'elepaio Social Services

PROVIDE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS AND DELIVER COMMUNITY WELLNESS AND HUMAN SERVICES.

`ELEPAIO SOCIAL SERVICES (ESS), IS A WHOLLY OWNED NONPROFIT CORPORATION OF THE WAIANAE DISTRICT COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH AND HOSPITAL BOARD, INC., THAT FUNCTIONS AS A COUNTERPART TO THE WAIANAE COAST COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CENTER (WCCHC) IN PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED SOCIAL SERVICES TO THE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY OF WAIANAE AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES LOCATED ON THE WEST COAST OF THE ISLAND OF OAHU IN THE STATE OF HAWAII. ESTABLISHED IN NOVEMBER 2020, ESS HAS WORKED ALONGSIDE WCCHC IN RESPONDING TO THE CRITICAL COMMUNITY NEED FOR ACCESS TO VITAL WRAP AROUND SOCIAL SERVICES AND FOOD.ALTHOUGH `ELEPAIO SOCIAL SERVICES WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2020, THE AFOREMENTIONED SERVICES WERE BEING PROVIDED UNDER THE HEALTH CENTER FOR YEARS PRIOR. THESE SERVICES WERE QUICKLY RAMPED UP IN RESPONSE TO COMMUNITY NEED. THROUGHOUT THE COVID PANDEMIC, THE WAIANAE COAST EXPERIENCED THE HIGHEST COVID+ RATES AND THE LOWEST COVID IMMUNIZATION RATES IN THE STATE. HIGH POSITIVITY RATES, COUPLED WITH SCHOOL CLOSURES AND LOSS OF INCOME DURING THE SHUTDOWNS RESULTED IN AN EXPONENTIAL INCREASE IN FOOD INSECURITY IN AN ALREADY ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED COMMUNITY. HOME TO THE LARGEST POPULATION OF NATIVE HAWAIIANS IN THE WORLD, THE WAIANAE COAST WAS ONCE SELF SUFFICIENT AND THRIVING IN ANCIENT TIMES. LAND AND WATER RESOURCES WERE MANAGED SUSTAINABLY AND PROVIDED AN ABUNDANCE OF FOOD FOR ITS PEOPLE. TODAY, MANY ON THE WAIANAE COAST ARE LIVING IN POVERTY AND FEEL DISEMPOWERED. WESTERNIZATION AND RELIANCE ON IMPORTED FOODS HAVE AMPLIFIED THE DISCONNECTION.TODAY, THE APPROXIMATELY 47,774 PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE REGION ARE ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED AND ENDURE POOR OUTCOMES: - NUTRITION RELATED DISPARITIES: THE WAIANAE COAST POPULATION RANKS THE HIGHEST FOR DEBILITATING HEALTH CONDITIONS SUCH AS DIABETES (15%) AND OBESITY (41%). - FOOD INSECURITY: PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT 1 IN 8 HAWAII RESIDENTS WAS FOUND FOOD INSECURE, HOWEVER A 2019 WCCHC SURVEY OF OVER 1,000 PATIENTS FOUND THAT 38% OF ADULTS SAID THAT IN THE LAST 30 DAYS THEY HAD "WORRIED ABOUT HAVING ENOUGH FOOD FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY." FOOD INSECURITY WORSENED SIGNIFICANTLY DURING THE PANDEMIC AND EVEN MORE SO WITH INFLATION. - COST OF LIVING: IN 2019, HAWAII HAD THE NATION'S HIGHEST COST OF LIVING WITH SOME OF THE LOWEST WAGES. OVER 67% OF THE HEALTH CENTER'S PATIENTS LIVE AT OR BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, 8% ARE UNINSURED AND 56% RECEIVE COVERAGE THROUGH HAWAII'S MEDICAID PROGRAM. CLOSE TO 70% OF HAWAII'S POPULATION ARE NOW CONSIDERED ALICE (ASSET LIMITED, INCOME CONSTRAINED, EMPLOYED). - UNSTABLE COMMUNITY FOOD SYSTEMS: HAWAII IMPORTS MORE THAN 85% OF ITS FOOD, MAKING THE STATE EXTREMELY VULNERABLE TO MIS-MATCHED SUPPLY AND DEMAND. MANY LOCAL WAIANAE STORES CARRY VERY FEW LOCAL PRODUCE ITEMS. FOR MANY LOCAL PRODUCERS, THEIR