Our Mission

Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Centers, Inc. is dedicated to breaking the cycle of homelessness,  to serving the needs of the homeless and hungry on Maui by providing emergency food and housing, voicing their concerns, and empowering them to take responsibility for their own lives and to call on the community to assist in these actions.  

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Our Impact in 2023

• 227 Families Served in Shelter
• 216 Children Served
• 23,131 Meals Served
• 101 Households place into permanent housing
• 15 Veterans served
• 5,580 Calls/walk-ins for service assistance

Read Full 2022 Executive Report

Our History

Ka Hale A Ke Ola began sheltering the homeless on November 26, 1986 in an old church building in Puunene. We only had $26 and the idealistic drive that we could make it work. The building was 50 years old with faulty electrical and plumbing. Dirt blowing in from nearby cane fields made it virtually impossible to keep the shelter clean but shelter workers persevered. Community volunteers built partitions to give families privacy. Twenty-eight church groups, service organizations, and local businesses volunteered to provide dinners on a rotating basis. Against all odds, KHAKO survived and in its first five years, it sheltered, fed and clothed more than 3,600 residents.

KHAKO’s Board of Directors soon recognized many residents needed more than food and shelter to break the cycle of homelessness. KHAKO began serving as a referral center, connecting residents with employment agencies, rental assistance programs, and other social services. In 1991, KHAKO began offering life skills classes designed to break the pattern of homelessness — classes in budgeting, parenting and communication. KHAKO blossomed into a comprehensive resource center that provides emergency shelter, transitional housing, adult education and training, counseling, a primary care medical clinic and facilities for child care.

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors oversees KHAKO’s operations and programs to ensure we are making progress toward our mission.

Collaborations

Malama I Ke Ola Health Center
A clinic at each shelter location, MIKO offers a variety of health services including family practice, disease treatment, and behavioral health to the public and shelter residents.

Maui Drug Court
KHAKO offers a dedicated 2-bedroom apartment unit for qualified Maui Drug Court Clients to provide a safe place for MDC clients to live while involved in their recovery and judicial process.

MEO Head Start Program
Supports children and families, providing a quality, comprehensive service that impacts early development and school readiness success.

Maui Family Support Services
Infant and Toddler – Early Childhood Development Center that supports infant and toddler development and learning.

Aloha House
Located at the Westside facility – Aloha House has an office on-site to assist with mental health counseling services for residents and Aloha House clients.