Native Hawaiians who are facing financial hardship may be able to receive a grant of up to $2,000 from the Kahiau Community Assistance Program (KCAP). This program is available for Native Hawaiians throughout Hawaii.
Kūhiō Lewis is President of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA). In the official press release, he said, “Our Native Hawaiian community lives paycheck to paycheck, and when an emergency happens they are left without support at the time that they need it most.”
There are eligibility requirements.
In order to be eligible for the grant for Native Hawaiians, you will need to meet the following criteria:
- You must be a Native Hawaiian.
- You must live in Hawaii.
- You must be at least 18 years old.
- You must have an income that is equal to or less than 300% of the Hawaiian Federal Poverty Guidelines.
- You must be facing a financial hardship due to an unexpected crisis or emergency.
The 2020 Federal Poverty Guidelines for Hawaii are $14,680 for an individual or $19,830 for a couple. That means that an individual can earn $44,040 and a couple can earn $59,490 and still be eligible for this program.
Of course, more family members means higher limits. A family of four could earn $90,390 and still be eligible!
The program is designed to help in emergencies.
This program is designed to help people who are facing an unexpected crisis.
These situations could include:
- Loss of employment or income (due to disability, illness, injury, layoff or death)
- Impending eviction
- Impending utility disconnection
There are limits to how this grant can be used.
The money is primarily designed to be used for mortgage or rent payments. It is also commonly used for utilities.
It can also be used for emergency or unexpected auto repairs that are required to meet government safety standards. It can be used to purchase some prescription medications. It also can be used to cover up to $1,000 in funeral expenses.
However, the program will NOT cover credit card payments, car loans, installment loans, collections or delinquent medical bills.
You can apply on the Kahiau website.
The applications are processed online at HawaiianCouncil.org/Kahiau.
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Nicole Thelin
Nicole is the founder and lead researcher of Low Income Relief. After a personal experience with poverty and homelessness following her husband's sudden medical discharge from the U.S. Army, Nicole discovered the life-changing impact of community resources. This experience ignited her passion for empowering others to navigate similar crises. Nicole launched her writing career at age 16, working for various newspapers and publications. Her commitment to in-depth research and accessible content has been recognized by Google for Publishers and other industry leaders. For over 20 years, she has applied her investigative skills to uncover the most helpful, up-to-date information on benefits programs and community resources, ensuring Low Income Relief maintains the most extensive resource databases available.