Governor David Ige Announces Ohana Zone Funding for RYSE

Gov. David Ige has announced plans for Ohana Zone funding to provide services that will help to expand shelter capacity and access to services for our community’s most vulnerable members, including the 18-24 year old transition aged youth that are being helped to achieve a life off the streets by RYSE.

RYSE was selected to receive $1.8 million over the next 3 years to expand the number of beds available for homeless youth, provide on-site medical services and expand outreach services.  In announcing plans for the funds, Gov. Ige stated, “It allows us to make investments in these programs that we know work and expand it to areas that are not currently being served”.

Carla Houser, RYSE Executive Director,  expressed her thanks for the Ohana Zone funds stating, “We are grateful to the Gov, LG and state legislators for the tremendous strides taken today to address Oahu’s homeless crisis. The Ohana Zone funding allows RYSE to continue to address the needs of hundreds of transition aged youth, ages 18-24, currently living unsheltered on Oahu.  Youth experiencing homelessness is the fast growing sub population in America.  Hawaii’s youth face a tremendous uphill battle as many of our young people, born and raised here, can’t afford to live independently without a tremendous amount of support. These Ohana Zone funds allow us, in collaboration with other homeless youth service providers, to provide wrap around services that include low barrier housing, employment and education support and adolescent specific substance abuse and behavioral health services. This monumental funding gives our youth a fighting chance to end the generational cycles of homelessness.”

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A Place to Belong, A Future to Build

A place to land can change everything. For youth experiencing housing insecurity in Waianae or transitioning out of the foster system, that place is taking shape through RYSE (Residential Youth Services & Empowerment).

On The Run And Undercounted, Homeless Youth Try Hard To Stay Out of Sight

By official counts, just a handful of homeless teens live on the streets of Hawaiʻi. Those who try to help them suggest that’s all wrong, that there are many more — perhaps 150 doing their best not to be counted.

They hide in tents at beach parks. On a friend or stranger’s couch. Far back in the valleys that stretch out of towns.

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