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Why Do People Become Homeless?
Homelessness is rarely one event β it's a cascade of pressures that anyone can face.
π Skyrocketing rent & housing costs πΈJob loss or wage cuts π₯Medical bills or illness π§ Untreated mental health conditions πSubstance use & addiction π¨βπ©βπ§Family breakdown or domestic violence βοΈIncarceration & re-entry barriers βοΈStranded travelers & family conflict π΄Elderly individuals with no support network ποΈVeterans navigating system gaps
* In 2019, 49% of HawaiΚ»i households were living paycheck to paycheck β making housing loss a constant risk for working families. (Source: IHS "From Crisis to Stability" Report)
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How People Enter the IHS System
There is no single door. IHS meets people wherever they are.
Police & Crisis Calls
Honolulu Police (HPD) respond to crisis calls, make arrest diversions, and coordinate directly with IHS outreach teams. IHS's HICM program diverts people from criminalization into services β 356 people served in FY24.
Community Calls (211 / 988)
Neighbors, businesses, and residents call 211 (social services) or 988 (mental health crisis line) to report vulnerable people in parks and streets. IHS receives referrals and dispatches outreach workers.
Hospital & ER Discharge
When hospitals stabilize a homeless patient, they often have nowhere to send them. IHS operates 5 Medical Respite Homes (Tutu Bert's) for people who need continued care but not a hospital bed β 219 served in FY24.
Eviction & Housing Crisis
Layoffs, rent hikes, and medical bills force people out of their homes. IHS's Homeless Prevention program provides rental and utility assistance for up to 3 months β keeping 743 households stably housed in FY24.
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The IHS Journey: Five Phases of Care
Services are layered and continuous β each phase supports the next.
Phase 1 β First Contact & Crisis Response
IHS goes to people β on the street, under bridges, in encampments
IMMEDIATE
Outreach & Street Medicine
Teams make daily rounds across Leeward and Central OΚ»ahu β building trust, doing field health assessments, and offering services to unsheltered individuals living in parks, cars, and encampments.
614 engaged Β· 84 housedPsychiatric Street Medicine & LAI
For people with severe mental illness who refuse treatment, IHS administers Long-Acting Injectable (LAI) antipsychotics in the field β making consistent psychiatric care possible without requiring a clinic visit.
15 LAI injections (FY24)Homeless Prevention
Before someone loses their home, IHS intervenes with rental and utility assistance β stopping homelessness before it starts.
743 households protectedAssisted Community Treatment (ACT)
When someone is a danger to themselves or others due to mental illness, IHS can petition Family Court for a treatment order β a legal last resort that gets people into care.
20 ACT orders Β· 3 guardianshipsβ
Phase 2 β Acute Stabilization
Getting someone safe, sober, and medically stable β typically within 1 week
1 WEEK
'Imi Ola Piha Triage Center
HawaiΚ»i's first community-based medically-assisted detox center β 8 beds for alcohol, opioid, and meth withdrawal, plus psychiatric initiation. No detox available = no path to housing.
202 served Β· 80% completedEmergency & Specialty Shelters
Sumner Shelter (men), KaΚ»aahi Shelter (women & families), Hale MauliΚ»ola, KURH (substance recovery), V.E.T. House (veterans) β each designed for a specific population's needs.
1,461 sheltered Β· 152 vetsMedical Respite Homes (Tutu Bert's)
Five homes across OΚ»ahu where people discharged from hospitals can continue recovering. Fills the gap between hospital and homelessness β one of IHS's most unique programs.
219 served Β· 31% housedMeals & Nourishment
Three meals a day, every day, for shelter guests and people on the street. What started as a "Peanut Butter Ministry" in 1978 is now a 900+ meal-per-day operation β meals build the trust that opens doors to services.
900+ meals/dayβ
Phase 3 β Stabilization Services
Treating the whole person β health, family, and basic needs β typically 1 week to 3 months
1 WEEK β 3 MONTHS
Health Services & Clinics
Urgent care, psychiatric treatment, wound care, chronic disease management (diabetes, COPD, heart disease), and medication management β at the shelter, so clients don't have to navigate the healthcare system alone.
