Fellows mentioned in this story: Brandee Menino

From Hawai‘i Catholic Herald:

Two days before Thanksgiving, Hope Services Hawai‘i hosted its annual Homeless Luncheon — an event celebrating community connection where unsheltered people in East Hawai‘i could receive a hot meal and access to other essential services.

A total of 168 guests received lunch Nov. 25 from an all-volunteer waitstaff representing various organizations in the community at Aunty Sally Kaleohano’s Luau Hale in Hilo. The gathering, which included live entertainment, also provided a wide array of vital services and connections to medical and social service providers.

Among the offerings available were mobile showers, free haircuts, activities, prizes and a clothing boutique.A brand-new residential program for integrated clinical care has opened in Hilo that officials say addresses a critical gap in housing support for those experiencing homelessness, “who also have behavioral health needs often combined with medical needs that are too complex for traditional subsidized housing.”

Continue reading at hawaiicatholicherald.com.