Kailua monthly event aims to help homeless

Nov 24

KAILUA, Hawaii - A homeless event on the Windward side helps dozens of folks every month. It brings together all kinds of service providers to help people get off the streets.

This is the Kailua Houseless Service Care Event, the first of its kind in Windward Oahu. Leigh Ann Landreth, Executive director of the Windward YMCA, says, "When you see the larger social issues in Hawaii, certainly houselessless is one of those issues. Houseless members of our community deserve the same opportunities you and I have."

Once a month, the Y and more than a dozen community partners set up booths and offer donations. Landreth ticks off a list of what the event offers: "A hot meal, hot showers, resources and services, documentation and ID services, getting people connected to housing, temporary employment."

Charles "Doc" Burrows, event co-founder, adds, "To take care of their needs as far as lodging, bus passes, and care packages as well."

About 30 guests come to each event. Kanealoha Jeremiah is a regular, and says he appreciates having all the services in one place. "Simple things like bus passes, legal aid, assistance in welfare."

More than that, he is grateful the volunteers show aloha. "Sometimes just a hug or a meal, a bottle of water makes a world of difference," smiles Jeremiah.

They serve about five dozen hot meals every time they do this event. Today's dish- corn chowder. The organizers are looking for more restaurants to donate food supplies.

Landreth mentions, "We're all the time looking for groups, restaurants, organizations who are able to provide one of our monthly meals."

If not food, then other donations. "Some frequently requested items are shoes and slippers, socks, underwear. We also get requests for first aid supplies," continues Landreth.

Small donations can add up to big changes. Landreth says, "It's making a difference one by one, individually, in the lives of the people coming."

The Kailua Houseless Service Care Event is on the last Tuesday of every month from 10 to noon at Daybreak Church by Windward Y.

A collaborative effort lead by the Windward YMCA, Daybreak Church, and I.H.S., the Kailua Houseless Service Care Event started in January.

They work in conjunction with IHS (Institute of Human Services), city and state agencies, medical service providers, food banks, charitable organizations, and other social-welfare resources. Some of their partners include:
• Windward YMCA
• Daybreak Church
• St. John Lutheran Church
• Kailua Hawaiian Civic Club
• Kailua United Methodist Church
• Christ Church Uniting
• Hika’alani
• Institute for Human Services (I.H.S.)
• Waimanalo Health Center
• Aloha Care
• HieHie Mobile Hygiene Unit
• Youth Build Waimanalo
• Veterans Services Administration
• Residential Youth Services Empowerment (RYSE)
• Child and Family Services
• Catholic Charities
• Legal Aid Society
• Community Outreach Court
• Imi Pono Foundation
To date, over 130 different volunteers have contributed their time and energy to serving at our monthly Service Care events.

Services Offered:
They typically have about 15 different service providers present each month who provide a wide variety of programs and services including:
• Hot Lunch Meal
• Housing and Food Assistance
• Health Care and Insurance Services
• Legal Aid
• Bus Passes
• Care Packages
• Veterans Services
• Employment Support
• Hot Showers
• Assistance with ID and Vital Documents
• Hair Cutting Services
• Clothing

How can you help? The partners suggest you can:
1. Commit to providing a hot meal for one of the monthly Service Care Events, please contact Leigh Ann Landreth at llandreth@ymcahonolulu.org.
2. Prepare basic toiletry care bags in Ziplock bags to give away (items to include shampoo/conditioner, soap, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, comb, etc.) Drop off items to the Windward YMCA by the 3rd Tuesday of the month.
3. Prepare ready-to-eat snack bags in Ziplock bags to give away (items to include pre-packaged/ individually wrapped: trail mix, nuts, crackers, granola bars, protein bars, dried fruit, beef jerky, etc.) Drop off items to the Windward YMCA by the 3rd Tuesday of the month.
4. Prepare first aid kits in Ziplock bags with basic first aid supplies such as bandages, disinfectant, flashlight, poncho, emergency blanket, etc. Or donate small store-bought kits. Drop off items to the Windward YMCA by the 3rd Tuesday of the month.
5. Host a non-perishable food drive with your organization. Contact Leigh Ann Landreth at llandreth@ymcahonolulu.org for more information.
6. Become a service care provider for the monthly events.