868 patients Β· 3,324 visitsCase Management (5 Tracks)
Each client gets a dedicated case manager to coordinate housing, benefits, health care, and employment. Five tracks: General, HICM (high-needs), CCS (mental health), CIS (psych rehab), and Family.
1,526 households Β· 25 families housedChildren's Programs
Every child in IHS care gets an individualized education plan, afterschool tutoring, developmental assessments, and enrichment activities. Parents receive parenting classes and family case management.
400+ keiki servedVeterans Services (V.E.T. House)
A dedicated specialty shelter and case management pathway for U.S. veterans β connecting to VA benefits, veteran-specific housing programs, and peer mentorship.
152 vets sheltered (FY24)β
Phase 4 β Employment & Skills Building
Building financial independence β because a job is the bridge to permanent housing
ONGOING
Hele2Work
Job readiness from the ground up: professional attire, rΓ©sumΓ© writing, interview coaching, childcare and transportation referrals, and ongoing job coaching after placement to ensure retention.
790 participants Β· 289 jobsTaking Root β Urban Agriculture
Hands-on aquaponic and hydroponic farming classes give clients marketable agricultural skills while building confidence, routine, and community β especially valuable for those not yet ready for traditional employment.
Active vocational trackNew Leaf β Vocational Training
Pre-vocational certification in janitorial, landscaping, and building maintenance. Participants earn stipends while training β building both skills and savings simultaneously.
Earn-while-you-learnFinancial Literacy
Budgeting, banking, credit building, and benefits navigation are integrated into case management β because a stable income without financial skills rarely leads to stable housing.
Integrated into case mgmtβ
Phase 5 β Permanent Housing & Long-Term Stability
The finish line β and IHS stays connected even after someone is housed
6+ MONTHS
Rapid Re-Housing
Short-term rental subsidies and case management to quickly move people from shelter into a private apartment β the fastest pathway to housing for those who are ready.
182 individuals housedHousing First & Permanent Supportive Housing
For those with chronic health or mental health conditions, IHS provides permanent housing with ongoing on-site support β because stability must come before treatment, not after.
159 + 96 individualsKahauiki Village
A permanent, managed community for families and kΕ«puna (elders) β with daycare, youth center, community garden, and IHS staff on-site. Not just housing, but a neighborhood.
154 households Β· 679 residentsOffender Re-Entry Homes
Halina House and Village of Redemption offer peer-mentored transitional housing for people leaving incarceration β breaking the shelterβjailβshelter cycle with less than 10% return to incarceration.
63 served Β· <10% recidivismRelocation Services
For individuals stranded far from family support networks, IHS assists with document replacement, airfare, ground transport, and travel essentials β reconnecting families across the country.
95 people from 68 households β³ The journey is rarely a straight line. Someone who is housed may relapse and need stabilization again. A person released from prison may need employment, shelter, and health care simultaneously. IHS's Homeless Intensive Case Management (HICM) and Assertive Outreach programs are specifically designed to ensure no one is lost to services during these transitions. Staff track clients across all phases, and returning clients are welcomed without judgment. (Source: IHS FY24 Annual Report β Case Management)
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IHS & the OΚ»ahu Safety Net: Who We Work With
Ending homelessness in HawaiΚ»i takes a village. IHS is the hub that connects them all.
Every program IHS runs intersects with a government agency, a healthcare system, a business, or a community organization. This is what makes IHS different from a shelter: it is a coordination infrastructure that links public safety, healthcare, housing, courts, and social services into a single pathway for each person it serves.
