Hawai‘i County Helps the Community with $1.54 million in Federal COVID-19 Relief Funds
Hawai‘i County Helps the Community with $1.54 million in Federal COVID-19 Relief Funds
The County of Hawaiʻi’s Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD) is set to receive $1,543,033 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV) funding as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to prevent, prepare and respond to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This special allocation through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will fund various local non-profit organizations that provide crucial resources to the community impacted by COVID-19 such as food preparation, distribution and delivery, as well as emergency rent and mortgage assistance payments. The allocation is as follows:
• The Food Basket will receive $643,000 to support their food distribution programs including the ‘Ohana Food Drop program, in which they partner with local farmers, organizations and businesses to provide and distribute food and prepared meals to those in need.
• The Boys and Girls Club of the Big Island will receive $200,000 to support their food preparation and delivery program serving vulnerable populations (homeless and poverty level elderly and families), as well as households residing in rural communities.
• Hawaiʻi County Economic Opportunity Council (HCEOC) will receive $150,000 to support their food preparation and delivery program serving the elderly and disabled population.
• Hope Services, in partnership with the County of Hawaiʻi, will utilize their $300,000 allocation to provide emergency rent and mortgage assistance payments to those impacted by COVID-19 who meet the income requirements.
The process to receive these federal funds is being accelerated to the greatest extent possible for the immediate use of COVID-19 relief.
“These funds made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development are greatly appreciated, and will be such an asset to these programs that provide much-needed services during these hard times,” Mayor Harry Kim said. “It is noted that all of these funds will be allocated to those nonprofits to give direct services to those in need.”
