COM 0618.000 2024-2026 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Neighborhood Place of Puna Family & Youth Street Outreach Program Project Category Location Population Requested Grant Amount Award Recommendation Services Offered Total Served Outreach Hilo, Puna, Hamakua Families, Youth, Unsheltered $419,605.00 of Total Project Budget $572,325.00 $400,000.00 Street Outreach, Case Management, Housing Navigation, Housing Placement 120 Households The Family & Youth Street Outreach Program is a targeted initiative serving unsheltered families with minor children and unaccompanied youth ages 14-25 in East Hawaii. Building on insights from the previously funded Homeless Engagement Team (HET), this refined approach focuses on rapid engagement, trust -building, and immediate connections to services and housing pathways. Outreach teams operate at least four times per week in high -need areas like downtown Hilo. They identify and engage unsheltered youth and families, provide essential supplies (food, hygiene kits), and enroll participants into the Hawaii County Homeless Engagement Hui Database. Personalized referrals are made to emergency shelters, health services, and housing programs. The team also manages the prioritization list for Hale Iki, an emergency shelter for families, ensuring the most vulnerable are matched with shelter placement quickly. For those interested in long-term housing, participants are enrolled in the Neighborhood Place Resource Center, where they receive individualized support from Housing Navigators who help set goals, resolve barriers, and secure permanent housing. This person -centered model emphasizes consistent, trauma -informed care and ongoing engagement, empowering participants to move from homelessness to stability —one relationship at a time.