Description:
The Office of Community Services (OCS) was established by Act 305 of the 1985 Hawaii State Legislature to consolidate the functions of several earlier anti-poverty agencies that administered state and federal funds. Act 305 was codified as Chapter 371K of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS). OCS works to fulfill its mandate by administering grants for programs that assist low-income individuals and families, refugees, and immigrants so they can live healthier lives and achieve greater economic self-sufficiency. The Office is administratively attached to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Federally funded programs include: Community Services Block Grants (CSBG) program; the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP); Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP); Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP); Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP); Legal Advocacy for Children & Their Families; and Refugee Resettlement Assistance Programs (ORR).