PRIMARY MARKET IS TOURISM AND WHEN TOURISM WAS EFFECTIVELY REDUCED TO NOTHING DURING THE PANDEMIC, MANY FARMERS HAD NO WHERE TO TURN.STILL, WAIANAE COMMUNITIES ARE RESILIENT IN THE FACE OF HIGH COST OF LIVING, LOW WAGES AND THE ONGOING IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC. WCCHC HAS BEEN SEEKING JUSTICE FOR ITS COMMUNITIES THROUGH INNOVATIVE AND INTEGRATED SERVICES FOR OVER FIFTY YEARS AND NOW THROUGH ITS NEWLY FORMED `ELEPAIO SOCIAL SERVICES, EFFORTS CAN EXPAND, BUILDING ON THE EXISTING STRENGTHS OF THE COMMUNITY AND ADVOCATING FOR ITS HEALTH AND SOCIAL NEEDS.'ELEPAIO SOCIAL SERVICES' FULL ARRAY OF PROGRAMMING IS DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE WAIANAE COAST: ELIGIBILITY SERVICES: TO COMBAT THE GROWING CONCERN OF THE HIGH COST OF LIVING 'ELEPAIO SOCIAL SERVICES PROVIDES ACCESS TO PROGRAMS THAT CAN EITHER INCREASE ONE'S HOUSEHOLD INCOME OR SERVICES THAT COULD PROVIDE OPTIONS TO REDISTRIBUTE CURRENT HOUSEHOLD INCOME. OUR ENCOUNTERS FOR THESE VISITS HAVE BEEN THROUGH IN-PERSON ENCOUNTERS, VIA PHONE, OUR STATE-OF-THE-ART PATIENT ASSISTANCE PODS OR THROUGH OUR NEWLY ANTICIPATED TELEHEALTH KIOSKS LOCATED IN THE EWA CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES BUILDING AND THE TAMURA'S SUPERMARKET LOCATED IN WAIANAE.MED-QUEST ENROLLMENT:MED-QUEST, OPERATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES OF THE STATE OF HAWAII, PROVIDES ELIGLIBLE LOW-INCOME ADULTS AND CHILDREN ACCESS TO HEALTH AND MEDICAL COVERAGE THROUGH MANAGED CARE PLANS. 'ELEPAIO SOCIAL SERVICE NAVIGATORS HAVE ENROLLED 1254 COMMUNITY MEMBERS INTO THE STATE'S MED-QUEST PROGRAM. DUE TO THE EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION, MED-QUEST HAS NOT DISENROLLED PARTICIPANTS SINCE 2019. THIS YEAR, MED-QUEST WILL GO THROUGH A REDETERMINATION PROCESS TO DETERMINE WHO HAS CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY FOR THE PROGRAM. 'ELEPAIO SOCIAL SERVICES NAVIGATORS WILL SUPPORT COMMUNITY RESIDENTS IN THIS PROCESS.FEDERAL MARKETPLACE & AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM:`ELEPAIO SOCIAL SERVICES NAVIGATORS ASSISTED 28 COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH OBTAINING HEALTH INSURANCE THROUGH THE FEDERAL MARKETPLACE AND THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM. FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO DO NOT QUALIFY FOR MED-QUEST, THE FEDERAL MARKETPLACE IS AN AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE TO OBTAINING HEALTH COVERAGE. PARTICIPANTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COMPARE HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS FOR COVERAGE AND AFFORDABILITY AND DECIDE ON WHAT TYPE OF COVERGAE SUITS THEM THE BEST. THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM HELPS ENSURE THAT HOUSEHOLDS CAN AFFORD THE BROADBAND THEY NEED FOR WORK, SCHOOL, HEALTHCARE AND MORE. SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP):THE SNAP PROGRAM IS A FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGAM ADMINISTERED TO THE STATES VIA THE FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE (FNS). ELIGIBILE HOUSEHOLDS WHO MEET SPECIFIC ELIBIGILITY REQUIREMENTS ARE PROVIDED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE VIA AN ELECTRONIC BENEFITS CARD (EBT). PARTICIPANTS ARE ABLE TO USE THEIR EBT CARDS AT LOCAL AUTHORIZED FOOD RETAILERS TO PURCHASE FOOD. 