π Government
City & County of Honolulu
State of HawaiΚ»i
$14M+ in grants (FY24)
State of HawaiΚ»i
$14M+ in grants (FY24)
π₯ Healthcare
Queen's Medical Center
HawaiΚ»i State Hospital
Kalihi-Palama Health Center
HawaiΚ»i State Hospital
Kalihi-Palama Health Center
βοΈ Justice System
Honolulu Police (HPD)
Family Court
Corrections / Re-Entry
Family Court
Corrections / Re-Entry
π€² Community
Aloha United Way
PACT
Ohana Health Plan
VA (Veterans Affairs)
PACT
Ohana Health Plan
VA (Veterans Affairs)
πΌ Employers
Hele2Work job partners
New Leaf industry partners
Financial sponsors
New Leaf industry partners
Financial sponsors
π Data Systems
HMIS (federal data)
Coordinated Entry System
IHS Care Coordination App
Coordinated Entry System
IHS Care Coordination App
π Basic Needs
HawaiΚ»i Food Bank
SNAP / EBT
Section 8 / Housing Vouchers
SNAP / EBT
Section 8 / Housing Vouchers
π Benefits
QUEST (Medicaid)
Social Security (SSI/SSDI)
Veterans benefits (VA)
Social Security (SSI/SSDI)
Veterans benefits (VA)
$
FY2024 Financial & Organizational Snapshot
The scale of resources required β and the trust IHS has earned β to sustain this work.
$27.7M
Total Annual Revenue
Up from prior year Β· Audited FY2024 financials
50.4%
Funded by Government Grants
$13.98M from city, state & federal sources
14.5%
Fee for Services Revenue
$4.03M β earned through program delivery
10.1%
Private Contributions
$2.79M from individual donors & foundations
β
β
β
β
Charity Navigator Rating
Top rating for fiscal responsibility, accountability & transparency
174%
Increase in Housing Placements
Year-over-year growth in individuals stabilized into housing
46+
Years Serving HawaiΚ»i
Founded 1978 β Hawaii's longest-running homeless services nonprofit
31.4%
Largest Expense: Shelters
$8.64M β operating safe, accessible shelter is the core cost
π€
Partners, Funders & Stakeholders
IHS does not work alone. This is the community-wide network that makes the mission possible.
π Government & Public Agencies
City & County of Honolulu State of HawaiΚ»i Honolulu Police Dept. (HPD) HawaiΚ»i State Hospital Family Court Dept. of Human Services (DHS) U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) HUD (Housing & Urban Development) Dept. of Health (DOH) HawaiΚ»i Public Housing Authority Dept. of Public Safety / Corrections
π₯ Healthcare & Clinical Partners
Queen's Medical Center Kalihi-Palama Health Center Kaiser Permanente Ohana Health Plan QUEST Integration (Medicaid) HawaiΚ»i State Hospital Neighbor Island hospitals (referrals) Community mental health providers Substance abuse treatment facilities
π€² Nonprofit & Community Organizations
Aloha United Way PACT (Parents & Children Together) HawaiΚ»i Food Bank Hawaii H.O.M.E. Project Cooke Foundation HawaiΚ»i Community Foundation Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation The Cades Foundation Zilber Family Foundation Schuler Family Foundation Jean & William K.H. Mau Foundation Thomas & Sumie McCabe Foundation Motiv8 Foundation Padosi Foundation Order of Malta Western Association Manoa Valley Church Christ Church Uniting (CCU) St. Clement's Episcopal Church National Philanthropic Trust
πΌ Corporate & Business Partners
First Hawaiian Bank Foundation Bank of America / United Way Campaign Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. Atlas Insurance Agency R.M. Towill Corporation Austin, Tsutsumi & Associates Enterprise Holdings Foundation Southwest Airlines Moana Surfrider (Hele2Work partner) Hilton Group Vacations Pasha Hawaii Transport Lines The Boeing Company See's Candies Accuity LLP LN Sales, Inc. Hele2Work employer network New Leaf industry partners
π Data, Tech & Systems Partners
HMIS (Homeless Mgmt. Information System) Coordinated Entry System (CES) IHS Homeless Care Coordination App 211 Hawaii (referral line) 988 Crisis & Suicide Lifeline CARES Helpline
π Basic Needs & Benefits Systems
HawaiΚ»i Food Bank SNAP / EBT (food assistance) Section 8 / Housing Choice Vouchers Social Security Administration (SSI/SSDI) Medicaid / QUEST Medicare VA Benefits (veterans) Unemployment Insurance