne

organizations answered the call and rapidly adjusted operations tocontinue providing a safe, healthy environment for O‘ahu’s keiki. With the support of CARES funds,
the YMCA established the Essential Worker’s Child Care program at its Nu‘uanu, Windward and
Leeward locations. The affordable program offered a safe, hygienic space for keiki to engage inenrichment programming like arts and crafts, physical activity outdoors and academic assistance for
distance learning. This service brought peace of mind to parents, easing their financial burden andenabling them to continue working and serving our community.
In the summertime, YMCA expanded its childcare program to three additional branches — Mililani,
Kalihi and Kaimuki-Waialae — and offered day camps services to all working families that needed the
support. Continued CARES Act aid allowed the YMCA to extend its program through the start of the
new school year.
“With significant support received from the City and County’s Coronavirus Relief Fund, the YMCA of
Honolulu was able to serve over 1,400 keiki in our Essential Worker’s Child Care program, Summer
Day Camps and Learning Centers islandwide,” said Kerri Van Duyne, Vice President of Development
at the YMCA of Honolulu. “Working parents had a safe, enriching place for their keiki to go whenschool campuses were closed, which was a great relief to many of our families.”

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KAMA‘ĀINA KIDS TENDS TO THE LITTLEST LEARNERS
When the pandemic hit, Kama‘āina Kids, one of the largest childcare providers in the state, saw its
daily attendance drop from 10,000 keiki a day to just 250. The organization focused on keeping its preschool locations open to care for the young children of essential workers. This specialized program,with its heightened sanitation practices and COVID procedures, received CARES aid from DCS.
The financial support enabled the organization to compensate its dedicated employees, purchasesanitation equipment, provide much-need supplies and pay rent and utility payments for its facilities.
Beyond childcare, the non-profit provided nutritious, grab-and-go meals for families with reduced
incomes at eight locations across O‘ahu. Kama‘āina Kids also handed out more than 1,000 bags filledwith bread, cereal, spam, snacks, a $10 Safeway gift card and more to families.
Keiki in the Kama‘āina Kids program learn the new check-in
process, which includes a mandatory temperature checkupon arrival.

23KŪPUNAAt risk for severe complications from COVID
are our kūpuna, requiring O‘ahu caregivers
and long-term care facilities to enhancesafety measures. For older adults still living intheir homes, innovative solutions were bornout of the need to bring services to kūpuna,minimizing their exposure in crowded places
like grocery stores and health clinics.

8 INITIATIVES FUNDED$6.3 MILLION AWARDEDCOMMUNITY PARTNERS INCLUDE
Kūpuna Food Security Coalition, 4 Miles LLC,
Kanu Hawai‘i, Kula no na Po‘e Hawai‘i, LunaliloHome, Wai‘anae Coast Comprehensive
Health Center.

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EXPANDING PROGRAMS TO SERVE AT-RISK SENIORSSAFELY AT HOME
KŪPUNA FOOD SECURITY COALITION MOBILIZES TO SUPPORT ELDERLY
ADULTS IN NEED
More than 18% of the City and County of Honolulu’s population, or approximately 177,000
individuals, are over the age of 65. According to the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention, the risk for severe illness with COVID-19 increases with age, with older adults
at highest risk. To better serve kūpuna safely during the pandemic, the City & County of
Honolulu Department of Community Services (DCS) invested more than $6 million in federal
funding to advance existing programs and develop new infrastructure to provide meals andwraparound services.
“Many kūpuna are isolated at home in normal times, but this pandemic has forced many25

to rely on outside support as they face increased risk from COVID-19,” said DCS Director
Pamela A. Witty-Oakland. “That has created an incredible demand for necessities like food,services and social interaction.”

FROM MARCH TO NOVEMBER 30, 2020, THE HUI HAS DELIVERED MORE THAN 1.2 MILLION MEALS AND OVER 30,000 HEALTH AND
WELLNESS CHECKS, ALONG WITH OTHER CRITICAL SERVICES TO O‘AHU SENIORS SINCE THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC.

