At this moment in Hawaiʻi, someone who can’t afford groceries is visiting their local food pantry. A woman in fear for her safety and that of her children is now safe because she found her local women’s shelter. A child is attending preschool even though their parents can’t afford tuition. A family struggling with their teen is receiving free counseling services. Houseless youth have a place to go.

These are critical services, provided at critical times in the lives of our families, friends, and neighbors. They are part of what we call the social “safety net,” which are publicly funded services that ensure all residents in the state, including children and the elderly, have a basic level of health and welfare.

Our system does not allow people to starve or die from exposure or abuse. I would personally never wish to live under a government that does not make any effort to ensure a basic level of safety and welfare for its people.

As I write this, the health, safety, and welfare of Hawaiʻi’s people is threatened as the federal administration has haphazardly and callously slashed funding for critical programs in the name of “efficiency,” laid off thousands of workers in Hawaiʻi, and are now preparing to make extreme cuts to programs such as Medicaid, which provides health insurance for 20% of Hawaii residents and 40% of the state’s children.

‘Chronic Underfunding’

The threat to federal funds exacerbates the already longstanding issue of the chronic underfunding of government contracts. The purchasing power of the contracts these nonprofits rely on from the state has eroded over decades. Contracts have not been adjusted for inflation or to account for the skyrocketing costs of living in Hawaiʻi.

As a result, these organizations are struggling keep their doors open and their programs staffed. They cannot retain staff with the pay they can afford at their current contract levels. As a result, there are frequent vacancies and turnover, compromising their ability to meet their missions and the goals of the contract.

Services to the public suffer, and the problems persist. Public sentiment about the effectiveness of government services is further eroded. It becomes more difficult to attract the best talent to the field as no one can afford the relatively low pay in the sector.

This is a cycle.

This race to the bottom cannot continue. We must begin again investing in people and rebuild the frayed safety net.

The Hawaiʻi True Cost Coalition is comprised of 70 nonprofits across Hawaiʻi that have come together to advocate for government contracts that will equip them with the resources needed to do their jobs effectively and tackle the issues most impacting Hawaiʻi’s people.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services recommends a 20% increase in their contracts to reflect rising costs over the past nine years.

In a recent survey, 91% of nonprofits in Hawaiʻi report their government contracts do not cover the full costs of their operations. Half have reduced staff salaries. And 40% reported these funding challenges are existential.

The safety net is not just about preserving human life and dignity. It’s also about preventing problems from becoming worse, easing human pain and suffering, and saving tax dollars by stabilizing and supporting some of our most vulnerable residents.

In many cases, it makes financial sense as well. Investments in children and families help prevent future public spending in areas like child welfare or corrections because they help stabilize and heal families and individuals.

Tell your representative to support increasing contract levels for nonprofits so they can focus on their critical missions and the business of taking care of people.