Emergency Assistance for Native Hawaiians Now Available Via Grant

A new program providing assistance to the Native Hawaiian community is now available.

The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) last week announced its new Kahiau Community Assistance Program, a statewide grant to provide emergency financial assistance to low-income Native Hawaiians.

Through a one-time emergency financial assistance up to $2000, the Kahiau Community Assistance Program (KCAP) provides stability for Native Hawaiians facing hardship due to unexpected crises or emergency situations.

This grant program is made possible through a $1.66-million grant from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) and a partnership with Hawaiian Community Assets, Solutions Pacific and Homestead Community Development Corporation to reach the Native Hawaiian community statewide.

“Our Native Hawaiian community lives paycheck to paycheck, and when an emergency happens they are left without support at the time that they need it most,” said Kūhiō Lewis, President and CEO of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement. “This is why programs like Kahiau are so important, because it gives aid directly to the people who need it. CNHA is proud to join forces with OHA and our community partners to give kānaka this opportunity.”

KCAP seeks to assist Native Hawaiian beneficiaries whose incomes are at or below 300 percent of the Hawaiʻi Federal Poverty Guidelines. This program will address unexpected crises that impact Native Hawaiians such as loss of income, loss of employment by layoff, debilitating illness or injury or other unanticipated circumstances. With KCAP, direct financial assistance will be provided to qualified individuals and families with emergency funding to stabilize their situation.

KCAP also support recipients’ economic well-being by providing financial literacy counseling, case management services and referrals to other service providers to help Native Hawaiians get on a path to long-term financial stability.

For more information about the Kahiau Community Assistance Program, including funding parameters, eligibility, the online application process and more, visit http://www.hawaiiancouncil.org/kahiau/.