Puʻuhonua O Waiʻanae Granted $1.25 Million from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez to Connect Wai’anae Families Experiencing Homelessness with Stable Housing and Critical Services
- Admin
- Nov 20, 2024
- 2 min read
Pu’uhonua O Wai’anae, home to approximately 200 residents, with about two-thirds identifying as Native Hawaiian operates a “community-first” model which strives to provide affordable housing for up to 250 people, today announced that it has received a $1.25 million grant from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez through the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund. This is the seventh year that the Day 1 Families Fund has awarded grants to organizations across the country that are leading the way to move the needle on family homelessness with the goal of ensuring that no child sleeps outside.
"No matter if you live in a house on the streets, in a tent, or in a box under a bridge we all share the same skies. You know that's all we try to do in this village, to encourage people that no matter how rock bottom you hit there's always hope" -Kaulana Pashion, Resident & Overseer, Puʻuhonua O Waiʻanae
Family homelessness in the U.S. rose dramatically from 2022 to 2023, and families now represent more than 28 percent of the country’s homeless population, according to a 2024 report from the National Alliance to End Homelessness. With its one-time Day 1 Families Fund grant, Pu’uhonua O Wai’anae will work to reverse this national trend by serving families experiencing homelessness in Wai’anae.
Pu’uhonua O Wai’anae plans to allocate funds with a 50/50 split: up to 50% will go toward completing the Mauka Village to provide permanent homes for 15 families through the construction of duplexes “Hale”, shared dining facilities, and community gathering spaces. The remaining 50% will seed child wellness and enrichment programs over the next five years, offering essential childcare, healthcare, education, and youth services to support Pu’uhonua residents.
A group of national advisors who are leading advocates and experts on homelessness, including areas such as housing policy, child welfare, racial equity and service provision, selected Pu’uhonua O Wai’anae as a Day 1 Families Fund grant recipient.
This year, the Fund issued a total of $110.5M in grants to 40 organizations. The full list of awardees is available at bezosdayonefund.org/day1familiesfund.
