PAL Kaua’i, Kaua’i Independent Food Bank provide formerly houseless tenants with Thanksgiving groceries

On the day before Thanksgiving, formerly houseless tenants at Kauhale O Kekaha received a knock on the door.

It was PAL’s staff with a special delivery, a box of holiday foods donated from the Kaua’i Independent Food Bank.

“We wanted to do something special for our tenants. Transitioning back into housing is a challenging process and many don’t have the financial means to buy special meals for the holidays. We are grateful for this partnership with the Kauaʻi Independent Food Bank to bring them some holiday aloha,” says Chief Operating Officer Taylor Kaluahine Lani.

PAL Kaua’i is a nonprofit that builds, rehabilitates, and manages affordable housing across the island. Their Kauhale O Kekaha project is focused on providing service-enriched rental housing to formerly houseless families. To do this, they take referrals from organizations who serve those in the Homeless Management Information System. The 2023 Point-In-Time Count located 488 houseless people on Kaua’i earlier this year, a 10% rise from the previous year.

“The holidays can be an especially difficult time for formerly houseless families. There is a lot of pressure to spend beyond your means to make these holiday meals. These PAL communities are an extension of my ʻohana and I am grateful to be of service” commented Programs Director Crystal Caday-Bargayo.

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PAL’s Beyond Housing Program provides service enrichment to their tenants to improve their quality of life and lead them to self-sufficiency. Through case management, workshops, and referrals to social services, tenants develop their life skills in areas such as financial literacy and planning, entrepreneurship, and small business management. So far PAL has brought 11 families out of houselessness and given them a new home.

“I am so grateful to live here. Crystal is really helping us. Happy Thanksgiving and thanks so much for the food!” said a PAL tenant after receiving their holiday box.

To learn more about PAL Kaua’i and their work visit www.pal-kauai.org.