Anchor Point Youth Center in Hilo, Hawaii, Holds Blessing, Offers 22 Affordable Units for Young Adults

A blessing was held on Friday for the Anchor Point Youth Center, a new youth homeless outreach center in downtown Hilo. The center is on Kinoʻole Street, across from the Hilo Central Fire Station.

The building includes 22 residential units that will be available as affordable housing for youth aged 18 to 24 “who are overcoming homelessness or are at imminent risk of entering homelessness,” officials say. The center will also have three commercial spaces, and homeless services will be provided on-site.

The center is a multi-agency nonprofit partnership among Hope Services Hawaiʻi, Neighborhood Place of Puna, and The Salvation Army. Hope Services Hawaiʻi holds the building under a master lease. Neighborhood Place of Puna will operate two commercial units on the ground floor, which will house its Homeless Engagement Team and its new Anchor Point Youth Center program, offering at-risk youth safe spaces and access to essential services. A local business currently leases the third space.

Paul Normann, Executive Director of Neighborhood Place of Puna, said the center “offers youth who are experiencing homelessness a safe place where they can access resources, connect with opportunities, and — most importantly — find the hope and help they need to find housing and a better life.” His team also runs the Hawaiʻi County Homeless Engagement Hui, which provides ongoing updates on the number of people experiencing homelessness in Hawaii County. As of February 18, the Hui reported that 83 transitional-age youth aged 14 to 24 had been encountered on the streets, and 79 people in the same age bracket reported housing instability.

Minnie Cain, program coordinator for the Anchor Point Youth Center at Neighborhood Place of Puna, said, “As a youth, I needed support but didn’t know where to start.” Cain grew up in a single-parent home and witnessed the struggles of addiction, and she said she knows firsthand the importance of a supportive structure. She described the new center as “a game-changer for our community, offering essential services and opportunities for young people to thrive.” She added that “many youth are still living in survival mode, just as I did, and I’m committed to ensuring they receive the guidance and resources that can help them take control of their lives.”

The Salvation Army will help connect youth to resources. Roxanne Costa, Hawaii County Social Services Director at The Salvation Army, said the organization “will refer our young adults that need housing to the apartments above the youth center.” The Salvation Army also offers housing services to young adults and former foster youth and will provide support to residents of the long-term rental housing.

The programs run by Neighborhood Place of Puna and The Salvation Army are funded by the County of Hawaii Office of Housing & Community Development’s Homelessness and Housing Fund, which supports grantees’ programs addressing homelessness, housing instability, and community development. Startup funding for HOPE Services Hawaiʻi’s affordable housing was provided by the Hawaii State Governor’s Office of Homelessness & Housing Solutions, through its Kauhale Initiative.

Brandee Menino, CEO of Hope Services Hawaiʻi, said her team is excited to welcome Hawaii Island Youth to the new center.

Source: Read the original report