Delivered 1.2 million
meals

Conducted 30,000 healthand wellness checks

Served 8,000 kūpuna
weeklyFormed in response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Kūpuna Food Security
Coalition (KFSC) is an innovative public-private partnership founded by DCS’
Elderly Affairs Division, AARP Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Pacific Health Institute, Aloha UnitedWay, Kanu Hawai‘i and Age Friendly Honolulu that has grown to over 40 member
organizations. This broad network of passionate individuals, nonprofit organizations,service providers, businesses, funders and state and local agencies to help those indesperate need of food, services and resources.
“I have people that have put their lives on the line to come visit me — and they
are kind and gentle and caring,” said one kupuna who receives Meals on Wheels
deliveries at her home. “This service has been a godsend.”
79-year-old Sydney Limtiaco is a widow who lives alone without a car. Due to preexisting health conditions, she’s been stranded at home during the pandemic andunable to pick-up the necessities. Our Kūpuna, a KFSC member and nonprofit,
connected Limtiaco in April with the Honda ‘ohana, who volunteered to help run
errands for her and deliver whatever supplies she may need. The Hondas haven’t just26

become Limtiaco’s lifeline for groceries and medications; they’ve become her friends
as well.
“They brought me flowers on Mother’s Day. Since I lost my daughter 12 years
ago, that meant a lot,” Limtiaco said. “The Hondas are wonderful angels tome.”
KFSC plans to continue its vital work beyond the pandemic by supporting
impactful and sustainable solutions that provide food and wraparoundservices to kūpuna who need it most.

“They bought me flowers on
Mother’s Day. Since I lost mydaughter 12 years ago, thatmeant a lot. The Hondas are
wonderful angels to me.”– Sydney Limtiaco

Sydney Limtiaco (left) with 17-year-old
Malia Honda (right).

VULNERABLECOMMUNITIES7 INITIATIVES FUNDED$1.8 MILLION AWARDEDCOMMUNITY PARTNERS INCLUDE Aloha
United Way, Bobby Benson Center, Child &Family Services, Domestic Violence Action
Center, Guide Dogs of Hawai‘i, Hina Mauka,
Kahi Mōhala, Parents and Children Together.

The pandemic also exacerbated stressors
facing survivors of domestic violence,individuals with substance abuse issues
and those struggling with behavioral healthchallenges. Through funding to local service
providers specializing in support for thesevulnerable populations, the Department ofCommunity Services helped O‘ahu residents
connect with the care they needed to ensure
safety for themselves and their families.

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PROTECTING OUR MOST VULNERABLECOMMUNITY MEMBERS
HALE MALUHIA PROVIDES A SAFE HAVEN FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
While the lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic was intended to keep people safe, for some, it unintentionallymade an already difficult and dangerous situation even worse. As COVID-19 amplified economic and otherhardships for women and children in Honolulu, the City’s nonprofit partners worked to provide a vital safety net andconnect victims with the support they need to survive and thrive again.
Hale Maluhia, operated by the Domestic Violence Action Center in partnership with Housing Solutions, Inc., opened
its doors during the first week of April 2020 and provides 20 one-bedroom apartments for survivors of domestic
violence. Offering on-site services for survivors and their families, including attorneys to assist with temporary
restraining orders, custody matters and other civil legal issues, Hale Maluhia provides stable long-term housingwith the goal of equipping the survivors of domestic violence with the tools, skills and confidence to move forwardfrom their abusers.
“At some point, I was losing hope, and I thought I was going to go crazy,” said Marina, a survivor ofdomestic violence in the Hale Maluhia program. “They are really very helpful, and I am thankful to
God that there are people with golden hearts like them.”
As of July 2020, Hale Maluhia is housing 15 single mothers and 33 children.
“There are far too few places for survivors to make their escape,” said Nanci Kreidman, CEO of theDomestic Violence Action Center. “The City and County has made an investment in addressing
domestic violence through the support of this property to house survivors with a program called“I am thankful that
there are people withgolden hearts likethem.” - Marina, asurvivor of domestic
violence.

Hale Maluhia. It’s an enormous gift.”
In 2021, DVAC will celebrate 30 years of service to our community. Committed to ending domestic violence andother forms of abuse, DVAC delivers high quality and culturally sensitive programs with integrity and compassion
to create safety and self-sufficiency for survivors and their children.

