Direct Cash Hawai'i (THAP Hawai'i)
Direct Cash Hawai'i is a Targeted Housing Assistance Program (THAP) site launched on Oahu in 2026 by the national nonprofit Point Source Youth in partnership with Partners in Care and the Hawai'i Health & Harm Reduction Center. It provides about 50 young people ages 16-24 facing a housing crisis with a one-time, individualized cash payment (averaging roughly $2,500, based on a personal housing plan) plus 1-3 months of optional youth-directed supportive services. The program prioritizes Native Hawaiian and LGBTQIA+ youth, who experience disproportionate rates of homelessness in Hawai'i. It follows the same needs-based, flexible-amount THAP model used by CASH LA in Los Angeles and is funded in part through philanthropic support, with photo credit to the Doris Duke Foundation at the program kickoff.
Youth homelessness prevention, THAP, Point Source Youth network, Native Hawaiian, LGBTQIA+, needs-based flexible cash
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- Hawai'i Health & Harm Reduction Center
- City
- Honolulu
- State / Province
- Hawaii
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Website
- https://www.hhhrc.org/
- Phone
- +1 808 521 2437
- info@hhhrc.org
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Active
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 50
- Funding type
- Nonprofit, Philanthropic
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 2,500 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 833.33 USD
- Payment frequency
- Lump Sum
- How long the program lasts
- 3 months
- Distribution Type
- Reloadable debit card (vendor not independently confirmed)
- Benefit details
Participants receive a single, individualized cash payment (averaging about $2,500) sized to a youth-specific housing plan and budget rather than a flat amount. Alongside the payment, youth may access 1-3 months of youth-directed supportive services such as housing navigation, financial coaching, and peer support delivered by local partner organizations. Cash distribution followed a January 16 program kickoff and a mid-February partner training series.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Eligible participants are young people ages 16-24 residing in Hawai'i who are experiencing a housing crisis. The program prioritizes Native Hawaiian youth and youth who identify as LGBTQIA+, given disproportionate rates of homelessness among these groups in Hawai'i. Enrollment is coordinated through partner organizations rather than open public application.
Demographics
- Minimum age
- 16
- Maximum age
- 24
- Race / ethnicity targets
- Native Hawaiian (priority population, not an exclusive eligibility requirement)
Geography
- US states covered
- Hawaii
- Countries covered
- United States
- Counties covered
- Honolulu (City and County of Honolulu / Oahu)
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Required
- Research / participation requirements
Point Source Youth's national THAP model is evaluated by Johns Hopkins University, which found in a 7-state pilot (not including Hawai'i) that 92% of participants nationally stayed out of the homelessness system within six months of receiving one-time cash support. Whether Johns Hopkins is specifically evaluating the Hawai'i site could not be independently confirmed as of this research.
Application Process
- How to apply
No public self-service application portal was identified. Enrollment appears to be coordinated by the Hawai'i Health & Harm Reduction Center and Partners in Care through referral partnerships with youth-serving organizations (e.g., Youth Outreach/YO! and RYSE) on Oahu.
- Selection process
Youth are identified and referred through the partner network (Hawai'i Health & Harm Reduction Center, Partners in Care, and affiliated youth-serving organizations), with priority given to Native Hawaiian and LGBTQIA+ youth experiencing a housing crisis. Specific scoring/selection criteria beyond this were not published.
