Grants to address health and housing insecurity

Kaiser Permanente in Hawaii has awarded grants totaling $225,000 to support 3 front-line community organizations serving people experiencing homelessness. The grants aim to reach the most underserved in Hawaii, including transgender individuals and individuals in rural areas, with a comprehensive array of clinical and social services.

Hope Services Hawaii received $75,000 for its Clinical Behavioral Health Program. Funds will be used to provide case management, care coordination, psychiatric services, and substance abuse treatment to people experiencing homelessness in rural areas on Hawaii Island.

Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center received $75,000 to fund its Kuaana Project. The Oahu-based project provides homelessness prevention services to transgender individuals experiencing economic insecurity. The grant will enable the organization to conduct housing needs assessments for current and prospective Kuaana Project program participants, facilitate financial literacy and life skills workshops, and host an educational event that highlights the obstacles sexual and gender minorities face when seeking safe housing.

Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Centers on Maui received $75,000 to support its COVID-19 Impact Client Assistance Program, which provides financial relief to people experiencing homelessness. The assistance will help selected individuals and families cover up to $1,000 in expenses, including transportation, administrative fees to obtain documents needed to get a job or apply for government assistance, and other costs that are incurred as program participants work to secure permanent housing.

Hawaii has the second-highest rate of homelessness per capita in the nation. Organizations that serve people who are experiencing homelessness have faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding from the grants directly supports services estimated to reach 400 individuals.

“At Kaiser Permanente, we believe that housing is health,” said Greg Christian, Hawaii market president, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals. “You cannot have good health without safe and stable housing. That’s why we are dedicated to addressing housing insecurity, especially in our island’s most underserved communities. Together, with our community allies, we are expanding access to equitable, integrated care that addresses the clinical, social, and economic needs of our community.”

Kaiser Permanente is working to improve the conditions for health in the communities it serves. These grants are the latest in a series of contributions from Kaiser Permanente in Hawaii to help residents throughout the state receive vital support services that impact their overall health. In 2021, Kaiser Permanente dedicated $3.8 million through community grants and scholarships to improve health and wellness in Hawaii.

About Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve approximately 12.5 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health.