The Institute for Human Services, with support from the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association, will start a full-time homeless outreach program in Waikiki on Monday. 

The association is donating $100,000 to kick-off the program, which will feature IHS’ outreach staff meeting daily with Waikiki homeless people. IHS staff will assist them in getting into shelters or homes, finding employment, receiving medical care, and reconnecting with loved ones. The announcement was made at a press conference on Wednesday at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach. 

IHS Executive Director Connie Mitchell said the outreach program’s goal is to serve 300 homeless people the first year. Of that total, IHS hopes to place 140 individuals into IHS shelters or homes, and help another 120 individuals return to their homes outside Hawaii through relocation assistance. Once enough funds are in place, IHS will open a Waikiki drop-in center to provide on site services.  

“HLTA’s donation is a wonderful vote of confidence and this partnership marks the beginning of an effective homeless assistance program in Waikiki,” Mitchell said in a statement.

George Szigeti, HLTA president and CEO, said, “We will soon begin to see the results we all want from having a dedicated IHS outreach team on the ground in Waikiki. Homeless people will get the help they need and those who live, work, and visit our Waikiki community will appreciate how this problem can be effectively addressed.” 

While HLTA has pledged another $100,000 to IHS in 2015, the nonprofit is making a public plea to solicit more support for Waikiki outreach services, which will need about $500,000 in private sector funds annually to be sustainable. IHS’ annual budget to operate the Waikiki outreach program is $1.3 million, of which $824,000 will be funded through IHS’ existing funds.

“A lot of hurting people will receive the care and support they need to get their lives back together, and our Waikiki community will see a reduction in the kind of visible homelessness that has become such a concern for our residents and visitors,” Mitchell said.