Apply for financial help

LIHUE– Today, is the day to apply for the (HAP) Ho‘ala Assistance Program. At 9 a.m., it will go live on the (CFNHA) Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement Facebook page. The program is offering financial help to families in need during this pandemic.

According to CFNHA, the purpose of the Ho‘la Assistance Program is to provide one-time emergency financial assistance up to $1000 per household to Hawai‘i residents facing hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ho’ala Assistance Program is funded by the (HRF) Hawaii Resilience Fund, made possible through a community partnership between CFNHA, Pierre & Pam Omidyar and Hawai‘i Community Foundation.

“Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) was awarded a grant through the Hawaii Community Foundation to administer emergency financial assistance to Hawaii residents experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said chief operating officer Kanoe Tjorvatjoglou-Cup Choy.

HAP will fund mortgage payment, rent payment, utility services and certified childcare services.

“COVID- 19 has the potential to have long-term economic impacts for our state. Before the crisis hit, almost half of Hawai‘i residents were already living paycheck to paycheck. What we are seeing now is an exacerbation of those hardships. We hope that with this funding we can help Hawai‘i’s families get through this time,” said Micah Kane, president and CEO of Hawai‘i Community Foundation.

To be eligible people need to be 18 years of age or older, a Hawai‘i resident, and demonstrate a loss of income and or an increased financial need directly resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This assistance program is open to all Hawaii residents not just native Hawaiians.

“In these difficult and stressful times, it is our kulena to respond and support our community with urgency and compassion,” said Tjorvatjoglou-Cup Choy.

“We are excited to launch our Ho‘ala Assistance Program and work with community partners, like Hawaii Community Foundation, that understand and prioritize the mission of the program and the needs of Hawaii families.”

There is three ways to apply:

• Visit: hawaiiancouncil.org

• Email: hrf@hawaiiancouncil.org

• Call: 808-596-8155