HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-04-12BlessingheldFridayformobilehygienetrailerDEREK S.K. KAWAKAMI, MAYOR MICHAEL A. DAHILIG, MANAGING DIRECTOR
News Release
For Immediate Release: April 12, 2021
COUNTY OF KAUA‘I
HOUSING AGENCY
ADAM ROVERSI, DIRECTOR
(808) 241-4444
Blessing held Friday for mobile hygiene trailer
LĪHU‘E – Project Vision Hawai‘i, in partnership with the County of Kaua‘i Housing Agency, held a
blessing ceremony Friday, for a mobile hygiene trailer that will offer free hot showers for individuals
experiencing homelessness on Kaua‘i.
“Access to basic hygiene and healthcare should be available to everyone, and that’s now a
wonderful and humbling reality here on Kaua‘i,” said Mayor Kawakami. “The power of a hot shower can
renew your spirit, and I know many of us can relate to that. We are so grateful to the team at Project
Vision Hawai‘i and our Housing Agency for providing this shower unit and for your efforts to serve and
care for our houseless community.”
Project Vision Hawai‘i is a non-profit organization providing services to the houseless
communities across the state. Project Vision Hawai‘i received $100,000 from the County of Kaua‘i
through its CARES Act funding to purchase a mobile shower unit, HiEHiE. The unit includes proper
wastewater management and sanitation between each use.
A special allocation of $541,000 of the county’s Community Development Block Grant
Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funds was also awarded to Project Vision Hawai‘i to purchase a truck which will
tow the trailer, and cover operating expenses that will provide vital health and social services in
coordination with other community partners. These services for the houseless community include first-
aid, wellness checks, document procurement assistance, Medicaid registration, and more.
Project Vision Hawai‘i’s HiEHiE Kaua‘i program also provides volunteer and job opportunities for
qualified local houseless individuals with extensive drug testing. The mobile hygiene trailer is staffed by
the Project Vision Hawai‘i’s Kaua‘i island outreach manager, data specialist, and outreach worker who
also provides security for their team.
“Project Vision Hawai‘i is committed to increasing access to healthcare for the people of Hawai‘i,
and our mobile hygiene service has been widely successful on O‘ahu and Hawai‘i Island,” said Darrah
Kauhane, executive director of Project Vision Hawai‘i. “We are excited for the opportunity to provide
these much needed services to Kaua‘i’s houseless community, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic
where preventing the spread of the virus continues to be a high priority.”
To date, Project Vision Hawai‘i has provided over 3,500 hot showers to individuals experiencing
homelessness on O‘ahu and Hawai‘i Island.
Project Vision Hawai‘i continues to conduct weekly outreach events in partnership with the
county’s Housing Agency at various sites. The mobile hygiene trailer will be added to their services. This
project is part of Kaua‘i’s COVID-19 relief efforts using mobile outreach to support people who cannot
otherwise access essential care. Staff members are trained to follow CDC guidelines for operating
programs.
For more information on Project Vision Hawai‘i, please visit www.projectvisionhawaii.org.
For more information about the Housing Agency’s homeless outreach program, please call 241-
4427.
Above photo of Project Vision Hawai‘i staff: (Back row, left to right) Bob Wardlaw,
Darnell Costales, Lenele Rodrigues-Cabinatan, Raymond Rapozo, Ryan Naka, and
Darrah Kauhane. (Front row, left to right) Taylor Ragsac, Grace Meek, and Eiric
Matheson.
Above: (Back row, left to right) Eiric Matheson, Governor’s Kaua‘i Liaison Carrice
Gardner, Bob Wardlaw, Lenele Rodrigues-Cabinatan, Darnell Costales, Ryan Naka,
Raymond Rapozo, and county Housing Agency Homeless Support Program Coordinator
Ashton Varner. (Front row, left to right) Samantha Souza, Greg Adame, Taylor Ragsac,
Janice Bond, Grace Meek, Kahu Donovan Cabebe, and Darrah Kauhane.
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Above: Photo of the mobile hygiene trailer, courtesy of Project Vision Hawai‘i.