Hawaiʻi Pacific Health Gives $100,000 to Help Local Families Cover Security Deposits
HONOLULU, October 29, 2026 — Families with children experiencing homelessness or housing instability will soon have help overcoming one of the biggest barriers to getting into a home — the security deposit — thanks to a $100,000 award from Hawaiʻi Pacific Health (HPH) to Family Promise of Hawaiʻi. The local nonprofit will use the funding to launch its new Move-In Advance Program, which will cover a family’s security deposit up front and allows them to repay it to Family Promise over affordable monthly payments.
For families experiencing homelessness or housing instability, a security deposit can be one of the biggest obstacles to moving out of shelter and into a home of their own. The Move-In Advance Program removes the need to save a lump sum before moving in, helping families secure housing sooner and repay the deposit in affordable installments. As families repay, those funds return to the program to help additional families.
“Having a place to call home makes a meaningful difference in a person’s life and future, that is why we are supporting this new program by Family Promise of Hawai‘i,” said Michael Robinson, HPH vice president of government relations and community affairs. “Education, access to healthy food, and stable housing all play significant roles in a person’s well-being. We are helping families move into safe, stable housing. Together, we are building healthier communities for Hawaiʻi's children and families.”
Children and families are the fastest-growing group within Oʻahu's homeless population: according to the latest Point-in-Time Count, the number of children and parents experiencing homelessness on Oʻahu rose nearly 20% between 2024 and 2026, even as overall homelessness increased just 1% over the same period — and family homelessness has climbed 43% since 2022.
“We’re deeply grateful to Hawaiʻi Pacific Health for this investment in local families,” said Ryan Catalani, Executive Director of Family Promise of Hawaiʻi. “For so many of the families we serve, the security deposit is the last thing standing between them and a lease. This program clears that barrier, and because families repay what they can afford, every dollar goes on to help the next family.”
The Move-In Advance Program is expected to launch later this year. Families seeking assistance can contact Family Promise of Hawaiʻi at familypromise.help.
About Family Promise of Hawaiʻi: Founded in 2005, Family Promise of Hawaiʻi is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to transform the lives of families with children in Hawaiʻi facing homelessness by providing housing, resources, and support. Learn more: familypromisehawaii.org.
About Hawaiʻi Pacific Health: Hawai‘i Pacific Health is a not-for-profit health care system including medical centers, clinics, physicians and other caregivers working together to create a healthier Hawai‘i. Its four medical centers – Kapi‘olani, Pali Momi, Straub Benioff and Wilcox – specialize in innovative programs in bone and joint services, cancer care, cardiovascular services, pediatric care, women’s health, and more. Hawai‘i Pacific Health’s employed physicians and advanced practice providers are unified under the Hawai‘i Pacific Health Medical Group, which includes more than 800 health care providers brought together under one operational structure to provide consistency and excellence in patient outcomes and patient experiences across the system. Learn more at HawaiiPacificHealth.org.