I'm often asked why I do this or why I began a project that has nothing to do with school or my jobs. My first response is, "because I'm a freakin bleeding heart, that's why!" but the real answer is because I'm truly curious and I honestly care.
Hawaii has a serious and obvious homeless issue. You can't travel in town or Waikiki without seeing blue tarps, grocery carts or people holding a sign soliciting for money. Other cities have homeless issues, but Hawaii's issue is incredibly blatant, with a daily scramble for available space on a 40+ mile wide island. At any given day, there are 6k people homeless in Hawaii and it's just so...obvious.
Yet the stigma stands in society that people choose to be homeless, when I've quickly learned that is as far from the truth as possible. While some people may enjoy being homeless in Hawaii, the vast majority crave a roof over their head.
My goal for this project is to create awareness. I've said it before and I'll say it again as many times as needed: if I change just one person's mind, influence at least one person to donate their time or money, I'll be happy. One person can make a serious difference in someone's day or outlook. Why can't you or I be that person?
