REOPENING:

All new messages to ʻohana will be posted on the Back-To-School Reopening Website

ARCHIVE:

6/26 - New start dates for the 2020-2021 school year

6/18 - Preparing for the next school year

COVID-19 Distance Learning Transition Archive:

4/8 - Executive Vice President of Finance Message: Waiving of Late Fees - Credit for Transportation, Boarding

4/7 - Decision made on the rest of the school year and summer

4/3 - Distance Learning will continue through at least April 30

3/17 - Transitioning to Distance Learning

3/12 - Coronavirus: Impact on KSH events and updated travel notice

3/10 - COVID-19 Update: Changes made to school calendar and survey needed for planning

3/5 - Coronavirus: Ensuring the safety of our students, families, and staff

2/28 - Health Alert Update: Coronavirus (COVID 19) Precautions

2/6 - Precautionary steps to prevent coronavirus and the flu

• Hope Services Resilience Fund - If you have experienced a reduction in pay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be eligible for a one-time emergency financial assistance for one bill or expense up to $1000.

HOPE Services Hawaii, Neighborhood Place of Puna and Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council offer emergency financial assistance to Hawaiʻi Island residents impacted by COVID-19

Thanks to a $100,000 grant from Hawaiʻi Community Foundation and a $141,000 grant from Hawaiʻi Island United Way’s Rent & Utility Assistance Program, financial help is available to low-income Hawaiʻi Island residents experiencing financial hardship because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Resilience Fund was established by Hawaiʻi Community Foundation and Pierre and Pam Omidyar to “rapidly deploy resources and encourage community giving to address the COVID-19 Pandemic,” according to the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation website. United Way’s Rent & Utility Assistance Program was established to assist those who are in immediate and urgent need of support with paying their rent and utility bills due to their income being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funding will allow three Hawaiʻi Island non-profit organizations, HOPE Services Hawaiʻi, Neighborhood Place of Puna and Hawaiʻi County Economic Opportunity Council, the opportunity to approve one-time emergency financial assistance of up to $1,000 per household to Hawaiʻi Island residents who have recently been laid off or whose income has been reduced.

Also, eligible applicants for financial emergency assistance must meet income limits, currently earning at or below 80% of Hawaiʻi County’s Area Median Income (AMI). The 80% AMI cap starts at $46,700 for an individual, and increases with each additional family member. Verification of income, proof of economic hardship as a result of the pandemic, and a government-issued Hawaiʻi ID is required. For a full list of required documents and grant guidelines (including AMI limitations) contact the following agencies for additional information:

HOPE Services Hawaiʻi
Phone: (808) 935-3050
Website: www.hopeserviceshawaii.org

Neighborhood Place of Puna
Phone: (808) 965-5550
Website: http://neighborhoodplace.org/

Hawaiʻi County Economic Opportunity Council
Phone: (808) 935-5219
Website: http://hceoc.net

Or call United Way at 211 for more information.

Funding is limited and agencies are asking for your consideration in making sure you meet all requirements before applying.

HOPE Services Hawaiʻi will be able to assist households seeking mortgage, rent or utility assistance. HOPE will assist with the payment of one household bill or expense.

Neighborhood Place of Puna and Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council will assist with rent and utility costs only. Applicants of this program can apply once a month for up to 3 months.

Payments will be sent directly to creditors on behalf of applicants.

“More than half of Hawaii Island’s residents live paycheck to paycheck making ends meet even before this pandemic,” says HOPE CEO Brandee Menino. “We are grateful to Hawaiʻi Community Foundation and the Hawaiʻi Island United Way for stepping up to assist our island’s most vulnerable residents.”

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About HOPE Services Hawaiʻi

HOPE Services Hawaiʻi is an affiliate non-profit organization of the Roman Catholic Church, providing housing-focused services including outreach, emergency shelter and affordable housing with the intention of moving people into housing as quickly as possible and connecting them with the support that they need to stay housed forever. If you or someone you know has been evicted or is experiencing homelessness, call the HOPE help line at 808-935-3050.

General Information About COVID-19

The World Health Organization has named the illness/syndrome caused by this novel coronavirus: COVID-19. The virus that causes the illness has been renamed SARS-CoV-2 by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. The virus was previously known as 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

What is COVID-19 (aka 2019 Novel Coronavirus)?

2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a virus identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China. Early on, many of the patients in the outbreak in Wuhan reportedly had some link to a large seafood and animal market, suggesting animal-to- person spread. However, a growing number of patients reportedly have not had exposure to animal markets, suggesting person-to-person spread is occurring. At this time, it’s unclear how easily this virus is spreading between people.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Common signs of infection include fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, particularly those in persons with underlying severe and chronic health issues, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

How contagious is COVID-19?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health agencies are involved in active investigations to learn more about how this virus is spread. Person-to-person spread has been reported in Asia, though it’s unclear how easily this virus is spreading between people.

What is the incubation period for this virus?

The incubation period is the time between exposure to a pathogen and the appearance of the first symptoms.

The CDC believes at this time that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as many as 14 days after exposure. This is based on the incubation periods for similar viruses.

How concerned should I be about contracting COVID-19?

While the CDC considers this to be a serious public health concern, based on current information, the immediate health risk to the general American public is considered low.

How can I protect myself from respiratory infections?

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

• NO HANDSHAKING! Use a fist bump, slight bow, elbow bump, etc.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.

• Use ONLY your knuckle to touch light switches, elevator buttons, etc.

• Lift the gasoline dispenser with a paper towel or use a disposable glove.

• Open doors with your closed fist or hip

• Use disinfectant wipes at stores, etc.

• Use hand sanitizer after contacting surfaces and throughout the day

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash, and disinfect your hands.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

How many confirmed cases of COVID-19 are in Hawaii?

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health maintains and updates case counts, including an island-by-island breakdown of cases around noon each day. Find the total number of cases on their COVID-19 website.

I’ve been hearing the terms quarantine and isolation a lot. What is the difference?

While both isolation and quarantine refer to methods of preventing the spread of illness, they do not mean the same thing.

Isolation refers to separating people who are sick from those who are not sick.

Quarantine refers to separating people who are, or may have been, exposed to a pathogen, but are not showing signs of illness. Quarantine is used to make sure individuals are not contagious by minimizing contact with people who were not exposed during an illness’ incubation period—the time it takes for symptoms to emerge.

Where can I get more information on coronavirus?

For up-to-date information, please check the following websites:

• State of Hawai‘i Department of Heath

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Official Coronavirus Webpage

• CDC Travel Alert Status

• World Health Organization Official Coronavirus Webpage

• CDC Official Map of Confirmed U.S. Cases

• Johns Hopkins CSSE Map of Global Cases

See our ʻOhana Distance Learning Plan