Recognizing Catholic Charities Hawaii’s creative approach to combat poverty, Catholic Charities USA presented the agency with its Social Innovation Award, Feb. 19, for its Hale Wai Vista Support Housing Services program, a 215-unit affordable rental project for families in Waianae.
The award, which came with a $5,000 prize, was presented at the Catholic Charities USA Partners in Excellence regional conference at Catholic Charities Honolulu campus.
Hale Wai Vista, created in collaboration with the real estate firm Prudential Locations, opened in July 2012.
“This is a great example of a non-profit organization and private sector company partnering to address a business and a social need,” said Catholic Charities Hawaii president and CEO Jerry Rauckhorst.
An average of 185 families live at Hale Wai Vista at any given time. The apartment complex comes with a full-time, on-site case manager who offers counseling, information and referral services. Residents also have access to health services, literacy workshops, legal aid and nutrition services.
“Building a sustainable community requires addressing the needs of both the individual and the community as a whole,” Rauckhorst said. “You can’t have one without the other.”
Catholic Charities works with other community organizations to provide services to Hale Wai Vista residents. These include Bookmobile, the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, Ka Paalana Traveling Preschool and Homeless Family Education Program and the Waianae Comprehensive Health Center.
The prize money will fund the development of staff and resident leaders of Hale Wai Vista.
