Grants awarded
Advertiser Staff
Halfway project gets $2 million
The Hawai"i Department of Safety has received a $2 million grant to develop innovative re-entry efforts for approximately 225 people released from the Maui Community Correctional Center.
The Serious and Violent Offender Re-entry Initiative funded by the Justice Department's Office of Justice Programs represents a collaboration of the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Labor and Veterans Affairs.
Under the grant, the Department of Public Safety will partner with various service agencies through the Hawaii Re-entry Project to address recidivism, substance abuse and physical and mental health, while providing support in work-force participation, housing, family reunification and other mentoring programs.
"This initiative helps to ensure that individuals who are released from prison will have the opportunity to be fully integrated into our community," said U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink.
The initiative involves education, parenting instruction, vocational training, treatment and life skills programs while offenders are still in correctional facilities, services and supervision as they re-enter the community; and networks of agencies and individuals to provide continuing support.
Homes project in Nanakuli
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Project has approved a Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Predevelopment Grant totaling $10,000 to assist the Hawaii Intergenerational Community Development Association in gathering information for a project in Nanakuli. The association will use the money to help develop 31 self-help units for low-income residents.
Self-help building methods require residents to contribute a significant amount of "sweat equity" toward the construction of their home. In many cases, this sweat equity replaces the need for a down payment, and often lowers unit construction costs, allowing self-help builders to quickly build equity in their homes.
Job training by Goodwill
Goodwill Industries of Hawaii Inc. has been awarded $10,000 from the Cooke Foundation toward job training in demand occupations.
Goodwill's staff has researched employment categories with documented worker shortages and developed training programs. Such categories include certified nursing assistants, A+ certified computer technicians and paraprofessional human service workers.
After completing short-term training, graduates will receive job readiness training and job placement services from Goodwill. The long-term objectives are economic self-sufficiency in their chosen field with opportunities for career growth.
Humane Society animal shelters
The Hawaiian Humane Society has been awarded a grant of $10,000 from First Hawaiian Foundation, the charitable arm of First Hawaiian Bank, for its shelter management system program.
