ELEPAIO SOCIAL SERVICES

`ELEPAIO SOCIAL SERVICES (ESS), IS A WHOLLY OWNED NONPROFIT CORPORATION OF THE WAIANAE DISTRICT COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH AND HOSPITAL BOARD, INC., THAT FUNCTIONS AS A COUNTERPART TO THE WAIANAE COAST COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CENTER (WCCHC) IN PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED SOCIAL SERVICES TO THE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY OF WAIANAE AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES LOCATED ON THE WEST COAST OF THE ISLAND OF OAHU IN THE STATE OF HAWAII. ESTABLISHED IN NOVEMBER 2020, ESS HAS WORKED ALONGSIDE WCCHC IN RESPONDING TO THE CRITICAL COMMUNITY NEED FOR ACCESS TO VITAL WRAP AROUND SOCIAL SERVICES AND FOOD.ALTHOUGH `ELEPAIO SOCIAL SERVICES WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2020, THE AFOREMENTIONED SERVICES WERE BEING PROVIDED UNDER THE HEALTH CENTER FOR YEARS PRIOR. THESE SERVICES WERE QUICKLY RAMPED UP IN RESPONSE TO COMMUNITY NEED.APPROXIMATELY 50,000 PEOPLE LIVE IN THE REGION AND ARE IMPACTED AS FOLLOWS: - NUTRITION RELATED DISPARITIES: THE WAIANAE COAST POPULATION RANKS THE HIGHEST FOR DEBILITATING HEALTH CONDITIONS SUCH AS DIABETES AND OBESITY. - FOOD INSECURITY. - OVER 65% OF THE HEALTH CENTER'S PATIENTS LIVE AT OR BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) AND FOOD ACCESS:- THE SNAP PROGRAM IS A FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAM ADMINISTERED TO THE STATES VIA THE FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE AND PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS. - THE SNAP PROGRAM ALLOWS CUSTOMERS TO PURCHASE FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE AND PROTEIN AT REDUCED PRICES AT THE HEALTH CENTER'S FARMER'S MARKET.ELEPAIO SOCIAL SERVICES OPERATES KEIKI PANTRIES AT SCHOOLS ON THE WAIANAE COAST,SERVING 5,000 KEIKI EACH WEEK AND PROVIDING 15,000 HEALTHY SNACKS/LOCAL FRUITS PER WEEK. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HAWAII FOODBANK, ELEPAIO SOCIAL SERVICES OPERATES KUPUNA PANTRIES THAT SERVICE OVER 1,200 KUPUNA EACH WEEK WITH FRESH LOCAL ORGANIZE PRODUCE, SHELF STABLE FOODS/OTHER PANTRY ITEMS.