Nonprofit helps handful of houseless Hilo residents find shelter during Hurricane Hone

While many Big Island residents hunkered down in homes or emergency shelters as tropical storm conditions passed Hawai‘i Island this weekend, a nonprofit was out in the rain reaching out to houseless Hilo residents to help them prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Hone.

Following a Hawai‘i County Civil Defense briefing Saturday, an outreach team with Hope Services Hawai‘i, set out in groups of two and three across Hilo looking to connect with houseless individuals to offer rides to a storm shelter.

Hone weakened to a tropical storm on Sunday evening as the center passed about 175 miles south of Kaua‘i. As much as 18 inches of rain fell in some areas of East Hawai‘i, flooding roads in the Ka‘ū District and the Bayfront area in Hilo.

In total, the Hope team shuttled 10 people they encountered to a temporary shelter, while five others were able to get there on their own. The team also admitted one person to Hope’s women’s shelter.

According to the nonprofit, about 30 people chose to stay outside and were offered supplies and directions, in case they changed their minds.

As of Sunday morning 15 houseless people were sheltering at the Waiākea High Gym.

“We were getting tarps, food, water, flashlights, ponchos, bandages, towels, dog food–anything to help them ride out the storm in safety, and hopefully make it a little more comfortable,” said Hope’s outreach team leader Carrie Hoʻopiʻi.

“We know not everyone will choose to go to the shelter so we want to respect that choice and still care for them the best we can. We were handing out supplies and talking story, and we made connections and assisted them into shelter,” continued Hoʻopiʻi.

Over two dozen staff from the nonprofit worked on their days off.

“Some of our colleagues signed up to come straight off a 12-hour shelter shift, to do another four-hour shift out in the community,” said Hope CEO Brandee Menino, expressing her appreciation for their compassion and determination to make sure people were safe.

Hope Services also continued its outreach efforts on Sunday when rain continued throughout the day resulting in closures due to flooded roadways.

“We’re revisiting people who declined to shelter to see how they fared through the night, and offering services to those we couldn’t locate yesterday,” said Menino.

The Food Basket was at the gym Sunday, passing out groceries including meals, lunchables, bags of apples, bread, lunch meat, cheese, energy bars, breakfast foods, juice and water.

Kristin Frost Albrecht, The Food Basket’s Executive Director, said, “As Hawai’i Island’s food bank we are always prepared and ready to respond to disaster or crisis with food resources — and work in tandem with the County of Hawai’i and their emergency response team.”

“The Food Basket is here to help our island neighbors with food resources in times of need,” Albrecht continued.

Those in need of food can call the Food Basket at 808-933-6030 or send an email info@hawaiifoodbasket.org.