Page 3 - Hawaii Island MidWeek - Sep 1 2021

Nonprofit Helping Hands Hawai‘i has been serving the community since 1974. Our mission is to develop commu- nity self-sufficiency and resil- ience by providing guidance, household goods, and oppor- tunities for empowerment and connection. Through our Bi- lingual Access Line program, we help households access services in their native lan- guages.
surprised he needed help com- municating with them. When they met, one of our Vietnam- ese interpreters helped them speak with the resident and translated letters and forms to ease the individual’s fears about losing his home.
or legal situations. Their pur- pose is to convey the content of one language into another and back again, so parties can understand one another better.
For more than 35 years, our Bilingual Access Line has reduced language barri- ers for Hawai‘i residents, and our interpreters attend about 8,000 appointments a year to help businesses, government agencies and other entities connect with constituents who may speak little to no English.
In another situation, a teach- er had to tell Japanese-speak- ing parents about their child’s educational challenges. One of our Japanese interpreters bridged the language gap, al- lowing them to create a plan to help the student improve.
Unfortunately, language inequality often prevents families from improving their lives. It can also exclude these communities from interacting with companies that only op- erate in English, to the disad- vantage of families and busi- nesses. Using interpreters can add value to the experience for both service providers and En- glish language learners.
The uncertainty surround- ing Hawai‘i’s eviction mor- atorium created distress for one renter, who asked for an interpreter so he could speak with housing officials. All prior interactions were done in English, so officials were
Amy Nomura, Yuka Nakatsuji and Charnell Domingo-Pelekai utilize Helping Hands Hawai‘i’s Bilingual Access Line app. A business that needs an interpreter can use the app to request one and be connected in seconds.
PHOTO COURTESY HELPING HANDS HAWAI‘I
PROOF POSITIVE
Bilingual Line Is Live
SEPTEMBER 1, 2021
HAWAI‘I ISLAND MIDWEEK 3
Hawaii County Emergency Rental Assistance Program
“If your household income has been negatively impacted due to COVID19, apply for the Hawaii County Emergency Rental Assistance Program”
WHERE TO APPLY
Instructions. Check if your household earns less than the annual maximum income amount based on the number
of persons in your home. If yes, choose 1 nonprofit partner below to apply for a rent and utility assistance grant. You are encouraged to apply online for faster processing. Applications are available by phone and in-person for those without access to a computer or internet. IMPORTANT: You MUST be a renter to apply. Homeowners are NOT eligible for this program.
Maximum Income Threshold
1 Person
2 Persons
3 Persons
4 Persons
5 Persons
6 Persons
7 Persons
8 Persons
$47,950
$54,800
$61,650
$68,500
$74,000
$79,500
$84,950
$90,450
*Add $5,500 for each additional household member above 8 persons
Visit our website:
www.HawaiiCountyERAP.org
Hawaii First Federal Credit Union
1221 Kilauea Avenue, Suite 150, Hilo, HI 96720 www.hawaiifirstfcu.com
808.933.6600 empower@hawaiifirstfcu.com
HOPE Services Hawaii
357 Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720 www.hopeserviceshawaii.org
808.935.3050 ERAP@hopeserviceshawaii.org
Neighborhood Place of Puna
16-105 Opukahaia Street, Keaau, HI 96749 www.neighborhoodplace.org
808-965-5550 ERAP@neighborhoodplace.org
Habitat for Humanity Hawaii Island
73-4161 Uluwini Place, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 www.habitathawaiiisland.org/
808.843.0071 rmap@habitathawaiiisland.org
Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council
47 Rainbow Drive, Hilo, HI 96720 www.hceoc.net
808.932.2714 ERAP@hceoc.net
The Salvation Army
219 Ponahawai Street, Hilo, HI 97620 Hawaii.salvationarmy.org
808.935.1277 Hilo.ERAP@usw.salvationarmy.org
By Jessica Daniels, Bilingual Access Line program manager with Helping Hands Hawai‘i
Using professional inter- preters is an asset because they have the cultural knowledge and linguistic expertise to communicate even the hard- est terms found in medical
To learn more about our Bi- lingual Access Line, visit bit. ly/HHH-BAL, email bal@ helpinghandshawaii.org, or call 808-526-9724.
Providing this language support is crucial because more than a quarter of Ha- wai‘i residents speak a lan- guage other than English at home.
Fill in the blank cells using numbers 1 to 9. Each number can appear only once in each row, column, and 3x3 block. Use logic and process of elimination to solve the puzzle. The difficulty level ranges from Bronze (easiest) to Silver to Gold (hardest). Answers are on page 7
RATING: BRONZE