FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    

Legal Aid Society of Hawai`i has received $10,000 grant from HMSA to continue “Ku`ikahi Enehana: A Partnership in Technology.”  “Ku`ikahi Enehana” is a collaborative partnership between Legal Aid and five other non-profit organizations, including: Honolulu Community Action Program (HCAP), Learning Disabilities Association of Hawai`i (LDAH), The Salvation Army, Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and the University of Hawai`i Rural Development Project. 

The purpose of “Ku`ikahi Enehana” is to address an individual’s primary needs while also addressing secondary issues that may be preventing a person from becoming self-sufficient.  Individuals who come to any of the participating organizations for a specific issue often have other, related issues that need to be addressed and can be referred to “Ku`ikahi Enehana” for a centralized intake process.  A case worker looks over each client referral, then meets with the client either in person or over the video-conferencing system to discuss his/her case.  After assessing the client’s needs, the case worker then can provide referrals to as many of the partners as needed to meet as many of that client’s needs as possible. 

This generous grant from HMSA, along with funding from the Legal Services Corporation and Hawai`i Women Legal Fund, will allow “Ku`ikahi Enehana” to continue the partnership between these six organizations and continue to enhance community access to social and legal services through the use of video-conferencing equipment. 

For more information about “Ku`ikahi Enehana” please contact Scott Morishige at (808) 527-8069, or by email at scmoris@lashaw.org.

Contact:     Melissa Stepp
Phone:       (808) 536-4302
E-mail:       mestepp@lashaw.org