In 2025, families, youth, and individuals across Hawaiʻi Island turned to Neighborhood Place of Puna during moments of crisis, transition, and hope. Through new programs, expanded drop-in centers, and deepened partnerships, we widened access to support and strengthened pathways toward safety, stability, and long-term well-being.
This past year was about listening, responding, and showing up in meaningful ways. Across every program, one thing remained constant: our commitment to kōkua, compassion, and community-centered care.
Anchor Point Youth Center: A Year of Safety, Trust, and Connection
In 2025, young people across Hawaiʻi Island walked through the doors of Anchor Point Youth Center looking for a safe space offering support they could trust.
For years, NPP recognized a growing need for youth-focused services in our community, especially for transitional-age youth (ages 14–24) navigating homelessness or housing instability. These young people needed a place designed specifically for them. So we listened. We partnered. And in March 2025, together with Hawaiʻi County, HOPE Services Hawaiʻi, and The Salvation Army, we worked to build Anchor Point Youth Center, the only youth drop-in center in East Hawaiʻi dedicated to supporting youth during this critical stage of life.
In 2025 alone:
- 72 individual youth accessed Anchor Point Youth Center
- 1,757 total visits reflected choices to seek safety, connection, and stability
Youth came to Anchor Point for essentials many of us take for granted:
- 855 visits for a safer place to rest
- 568 visits for food
- 189 visits for bathroom access
- 203 visits to charge phones and stay connected
Others focused on building their future, using computers 108 times to apply for jobs, housing, school, or benefits.
Beyond meeting immediate needs, Anchor Point served as a pathway to stability:
- 108 case management meetings connected youth to guidance and advocacy
- 26 youth received help securing vital identification documents, an essential step toward employment and housing
Just as importantly, Anchor Point became a place for growth and voice:
- 27 youth participated in skill-building workshops
- 74 youth attended multiple Youth Council meetings, helping shape programming, build leadership, and strengthen their sense of belonging and agency
Anchor Point Youth Center exists because our community recognized that youth deserve care, dignity, and opportunity. In 2025, we are proud of what was made possible through partnership, trust, and a shared commitment to Hawaiʻi Island’s young people, and we remain dedicated to continuing this work in the years ahead.
Watch Savanah’s story to see Anchor Point’s impact through the eyes of a participant.
Emergency Rental Assistance Program: Keeping Families Housed, Strengthening Communities
Housing stability is the foundation for everything else: health, education, employment, and family well-being. Between May 2024 and September 2025, Neighborhood Place of Puna’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) helped more than 2,000 Hawaiʻi Island residents remain safely housed and avoid homelessness.
During this period:
- 2,042 individuals across 639 households received rental assistance
- 364 Native Hawaiian families were supported
- The average grant of $4,878 provided immediate relief during times of crisis
- A total of $4,774,653 was disbursed directly to keep people housed, preventing displacement before it occurred
Beyond immediate rental assistance, ERAP also connected households to longer-term support. 66 households were enrolled in housing stability services, ensuring that assistance extended beyond a payment and into case management with ongoing guidance toward sustained housing security.
Launched by the County of Hawaiʻi in partnership with Neighborhood Place of Puna, ERAP addressed rental arrears, prospective rent, and security deposits for households impacted by COVID-19, rising housing costs, and low incomes, intervening before instability became homelessness.
ERAP reminds us that prevention works. When we invest in keeping people housed, we preserve families, strengthen communities, and build a more resilient Hawaiʻi for future generations.
Watch Kallie’s story to hear how ERAP made stability possible for her family.
A Year of Kōkua at the Coordination Center
In 2025, our Coordination Center expanded its reach and deepened its impact with the opening of our new drop-in center in Hilo, creating more accessible pathways for Hawaiʻi Island families and individuals to connect with critical resources, guidance, and care.
Whether through our call and text line or in person, the Coordination Center continues to meet people where they are, offering compassionate navigation during some of life’s most overwhelming moments.
This expansion strengthened our ability to meet people where they are and reinforced our commitment to compassionate, community-centered support.
2025 Impact Through the Call Center:
- 1,034 families served
- 2,606 assistance requests received
- 5,067 referrals made
- 618 Native Hawaiian households supported
At the Hilo Drop-In Center:
- 164 families served
- 534 services accessed
- 143 Native Hawaiian households supported
- 64 kūpuna served
Homeless Engagement Team: Meeting People Where They Are
In 2025, Neighborhood Place of Puna’s Homeless Engagement Team continued to show up where help was needed most — on the streets, in camps, and in communities across Hawaiʻi Island.
Through consistent, compassionate outreach, our team focused on building trust and walking alongside individuals and families on their path toward stability and housing.
2025 Impact:
- 318 street outreach visits
- 70 successful case closures, including:
- 26 families
- 15 kupuna
- 14 transitional-aged youth
- 10 couples
- 5 singles
Last year reflected the power of consistent engagement and community-centered care, a year defined by compassion, kōkua, and measurable progress.
Looking Ahead with Gratitude
2025 was a year defined by compassion, collaboration, and measurable progress. None of this impact would be possible without our dedicated staff, trusted partners, and the community members who continue to believe in a Hawaiʻi Island where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
As we look ahead, we remain committed to deepening our impact, expanding access to care, and continuing to show up with kōkua for the people and places we call home.