Hawaiʻi True Cost Coalition

Melissa Pavlicek, Hawaii True Cost Coalition, explained, “The community-based organizations that are providing key government services are already struggling to provide those services. Some of their contract prices have not increased in over 10 years. The cost to provide those services is significantly greater. The transportation costs, rent, employees, food, everything has gone up. And… Read more

Sadly, government contracts rates have stagnated for a decade, failing to cover the true cost of services provided by Hawaii’s many amazing nonprofits. Providers then have to rely on philanthropic grants to supplement their government contracts in order to be able to do the work that is fundamental to the well-being of Hawaii’s communities. Link… Read more

For the past 15 years, funding for DV programs has plateaued, leaving organizations like ours operating at a deficit. CFS employees, who are dedicated to serving the community, often earn below a living wage. This lack of financial support is even more pronounced on neighbor islands, where resources for survivors are already scarce. It is… Read more

Health care providers in Waianae are calling for more resources to expand their services for a community shaken by high rates of gun violence in the last several years. Government support and funding has remained stagnant for at least a decade while funding for other programs gutted during the 2008 recesion have yet to be… Read more

When any nonprofit shuts down, the ripple effect…can be larger than the problem that was being dealt with in the first place. Who will help those not being helped now? Stretched-thin government or emergency medical services? At what cost? It is essential that quality nonprofits are successfully financed and run in order to help those… Read more

Homelessness is a problem we can solve if we work together and adequately fund these essential programs that work. Our state legislators have the power to ensure no one in Hawaii has to sleep on the streets. Right now, the choice is theirs. -Brandee Menino, CEO Hope Services Hawaii Read more