(BIVN) – A new Office of Hawaiian Affairs initiative designed to bring services directly to Native Hawaiian beneficiaries in the communities where they live is ramping up on Hawaiʻi island. 

A blessing for the new East Hawaii Office located at the Puainako Center in Hilo was held in April. 

And this week, OHA Beneficiary Services staff will travel to Kaʻū, where they will work out of Nāʻālehu Community Center from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday. (The office will be closed for lunch from 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.)

OHA is also finalizing plans to bring beneficiary services to locations in Kona and Waimea, and will announce those dates in the coming days.

photo of OHA’s East Hawaii Office located at the Puainako Center in Hilo

“We are committed to showing up for our beneficiaries in their communities, with purpose and aloha,” said OHA Board Chairperson and Hawaiʻi Island Trustee Kaialiʻi Kahele in a news release. “This is about removing barriers, providing assistance and resources, and ensuring the Office of Hawaiian Affairs remains responsive and accessible to those we serve.” 

“We are reimagining how OHA serves our people,” added OHA Chief Executive Officer Stacy Ferreira. “By bringing our services into the heart of our communities, we’re strengthening our relationships, increasing impact, and truly honoring the needs and voices of our beneficiaries.”