Root & Rise Supportive Housing

A Path to Stability and Hope

A white background with a few lines on it

Nature's Symphony

Button

Empowering Adults with SMI:
Person-centered transitional housing with mental health support and therapeutic services

Root & Rise Supportive Housing aims to address the critical need for transitional housing and support services for adults experiencing Serious Mental Illness (SMI) in Hawaiʻi. This innovative program will provide affordable housing combined with coordinated wraparound services, helping individuals gain stability, improve their quality of life, and integrate or reintegrate into the community.

The Challenge: A Community in Need

  • High Costs: Chronically houseless individuals with SMI place a substantial financial strain on the healthcare system.
  • Limited Housing Options: There is a major shortage of transitional housing beds available for adults with SMI across the neighbor islands.
  • Prevalence of SMI Among Unhoused Individuals: Almost half of all unhoused individuals on Hawaiʻi Island are living with SMI -- that’s 367 people without permanent shelter and with significant mental health symptoms.
  • Barriers to Stable Housing: People with SMI face substantial obstacles in securing and maintaining stable housing.


These factors create a vicious cycle: mental health struggles contribute to houselessness, and the experience of houselessness worsens mental health. Root & Rise Supportive Housing offers an opportunity to break this cycle and create a pathway to stability and well-being.

Building a Brighter Future

Root & Rise Supportive Housing will provide an intermediate step between houselessness and independent living, focusing on resident empowerment and skill development. Our program goals include:


  • Affordable Housing: Residents pay a subsidized rent and have no limitations on residency, allowing them to focus on achieving stability and independence.
  • Supportive Services: Residents receive individualized case management, daily residential supervision, and connections to essential services and mental health professionals.
  • Life-Skill Development: We empower residents with valuable skills for daily life, including personal hygiene, gardening and meal prep, symptom management, financial literacy, and communication with providers.
  • Smooth Transitions: Our program prepares residents to transition to independent living with confidence and support.

Our Program Development Journey

We're actively working on building a strong foundation for Root & Rise Supportive Housing.

A black and white drawing of a house on a white background.

Exploring Housing Sites

We're currently searching for potential housing sites to best serve our community.

A group of people are standing around a dollar sign.

Fundraising

Over the next three years, we aim to raise $1.7 million to launch this critical program.

A black and white drawing of three people in a circle.

Building Our Team

We're dedicated to assembling a team of experienced professionals to guide residents towards success.

How You Can Help

Your support is vital in helping us bridge the gap between houselessness and stability for adults with SMI. Here's how you can contribute:

A black and white drawing of a hand clapping.

Volunteer

Share your skills and passion to help us build a brighter future for our community.

A black and white icon of a megaphone with a heart in a speech bubble.

Spread the Word

Raise awareness about the critical need for supportive housing and our program's mission. Share this page with your network!

A black and white icon of a donation box with a heart and a dollar sign.

Donate

Every donation brings us closer to making Root & Rise Supportive Housing a reality.