Hawaiʻi County announced the start of its new “Change of Heart” campaign earlier today, which aims to provide alternative support for panhandlers throughout Kailua Village. The program, supported by the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce and the Kailua Village Business Improvement District, along with a myriad of Kona-based human-service-focused nonprofits, aims to direct “spare change” to Hawaiʻi Island United Way (HIUW) rather than individual panhandlers. HIUW will receive funds from the community and reinvest the proceeds into programs and services to assist the homeless and others in need. The program will accept donations and sponsor services year-round.
“The Kailua Village Business Improvement District is proud to work with Mayor Roth and Hawaiʻi County on homelessness solutions. The Change of Heart panhandling campaign will not only educate residents and visitors to direct their donations to Hawaiʻi Island agencies that can help to find solutions, but we’re also excited that the initiative could help to clear the medians of panhandlers and make it safer for everyone,” said Kailua Village Business Improvement District Executive Director Debbie Baker.
“The homeless crisis is more prevalent in Hawaiʻi than ever. Please consider joining Hawaiʻi Island United Way in partnership with the County of Hawai’i in supporting the following nonprofit organizations that are helping to combat the homeless crisis: Hope Services Hawaiʻi, Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi, West Hawaiʻi Community Health Center, 808 Homeless Task Force, and Hawaiʻi Rise Foundation. We encourage proactive efforts and solutions from our nonprofit partners versus panhandling as the latter is enabling. No donation to the Change of Heart Initiative is too small!”
“Providing vital services to those in need is paramount to creating an island community where we can all thrive and succeed,” said Mayor Mitch Roth. “By channeling spare change to a proven and trusted nonprofit, we are confident that the money will be better spent and positively impact everyone in the community and not just a select few. This campaign is about seeking long-term solutions and not temporary fixes to addressing the growing inequities on our island.”
For more information, residents are asked to visit hawaiicounty.gov/heart