By Patrick Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
The Big Island’s County of Hawaii is coordinating an interfaith “summit” on family homelessness and a Catholic priest on the planning committee is strongly encouraging fellow pastors and parish outreach coordinators and volunteers to attend.
The Hawaii Island Interfaith Coalition of Family Homelessness Summit is 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Oct. 5 in Sangha Hall, 398 Kilauea Avenue in Hilo. It is primarily for the island’s east side.
Its promotional flyer describes it as a “gathering of the faith-based community with the non-profit sector to address family homelessness.”
Homelessness on the Big Island has become a “huge” problem, particularly in the past year, said Father Stephen Macedo, pastor of Annunciation Church in Waimea, and a member of the summit planning committee.
He said that his town of Waimea is “an affluent community,” yet the church sends up to 20 bags of food home each weekend with elementary school children whose families live in cars and in other homeless situations. He said areas like Kona are much worse.
He added that his parish and other places have been vandalized by a mentally unstable homeless person.
At the meeting, “we will be sharing information and giving people examples of concrete things they can do,” Father Macedo said.
The event will “provide support and connections to a network of resources available,” the flyer said.
Catholic Charities Hawaii and HOPE Services Hawaii are two Catholic sponsors of the event. Other participants include Interfaith Communities in Action and Connectpoint Church.
Seating is limited. Registration deadline is Sept. 30 at http://bit.ly/2bET5vr or by calling the Neighborhood Place of Puna at 965-5550.
Father Macedo said a second summit, for the west side of the island, is being planned for November.