'ELEPAIO SOCIAL SERVICES NAVIGATORS ASSISTED 477 COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH OBTAINING SNAP BENEFITS. GENERAL ASSISTANCE (GA):THE GENERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS OPERATED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE EACH YEAR. ELIGIBILE HOUSEHOLDS WHO MEET SPECIFIC ELIBIGILITY REQUIREMENTS ARE PROVIDED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE VIA AN ELECTRONIC BENEFITS CARD (EBT). PARTICIPANTS ARE ABLE TO USE THEIR EBT CARDS TO PURCHASE FOOD, CLOTHING, SHELTER, AND OTHER ESSENTIALS. 'ELEPAIO SOCIAL SERVICES NAVIGATORS ASSISTED 206 COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH OBTAINING GENERAL ASSISTANCE BENEFITS.FOOD ACCESS:MAKEKE FARMERS' & GREEN MARKETS- FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE WAIANAE FARMER'S MARKET, MAKEKE WAIANAE WAS STARTED IN 2008 IN RESPONSE TO THE LOW ACCESS TO HEALTHY FRESH LOCAL FOOD IN THE COMMUNITY. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HAWAII FARM BUREAU, IT BECAME THE FIRST FARMER'S MARKET ON THE ISLAND OF OAHU TO ACCEPT SNAP/EBT. A FEW YEARS AFTER IT BEGAN, THE HAWAII FARM BUREAU GAVE FULL OWNERSHIP TO THE HEALTH CENTER AND IT WAS REBRANDED TO MAKEKE A FEW YEARS LATER. THE FARMER'S MARKET, WITH SUPPORT FROM PRIVATE FUNDERS, SOON LAUNCHED ITS OWN SNAP DOUBLING PROGRAM IN 2014. THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS CUSTOMERS WITH SNAP TO PURCHASE FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE, POI, PROTEINS AND HONEY AT HALF PRICE AND SERVED AS THE TEMPLATE FOR THE STATEWIDE SNAP DOUBLING PROGRAM IN PLACE TODAY. THE MAKEKE FARMER'S AND GREEN MARKETS ARE THE LARGEST SNAP DOUBLING PROGRAM AT A FARMER'S MARKET IN THE STATE AND THE ONLY ONE TO OFFER THE INCENTIVE ON LOCAL PROTEINS AND HONEY IN ADDITION TO PRODUCE AND POI. IN 2022, $271,717 IN SNAP AND ANOTHER $102,248 IN SNAP DOUBLING WAS REDEEMED. THE MAKEKE FARMER'S AND GREEN MARKET WILL ALSO BE THE FIRST IN THE STATE TO ACCEPT WIC AT A FARMERS MARKET, EXPECTING TO START IN MARCH 2023.KEIKI PANTRIES:IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HAWAII FOODBANK, `ELEPAIO SOCIAL SERVICES OPERATES 8 KEIKI PANTRIES AT SCHOOLS ON THE WAIANAE COAST, SERVING 2,300 KEIKI EACH WEEK. KEIKI ARE ABLE TO PICK UP FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE, HEALTHY SNACKS AND A BAG OF SHELF STABLE FOODS AFTER SCHOOL. LOCATIONS INCLUDE: MAKAHA ELEMENTARY, WAIANAE HIGH SCHOOL, WAIANAE INTERMEDIATE, KAMAILE ACADEMY, WAIANAE ELEMENTARY, MAILI ELEMENTARY, NANAIKAPONO ELEMENTARY, AND NANAKULI HIGH & INTERMEDIATE. IN 2022, CLOSE TO 600,000 HEALTHY SNACKS/LOCAL FRUIT WAS DISTRIBUTED TO KEIKI THROUGH THE PANTRIES.KUPUNA PANTRIES:IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HAWAII FOODBANK, `ELEPAIO SOCIAL SERVICES OPERATES 5 WEEKLY KUPUNA PANTRIES THAT SERVE 740 KUPUNA EACH WEEK. KUPUNA ARE PROVIDED 4 READY TO EAT MEALS (MADE BY THE WAIANAE HIGH SCHOOL CULINARY PROGRAM AND FOUR OTHER LOCAL FOOD VENDORS), 2-3 POUNDS OF FRESH LOCAL ORGANIC PRODUCE FROM MAO FARM, A POUND OF POI, AND SHELF STABLE FOODS/OTHER PANTRY ITEMS AS AVAILABLE FROM THE HAWAII FOODBANK. IN 2022, OVER 433,000 MEALS WERE PROVIDED TO KUPUNA THROUGH THE PANTRIES.