Welcome to Project Hawai'i, Inc

When one thinks of homelessness it is a typical sterotype situation; such as, a drunk in the doorway, or a begger on the streets. While these types of situations are a reality, it is NOT what we think of homelessness.

Our agency targets to care for the CHILDREN living in poverty situations, such as a car, tent, or in the bushes...the majority of our keiki are in elementry school. Our reality is single parents (typically mothers) with several children doing the best they can with the resources they have to provide the basics for the children. These children live without running water, electricity or even a shelter outside of a puka filled tent or tarp hidden in the bushes.

Statistics of the Islands we serve:

O'ahu: Estimated 8,507 homeless people in general. This will include the 1,000 beds available for emergency housing for homeless. 

Big Island: Estimated 2,565 with only 40 emergency housing beds available.

• HOUSING CRISIS: Many think that the lack of housing is the problem. While the lack of affordable housing for POVERTY STRICKEN families is almost impossible to find, it is not the main factor. However here are some stats of our housing crisis
  
• The minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, which would require a person to work 160 hours per week for 52 weeks to earn the Fair Market Value of a 2-bed apartment.
  
• The average overall worker in Hawaii is only $12.42 per hour, which would require a 93 hour work week for 52 weeks
• EMEGENCY SHELTERS provide an average length of stay to families for 96 days compaired to 120 for singles. 
• TRANSISTIONAL shelters usually are the "stepping stones" from emergency to permenent housing...but they only have an average length of stay is 351 days. Only 64% of these families actually move into stable housing after the shelters.
  

We estimate that WE provide services to an estimated 1,500 HOMELESS UNSHELTERED KEIKI per year between the islands.

FOR MORE STATISTICS FOR FACTS< PLEASE EMAIL US!!!