Fellows mentioned in this story: Brandee Menino
From Big Island Now:
The latest Homeless Point-in-Time Count conducted on Jan. 25 across the Neighbor Islands showed remarkable improvement in the number of unsheltered families on the Big Island.
During a press conference on Wednesday in Kona about the census, nonprofit leaders said there has been a 91% decline in this demographic from 2018 to 2026. Pike said teams encountered five unsheltered families islandwide, whereas in 2018, there were 54 unsheltered families.
“We’re very close to being functional zero on family homelessness in Hawai‘i Island,” said Billi-Jo Pike, Chair of Community Alliance Partners, Hawaiʻi Islandʻs coalition of homeless service providers.
According to the census for Hawai‘i Island, family homelessness, in shelters and on the streets, decreased by 20% (from 41 families in 2024 to 33 in 2026).
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University of Hawai‘i News — The University of Hawaiʻi Venture Competition returned for its 26th year this spring bringing together student entrepreneurs from across the University of Hawaiʻi System to showcase innovative ventures addressing real-world challenges through technology, sustainability, health, and culture.