Forum tries to raise awareness of homelessness
By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer
About 50 people heard firsthand what it is like to be homeless, work with the homeless and live outside society in Hawai'i during a forum yesterday at the State Capitol.
Homeless service providers have developed a list of contact numbers that people who need assistance can call, including dozens of listings for substance abuse treatment, food, housing, clothing, financial aid, legal and medical help. • Aloha United Way 211 is a comprehensive information and referral service available 24 hours a day. From January through September this year, the service received 7,176 calls requesting food, an increase of 53 percent over the same period last year. Requests for housing increased 50 percent during that same period. • Other general help numbers include Kahi Mohala, 671-8511, and the O'ahu Access Line, 832-3100. • The Women, Infants and Children program provides free food and nutrition services through a federal program. Call 586-8175 on O'ahu and (888) 820-6425 on Neighbor Islands.
The forum, sponsored by the service providers group Partners in Care, was part of the National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week activities in Hawai'i, and attempts to bring more residents into discussions about the homeless.
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Panelists Margaret and Jordan Akau have lived on the beach at Wai'anae for more than two years. They have no income, limited education and because they were using drugs, their two youngest children were taken away from them. Then the Wai'anae Community Outreach program stepped in to offer them hope for the future.
The couple realized their prospects were dire without earning high school diplomas.
"At first I never like go back to school. No like do nothing," Margaret said. "With the help of the outreach program, I had a chance to go back to school and Dec. 1, I will take my test for a diploma."
In exchange for food and tuition, the couple has been doing volunteer work with the program.
"Life is everything," she said. "You cannot give up on life no matter what."
The couple took part in the panel to support the idea of Camp Hope, a proposed tent city to house the homeless on five acres of city land beside Wai'anae Boat Harbor. The plan has been criticized by some residents who say it would be a magnet for the homeless.
The camp is needed, providers say, because the number of homeless people continues to rise and financing for services is stagnant. A state report released this week shows that the numbers have increase dramatically to 6,029 homeless people on any given night, up from 3,171 four years ago.
Lynn Maunakea, executive director of the Institute for Human Services, said collecting the data is important for deciding about the best ways to help the homeless.
Maunakea told the group that 10 percent of the homeless are considered chronic with mental health and substance abuse problems and can be helped. Another 10 percent are substance abusers who simply don't want help. The majority, 80 percent, move in and out of homelessness and existing programs have so many clients they are forced to turn people away. Service providers are relatively successful when they can help, she said.
Following criticism about police treatment of homeless people, Honolulu Police Maj. Michael Tucker said the homeless are treated like anyone else and are victims of both circumstances and crime.
"The community wants access to areas occupied by the homeless and they call us," Tucker said. "We don't want to be in a position that laws are used to find a solution for homelessness. Incarceration is not the best alternative for mental illness."
Rebecca Anderson, chairwoman of the week's events, said there's a 10-year plan to end homelessness in Hawai'i.
"The 10-year plan needs to have a really broad ownership so a lot of people are vested in it," Anderson said. "I think we did that. We saw some faces (at the forums) we have never seen before."
A homeless providers forum was held Tuesday and a fun run/walk will be held at 7 a.m. Saturday at Ala Moana Beach Park.
Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2431.
