Helping Hands Hawaii received a $1,559,750 award from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to continue the Punawai Program.
Helping Hands Hawaii received a $1,559,750 award from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to continue the Punawai Program.
The program provides asset incentives, financial literacy and multiservice referral activities designed to improve the quality of life for Native Hawaiians living at or below 250 percent of the federal poverty guidelines for Hawaii.
The program is a combined effort between HHH, Catholic Charities of Hawaii and Hawaiian Community Assets. The OHA award continues the partnership through 2017.
HHH will continue to provide emergency financial assistance and information and referral services on Oahu while CCH will provide the same services in Hawaii, Maui and Kauai counties.
HCA expands its role to deliver financial education, financial counseling and Individual Development Accounts savings match/asset building products for all counties.
This collaborative approach is essential to the long-term financial success of Native Hawaiians and will use the resources and knowledge of all three organizations, which have long histories of providing services and support to Native Hawaiians.
“Helping Hands Hawaii is humbled and blessed to serve and support Native Hawaiians who struggle to live in a decreasingly affordable Hawaii,” said Jan Harada, president and CEO of Helping Hands Hawaii. “We are fortunate to be engaged in a true collaborative partnership with Catholic Charities Hawaii and Hawaiian Community Assets, two organizations that share our desire to operate with integrity, compassion and humility to help Native Hawaiians realize a more financially stable future.”