North Shore NewsThe Haleiwa Project: A New Beginning for Homeless Youth
On January 28, 2020, ALEA Bridge Executive Director Nicole Winter shared her latest update on the new Haleiwa Project at the monthly North Shore Neighborhood Board held at Waialua Elementary School Cafeteria. Wanting to do things right and be good neighbors, especially with the nearby Haleiwa Elementary School, ALEA Bridge (AB) distributed over 150 flyers to notify local residents of a meet-ngreet to be held later that week.
The Haleiwa Project represents a working collaboration between Alternative Structures International (ASI) aka Kahumana, Residential Youth Services and Empowerment (RYSE), and ALEA Bridge. Back in August 2019, the City & County of Honolulu competitively solicited to lease city property at Kewalo and Haleiwa. In December 2019, ALEA Bridge received a ten-year master lease of city property at Kauhale Haleiwa – 66-528 Haleiwa Road. Local community members familiar with the area know this as the former site of COYSA aka Central Oahu Youth Services Association, Incorporated, a 24-hour emergency shelter for teens.
AB with partners ASI and RYSE hosted a softopening on-site on Friday, January 31, 2020 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Local community members and law enforcement stopped by to learn more about the Haleiwa Project itself and trio tasked with program implementation.
The Haleiwa Project facilitates housing formerly homeless and /or at-risk youth and families with at least one child. Entering it fifth year, ALEA Bridge is familiar to North Shore community members for its outreach to homeless, at-risk homeless, veterans and youth. Executive Director Winters is not only excited but thrilled at this opportunity to work with our neighboring communities to address pressing homeless issues. We’re fortunate. We couldn’t find better partners to get the Haleiwa Project off the ground. We’re more than blessed to work with our sister ohana in beautiful Haleiwa.
Other than AB, the brainchild for the Haleiwa Project stems from respected ASI Executive Director Tom McDonald and exuberant RYSE Executive Director Carla Houser. With over 45 years of experience, ASI aka Kahumana situated in beautiful Lualualei Valley on the sunny west side of O‘ahu houses 120 families in transitional housing. Their mission is to co-create a healthy, inclusive and productive farm-based community with homeless families, people with disabilities and youth. On the other side of the island, RYSE operates a 24/7 access center as part of the Kawailoa Youth and Family Wellness Center in Kailua with residential youth live-in program and on-site support services with professional supervision. You will be hard pressed to find a greater champion for youth than Carla Houser. She’s more than just giving back. Thus, the trio brings a lot of expertise and energy to the North Shore and will run one of, if not the only, housing program for youth and families with at least one child in the Central Oahu/North Shore area. AB will keep the North Shore communities updated as the Haleiwa Project unfolds. Questions can be addressed to Nicole Winter at (808) 445-5527 or nwinter@aleabridge.org.