A local shelter today held a special ceremony to remember those who have died while struggling to get off the streets.
At a memorial service today in Iwilei, the Institute for Human Services celebrated the lives of 34 shelter residents who died this year.
"Not just in sadness and grief, but also to remember their contribution to society, their gifts," said IHS chaplain MacArthur Flournoy. "We consider those family members. It really is about being an 'ohana."
Dozens of people living on the streets throughout the islands are dying every year.
According to the Institute for Human Services, the average homeless person has a 30-year shorter lifespan than people living in homes.
"Right now it is very difficult unless they reach out and try to get help," said IHS resident Jerome. "Because they don't have the medical treatment and they're not taking medication for whatever it is that they're going through."
Before the pandemic in 2019, Chaplain Flournoy says Hawaii lost at least 120 homeless people -- a 46% increase from just two years earlier.
"So unfortunately we are seeing a steady increase in the number of deaths amongst those who are homeless," he said. "Our people really do experience a shorter lifespan because of the number of health issues that they face."
Many homeless people also struggle with limited access to health care and often neglect their medical issues.
On Oahu alone, there's an estimated 4,000 people living without homes. And thousands more are expected to be evicted this year -- adding to the population.
"People who are homeless are just like any other person," Flournoy added. "We know that the working population, short of a few paychecks, we could find ourselves in the exact situation."
Kristen joined KITV4 in March 2021 after working for the past two decades as a newspaper reporter. Kristen's goal is to produce meaningful journalism that educates, enlightens and inspires to affect positive change in society.
