Arc of Hilo, Hawai'i Island Fund

Started in 1954 under the Monarchy, the Arc of Hilo is Hawai'i Island's Largest Non-profit Supporting Youth and Adults with Disabilities through Youth Transition, Employment, and Community Services. As a Guidestar Gold-endorsed agency, we are proud of our role as the island's largest employer of youth and adults with disabilities, with almost half a million dollars paid out in wages last year to participant workers with special needs, who provide contracted services such as landscaping, laundry and janitorial services in over 100 work sites. With double the poverty rate of all the islands at 19.1% of the population, the Arc of Hilo fills an important role to provide hope and opportunity to transition-age youth with special needs, who otherwise stay in school until age 22 as they would otherwise remain unemployed and potentially homeless. We are seeking $250,000 to help us expand our services throughout rural Hawai'i Island, where our vision is to provide opportunities for youth who are unable to access meaningful employment and supports without advocacy and employment development, which the Arc of Hilo can provide through its network of employment services and partnerships.