Catholic Charities completes first phase of move

Catholic Charities Hawaii in October announced completion of the first, largest, phase of its $28 million transformation of the former First Presbyterian Church in Makiki into a "one-stop shop" for services and its main headquarters. Clients are beginning to request services at the new location, where it is easier for people to get help. Construction on the project began in 2005, and is expected to wrap up in March 2010 when the Keeaumoku Street site will house more than 30 programs, which have previously been scattered across five offices in downtown Honolulu.

"There's no better time (to open the center) because of the ... demand for the kinds of services that Catholic Charities offers has never been higher," Jerry Rauckhorst, CCH president and CEO told reporters touring the new site. "Our calls have increased daily just because of the economic pressures that are on families and individuals in our community."

Catholic Charities is one of the state’s largest social service organizations, serving and estimated 60,000 people statewide each year, regardless of their faith with programs such as rental assistance and helping the homeless.

Phase 1 involved renovating the 16,000-square-foot church sanctuary, converting it into a new program center, housing program employees and meeting rooms to interview clients. Some 95 employees are now in the building, which will eventually house 150 workers.

Rauckhorst said people seeking help now would be interviewed in an intake center where their needs can be assessed quickly and they can connect with programs almost immediately. That wasn't possible with offices scattered around the city.

The new headquarters "has been a vision ... in the making for many, many years," he said. "We're finally going to be able to have that more welcoming, permanent, integrated approach."

Fundraising for the project continues, with $17.1 million already garnered toward the project’s $28 million price tag, which includes $15.4 million to acquire the 2.2-acre property. CCH hopes to raise about $1 million before the end of this year and about $10 million next year, in addition to funds to renovate other portions of the Keeaumoku Street campus. For more information, go to www.catholiccharitieshawaii.org or call (808) 524-4673.