Pahoa, Hawai‘i - Equality HI, a grassroots nonprofit serving the LGBTQ+ community on Hawai‘i Island was just awarded $13,000 in grant funding from the Hawai‘i Community Foundation as part of the Puna Strong grants program, with $8,000 coming from the Hawai‘i Island Strong Fund and $5,000 from the Deviants from the Norm Fund.
“We are honored to develop and deliver the Puna Strong Virtual Resource Fair for the residents of Puna in partnership with the Hawai‘i Community Foundation,” said Ray Saludares, Board President of Equality HI. “It aligns perfectly with our mission to build a thriving and empowered culture that proactively engages in creating an inclusive and diverse queer community through Aloha, Leadership, Resources, Services, and Education.
The grant will be used to create a virtual resource fair geared toward LGBTQ+ individuals, and open to all Puna residents impacted by the 2018 Kilauea eruption and the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will provide information and access to employment and financial literacy, housing resources, healthcare, domestic violence and human trafficking, community building activities, cultural services, and LGBTQ+ history and issues in Hawai‘i.
Equality HI’s Puna Strong Virtual Resource Fair is currently being planned for late Fall 2021, visit www.equalityhi.org for more information as it becomes available.