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BOBBY BENSON CENTER TREATS AT-RISK YOUTH
Bobby Benson Center, a residential treatment facility dedicated to offering Hawai‘i’s adolescents the assistance they need inovercoming substance use and co-occurring disorders, continues to provide crucial services to youth. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic,
the organization has helped youth navigate the obstacles in their lives as substance use and mental health disorders rise.
For the Bobby Benson Center’s residential treatment group setting, youth often arrive off the streets with a history of drug and alcoholuse, putting the center in a vulnerable state and at higher risk of contracting and spreading Coronavirus. Support from the Departmentof Community Services allowed the Bobby Benson Center to implement protocols, establish barriers, purchase PPEs, and install otherprogrammatic procedures to continue treating each child and their family. Equally important, Bobby Benson Center has managed tokeep the virus out of its main campus and coordinated networks with other agencies to provide consistent testing of staff and clientsto ensure a virus-free facility.
Without the center, many of our youth would be on the streets, using drugs, utilizing unhealthy and dangerous coping skills, and have
nowhere to turn to cope with mental health issues. Throughout the pandemic, the Bobby Benson Center remains a place of refuge,
hope and healing as it combats multi-generational issues, helping to heal not only individuals but families, communities, and Hawaii
as a whole.

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IMPACT FOR OUR COMMUNITY$8.5 MILLIONPROMOTING PUBLIC HEALTH“[Community] health centers build
relationships that go back more than ageneration. It’s one of trust. We knew theywould be able to reach out to the mostvulnerable members of our community.”$25 MILLIONECONOMIC RELIEF FOR
INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES$8.4 MILLION

SMALL BUSINESSES AND
WORKERS$11.9 MILLION
FOOD SECURITY“This is my very first garden in my whole
life. There’s a really big seed that’s beenplanted here, and I’m just excited about it
blossoming. People who never came outof their apartments are coming out, taking
garden plots and are talking to each other. ”“This program helped my kids and myself
keep a roof over our heads. I was scared ofwhat would happen since I was jobless andcouldn’t afford to pay my bills. I am thankful
for this program for keeping my ‘ohana safe
and sheltered.”“Breaking into a marketing career hasn’t
been easy. Many times, it felt like my skills
and dynamic background got overshadowedby my lack of formal training. I just needed
the chance to demonstrate my ability andbuild my confidence.”— Sandobal ‘Ohana, Honolulu— Maddie Buresh, Aloha Connections
Innovation program participant$19.5 MILLION$6.7 MILLION$6.3 MILLION$1.8 MILLION“What we do at Pūnāwai is remind them thatthey are somebody, that they are valuable,that they mean something and that they are
loved.”“Working parents had a safe, enriching place
for their keiki to go when school campuses
were closed, which was a great relief tomany of our families.”— Dawn Wemple, Lead Center Assistant at
Pūnāwai Rest Stop

— Kerri Van Duyne, Vice President ofDevelopment at the YMCA of Honolulu“From hot meals to fresh produce andgroceries, our incredible taskforce andvolunteers are making a real difference inthe lives of our elderly residents. With each
visit and delivery, this coalition is helping ourkūpuna lead healthy, independent lifestyles
and age-in-place within the comfort of theirhomes.”“Without the center, many of our youth
would be on the streets, using drugs,
utilizing unhealthy and dangerous coping
skills, and have nowhere to turn to copewith mental health issues. Throughout
the pandemic, the Bobby Benson Centerremains a place of refuge, hope and healing.”— Mayor Kirk Caldwell

HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESSKEIKIKŪPUNA— Derrick Ariyoshi, County Executive of theElderly Affairs Division of DCS— Deanna Yanagisako, Mānoa Gardens
kūpuna housing resident and gardener

VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES— Sione Naeata, Executive Director of the
Bobby Benson Center$89.1 MILLION
AWARDED TO SUPPORT STRUGGLING O‘AHU RESIDENTS, FAMILIES, AND BUSINESSES

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On behalf of the City and Countyof Honolulu, the Department ofCommunity Services is proud to fulfill
our mission of creating opportunities
to improve the quality of life of thepeople of O‘ahu, especially during
the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information about the
Department of Community Services,
please visit www.honolulu.gov/dcs.