By Hawaiian Electric:
Video materials available for download at: https://spaces.hightail.com/space/0sseCYYoc2
Hawaiian Electric Company and the HEI Charitable Foundation have donated $30,000 to the University of Hawai‘i at MÄnoa John A. Burns School of Medicine’s Hawai‘i Homeless Outreach & Medical Education Project (HOME) to purchase an electric vehicle. It will be used to transport homeless patients to medical and dental appointments.
“Hawaiian Electric is extremely happy to partner with the HawaiÊ»i HOME Project, serving the homeless and providing mobility services to get the kinds of servicesthat they need while also participating in some of the state’s initiatives of providing a cleaner environment, reducing our dependency on fossil fuels and achieving greaterrenewable energy in our portfolio,” said Brennon Morioka, Hawaiian Electric general manager for electrification of transportation.
Morioka adds, “This model of the Nissan Leaf is a pure, battery electric vehicle, gets about a range of 110 to 115 miles so you really don’t have to worry about running out of fuel going anywhere you want on this island. Hawai’i is a very optimal place for electric vehicles because the range is just ideal.”
The Hawai‘i HOME Project’s mission is to improve health care access and quality for the homeless while increasing student and physician awareness and understanding of this group’s healthcare needs. The project serves sheltered and unsheltered homeless at free clinics at seven sites across OÊ»ahu. The team provides care for acute and chronic medical problems, preventative care, health education, dental and vision screening, minor procedures, resource management, labs and vaccines, and free medications for the uninsured.
The clinics are managed by volunteers and medical students through all four years of the school curriculum. Third- and fourth-year medical students serve as the main providers, supervised by faculty and volunteer community physicians. More than 3,700 patients have been helped since the project began.
The HOME project collaborates with U.S. Vets in WaiÊ»anae, Kealahou West OÊ»ahu, Institute for Human Services, Catholic Charities, Ê»Aiea Bridge, CHOW Project, Aloha Medical Mission, and First United Methodist Church. Diagnostic Laboratory Services provides uninsured patients with free lab services, the Hawai‘i State Department of Health provides free vaccines for homeless children, and 5 Minute Pharmacy provides medication management and discounted medications for HOME patients.
Dr. Jill Omori, HOME Project founder said, “We are so thankful to HECO for this donation. We’ll be using the car mainly for a patient transportation because a lot of our patients at HOME Project have a really hard time getting to and from appointments or even just accessing resources like going to apply for Medicaid or jobs or things like that and so the car will be very useful in helping to transport our patients to different things.”
Hawaiian Electric and the HEI Charitable Foundation donated funds to help JABSOM purchase an electric vehicle that will be used to transport homeless patients to medical and dental appointments. Pictured left to right are: Brennon Morioka, Hawaiian Electric general manager for electrification of transportation; Jim Alberts, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president of customer service; JABSOM Dean Jerris Hedges; and Hawaii HOME Project director Dr. Jill Omori.