HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	293
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

RECOGNIZING and commending WAIANAE COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO ASSIST THE HOMELESS IN HAWAII.

     WHEREAS, in recent years, the State has invested greater resources into addressing the plight of the homeless in our state; and

     WHEREAS, since 2006, the City and County of Honolulu embarked on a systematic program of renovating many of it's beach parks, including Ala Moana Beach Park, Magic Island, and most recently, Maili Beach Park, displacing many of our homeless who reside at these parks; and

     WHEREAS, with each park closure and displacement, homeless individuals invariably find their way to the Leeward Coast, lacking shelter and hope; and

     WHEREAS, WAIANAE COMMUNITY OUTREACH is a nonprofit organization based in Waianae that is dedicated to arranging housing for and assisting the homeless, and operated under the nonprofit organization ALTERNATIVE STRUCTURES, INTERNATIONAL for many years; and

     WHEREAS, since its incorporation in 2002, WAIANAE COMMUNITY OUTREACH helped find housing for countless people who, through unfortunate or difficult circumstances, were without shelter; and

     WHEREAS, in September of 2006, WAIANAE COMMUNITY OUTREACH was called upon to manage one of the State's newest shelters for the homeless at a former military housing building in Kalaeloa; and

     WHEREAS, the facility houses 225 people, including more than 100 children; and

     WHEREAS, in 2007, WAIANAE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, along with Honolulu Community Action Program, the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, Hoomau Ke Ola, and Hale Naau, partnered with primary contractor U.S. Vets Hawaii, to run the new emergency transitional shelter for homeless families at the Waianae Civic Center site; and

     WHEREAS, that facility will accommodate 300 people when fully occupied; and

     WHEREAS, KANANI KAAIAWAHIA BULUWAN has worked with WAIANAE COMMUNITY OUTREACH for over twenty years and serves as the Executive Director of the organization; and

     WHEREAS, SYBOL UELESE has worked with WAIANAE COMMUNITY OUTREACH for four years and works as the Program Specialist for the organization; and

     WHEREAS, TULUTULU TOA has worked with WAIANAE COMMUNITY OUTREACH for nineteen years and works as the Outreach Specialist for the organization; and

     WHEREAS, LAURA PITOLO has worked with WAIANAE COMMUNITY OUTREACH for four years and works as the Program Director for the organization; and

     WHEREAS, KAUI KAPU has worked with WAIANAE COMMUNITY OUTREACH for a little over a year and works as the Housing Specialist for the organization; and

     WHEREAS, HAUNANI KALAMA has worked with WAIANAE COMMUNITY OUTREACH for a little over a year and works as the Operations Specialist for the organization; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, that this body recognizes and commends WAIANAE COMMUNITY OUTREACH for its work and their efforts to assist the homeless in Hawaii, and offers it's warmest aloha and best wishes in all of its future endeavors.

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title: 

Waianae Community Outreach; recognizing and commending