Show Your Aloha for Hawaii Charities!

Photo courtesy YWCA Oahu

The YWCA Oahu's Fernhurst Homebase transitional housing program in Makiki serves women returning to the community from challenging life situations: incarceration, domestic violence, sex trafficking, illness, or divorce. Safe, supportive housing with wraparound program services where they also learn life skills and participate in wellness activities is provided for up to 45 women who reside at Homebase. Their access to YWCA Oahu services, including career attire, job interview preparation, job search support, financial literacy training, and transitional housing, help them transition to economic self-sufficiency. 

Homebase also provides two meals per day, helping residents to save money for their exit. “Most residences do not provide meals. We do. We feel food is essential,” said Kehaulani Coleman, Director of Economic Advancement Programs for YWCA Oahu. “Since we only have a serving (not a cooking) kitchen, meal delivery is very expensive.  Our grant request to Friends of Hawaii Charities was for food, and it’s a good thing. The funds we received helped us through a tough year. Many of our residents were furloughed or lost jobs because of Covid-19 shutdowns.”

Last year's Friends of Hawaii Charities grant helped provide 1,000 high quality, nutritious dinners, assuring that no Homebase residents went hungry in the midst of the pandemic.  “We are very grateful to Friends of Hawaii Charities for its continued and generous support of YWCA Oahu’s Fernhurst Residence,” said Coleman. “Thank you for being a part of women’s re-entry back to their families and our community.”

When you donate to a participating charity like YWCA Oahu through our Aloha for Hawaii Charities campaign now through January 20, 2021 (4 pm HST), that charity will receive 100% of your donation plus a bonus boost from a funding pool generated by Friends of Hawaii Charities from the 2021 Sony Open in Hawaii.

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