Helping Hands Hawaii

What Helping Hands Hawaii does

Helping Hands Hawaii is a Honolulu-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services organization, incorporated in 1974 and tracing its origins to the 1941 Honolulu Council of Social Agencies' Volunteer Placement Bureau. It serves vulnerable Hawaii residents—struggling families, individuals experiencing poverty, houselessness, food insecurity and household instability, people with long-term illness or disability, and limited-English-proficiency communities—primarily across Oahu and the broader State of Hawaii. In 2025 the organization reported serving 27,000+ individuals and families, up from a general figure of 19,000+ cited on its homepage.

The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected programs rather than a single product. Core offerings include the Community Clearinghouse (free furniture, bedding, kitchenware and household goods plus emergency financial assistance), Representative Payee Services (management of SSI and RSDI Social Security benefits for those unable to manage their own finances), SNAP Outreach (food-assistance enrollment support), and the Bilingual Access Line (interpretation in over 250 languages including ASL). Seasonal initiatives include Ready to Learn (school-supply distribution) and Adopt a Family (holiday support). It is explicitly not a technology company; operations center on case management, benefit enrollment and material goods distribution, delivered via its Nimitz Highway headquarters and warehouse, community outreach events, and referrals from a network of 100+ nonprofit and community partners.

The revenue model combines private donations (individuals, families, corporations, foundations and trusts), government contracts with the City & County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii, and select program service fees—including a $50 flat-rate furniture-pickup fee (with $25 surcharges for in-home or non-ground-level pickups) charged to donors by the Community Clearinghouse. Services are otherwise provided free to eligible clients. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and a Young Leaders Board, with President & CEO Susan Furuta leading operations and employing an estimated 11–50 staff.

Name

Helping Hands Hawaii

Legal name

Helping Hands Hawaii

Website

https://helpinghandshawaii.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

A Honolulu-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1974 providing social services—material goods, financial and benefit management, food-assistance enrollment, and language interpretation—to vulnerable families and individuals across Oahu and the State of Hawaii.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services Nonprofit

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Assistance & Benefits Navigation Services (BPAGAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

Keywords

• Social services nonprofit
• Community assistance programs
• SNAP outreach services
• Representative payee services
• Household goods donation

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Private Donations: Funded by private donations from individuals, families, corporations, foundations, and trusts. This is a primary funding source alongside government contracts.
2. Government Contracts: Government contracts with the City & County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii fund core program operations.
3. Program Service Fees: Select program service fees support operations. Also includes fees for donation pickup services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Helping Hands Hawaii is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services organization that provides free material assistance (furniture, household goods, school supplies), financial management for Social Security benefit recipients, SNAP food assistance enrollment, language interpretation services, emergency rent/utility assistance, and seasonal programs to vulnerable Hawaii residents. Core programs include Community Clearinghouse, Representative Payee Services, and SNAP Outreach, supplemented by seasonal initiatives.

Product overview

Helping Hands Hawaii operates as a social services nonprofit organization offering multiple interconnected programs that work together to support Hawaii's vulnerable populations. The core programs include Community Clearinghouse (material assistance and household items), Representative Payee Services (Social Security benefits management), SNAP Outreach (food assistance enrollment), and Bilingual Access Line (interpretation services). These are supplemented by seasonal initiatives including Ready to Learn (school supplies distribution) and Adopt a Family (holiday support). The programs collectively address food insecurity, housing instability, financial hardship, and language barriers to empower families toward self-sufficiency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Clearinghouse

