Kumukahi Health + Wellness expands healthcare access across Hawaiʻi Island with grants, donations
New funding has enabled the organization supporting people living with HIV to create a Community Response Hui, a disaster response initiative established following Hurricane Lala.
Kumukahi Health + Wellness, an organization that supports people living with or affected by HIV, has taken action to improve healthcare access to underserved communities across Hawaiʻi Island.
It has established a community response team for rural communities affected by Hurricane Lala. Funding has come from a $40,000 grant from the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation’s Stronger Hawaiʻi Initiative with additional money from the Aloha United Way.
The Community Response Hui, a disaster recovery initiative, has outreach teams that distribute food, water, hygiene kits, diapers, baby formula and other necessities while providing medical assessments, medication assistance, counseling and insurance navigation.
“Many of the people we serve already face significant barriers to accessing traditional healthcare, even under normal circumstances,” said Peter Tuiolosega Silva, chief executive officer of Kumukahi Health + Wellness, in a news release. “When a disaster strikes, those barriers become even greater, leaving some of our most vulnerable residents at serious risk of falling through the cracks. … They need specialized care, trusted relationships and a team willing to go directly to them.”
Kumukahi also received its first directly funded Ryan White Part C award from the federal government. The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program supports comprehensive healthcare and essential services for people living with HIV.
Silva is the 2026 recipient of the Hawaiʻi Department of Health’s Suzanne Richmond-Crum Award for his contributions to HIV services in Hawaiʻi.
The Big Island AIDS Walk recently raised $100,000 to support Kumukahi’s work.
Kumukahi also is nearing the one-year anniversary of its Gender Diverse Reentry & Recovery House that provides a supportive environment for gender-diverse individuals navigating reentry, recovery and the transition toward greater stability and independence.
A new video highlights the program and its impact.
“Everything we do is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves access to compassionate, quality healthcare, regardless of where they live or the challenges they face,” Silva said. “We’re proud of how far we’ve come, but even more excited about what these opportunities will allow us to do for the people of Hawaiʻi Island.”
Learn more at www.kumukahihealth.org