Quantifiable outcome

• Served 27,000+ people in 2025
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• First Insurance Company of Hawaii (FICOH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 202510-year partnership through Adopt a Family program to provide vehicles to families in need. FICOH has collaborated with Helping Hands Hawaii and UNIBODY Autotech to gift refurbished cars to caregivers during difficult seasons. This partnership has removed major barriers to stability for multiple families.
• UNIBODY AutotechcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 202510-year partnership with FICOH and Helping Hands Hawaii to refurbish and donate vehicles to families through Adopt a Family. Hosted vehicle presentation at Waimanu Street location.
• Starbucks FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Neighborhood Grant program where Starbucks employees nominate and vote for community organizations to receive grants. Helping Hands Hawaii has received grants every funding cycle since being nominated in 2022 by local Waikiki Starbucks district.
• Starbucks (Waikiki District)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal Starbucks stores host collection drives for school supplies (Ready to Learn) and holiday gifts (Adopt a Family). Brie Lacaille, district manager, has partnered with Community Clearinghouse for almost two years organizing volunteer efforts and donations.
• Ohana Health PlancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhana Health Plan Community Care Services (CCS) provides funding for the Representative Payee program and referral services for clients who need benefit management assistance.
• Hawaii Department of Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency that funds and collaborates on SNAP Outreach Program. SNAP is a federal nutrition assistance program administered by the state.
• Hawaii FoodbanksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing additional food distribution events during federal government shutdowns and ongoing emergency food assistance.
• First Hawaiian BanksupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond Sponsor of Pā‘ina on the Course Golf Tournament. Also accepts Good Neighbor Fund donations at branch locations.
• Honolulu Cookie CompanysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum Sponsor of Ready to Learn 2026 program. Supports school supply distribution for keiki.
• American Savings BanksupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Sponsor of Ready to Learn 2026. Long-time partner supporting educational programs for Hawaii students.
• Diamond BakerysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum Sponsor of Community Clearinghouse program.
• ProServicesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Sponsor of Pā‘ina on the Course Golf Tournament.
• University of Hawaii Professional AssemblysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver Sponsor of Pā‘ina on the Course Golf Tournament.
• Hawaii Dental ServicesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerKahala Pimentel, Wellness & Events Manager, serves on HHH Board of Directors. Silver sponsor of golf tournament.
• Pacific HondasupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner supporting Adopt a Family vehicle donation program.
• Prism GroupsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner supporting Adopt a Family vehicle donation program.
• NAPAsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner supporting Adopt a Family vehicle donation program with auto parts.
• PPG PaintssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner supporting Adopt a Family vehicle donation program.
• CopartsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner supporting Adopt a Family vehicle donation program.
• Hawaii Dental ServicesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of Adopt a Family 2025 program, helping ensure families and seniors facing hardship can celebrate with joy and dignity.
• Hawaii Police DepartmentsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaikiki community police officer who previously worked at Helping Hands Hawaii facilitated partnership through Coffee With a Cop program.
• HECO (Hawaiian Electric)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerContacted Helping Hands Hawaii's Bilingual Access Line to connect non-English speaking customers with interpretation services for billing assistance.

Scale indicators5 records

Direct peers

• Catholic Charities Hawaii: Hawaii's largest multi-service social services nonprofit; operates food, housing, immigration, refugee resettlement, and case management programs funded by donations, government contracts, and parish support, making it the closest analog to Helping Hands Hawaii's integrated safety-net model.
• The Institute for Human Services (IHS Hawaii): Honolulu-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, housing placement, and social services for people experiencing homelessness and hunger; directly comparable to Helping Hands Hawaii's Community Clearinghouse and Emergency Assistance programs in the same Oahu market.
• Hawaii Foodbank: Statewide food bank distributing to partner agencies and directly feeding food-insecure households; intersects with Helping Hands Hawaii's SNAP Outreach program and is listed as a partner, sharing the same donor and government funding ecosystem in Hawaii.
• Salvation Army Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division: Multi-program nonprofit operating food distribution, emergency assistance, holiday giving (Angel Tree, red kettle), and case management in Hawaii; comparable in scope and donor-supported model to Helping Hands Hawaii's Adopt a Family and Emergency Assistance work.
• Goodwill Industries of Hawaii: Hawaii-based social enterprise nonprofit combining retail revenue with workforce development and community programs for vulnerable populations; shares the multi-program, donation-plus-fee funding structure and statewide Hawaii footprint.
• Aloha United Way: Hawaii's regional United Way affiliate coordinating workplace giving, nonprofit funding, and 211 information-and-referral services; comparable community-fundraising role and partner-network function within Hawaii's social services ecosystem.
• Hawaii Community Foundation: State's largest community foundation distributing philanthropic grants to nonprofits including Helping Hands Hawaii; comparable as a Hawaii-anchored institution that aggregates donations and redistributes funds to local safety-net providers.
• Volunteers of America Hawaii: Affordable housing, behavioral health, and social services nonprofit operating statewide in Hawaii; directly comparable in mission focus on vulnerable populations and reliance on government contracts plus private donations.
• Jewish Family Services of Hawaii: Honolulu-based nonprofit offering case management, benefits navigation, counseling, and senior services; smaller in scale but conceptually adjacent to Helping Hands Hawaii's case management and benefits-navigation role on Oahu.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National umbrella for the U.S. food bank network (parent of Hawaii Foodbank); relevant as the broader incumbent in the food-insecurity segment that Helping Hands Hawaii's SNAP Outreach program operates in.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/helpinghandshawaii
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/helping-hands-hawaii
• Instagraminstagram.com/helpinghandshawaii
• Xx.com/helpinghandshi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Helping Hands Hawaii