HĀLAWA CORRECTIONAL FACILITY HOSTS RESOURCE FAIR FOR INMATES

HONOLULU— The Hālawa Correctional Facility (HCF), in collaboration with the Hawaiʻi Paroling Authority (HPA) and Transforming Lives, hosted a resource fair at the facility gymnasium Thursday, July 17, 2025, for more than 100 inmates to help them prepare for reentry into the community.

More than 50 vendors provided information on support services such as job readiness programs, housing, shelters, substance abuse treatment, family support, education, healthcare and other services.

Director Tommy Johnson of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) expressed his gratitude to facility staff, HPA and Transforming Lives for organizing the event. He also thanked the multitude of vendors for their support to help inmates transition back into the community.

“Our job is to help inmates successfully transition back into the community and not recidivate. Our job is to help lift them up and not put them down,” Johnson said.

“Our partnerships with community organizations are critical to successfully helping inmates reenter the community,” he added.

Inmate David V. Kahalewai, 59, said he was grateful for the resource fair. “All of these agencies are kind of interconnected. It gives you an opportunity to network also and possibly gain a support system from there,” Kahalewai said. “I’ve always had this inclination to want to do everything myself. And now I’m taking the time to get help and ask people for help. Put the pride on the side.”

This is the second resource fair that the Hālawa Correctional Facility hosted. The facility hosted its first resource fair in 2024.

Chaplain Barbara Gatewood of Transforming Lives, who helped organized the event, said, “Persons in custody were able to talk with all of our facility partners and ask questions to assist with discharge planning.”

Inmates who participated in the fair included those who are eligible for parole or slated to complete their sentences over the next year.

HCF Warden Shannon Cluney said the resource fair was successful as it gave inmates who are nearing release an opportunity to connect with various resources. “Oftentimes, it’s hard to make contact through written communication, telephone…,” Cluney said.

“Here, it’s a one-stop shop,” Cluney said of the resource fair, adding that the event enabled inmates to connect with multiple resources in one day.

Agencies and organizations that participated in the resource fair included the American Job Center/Team Work Hawaiʻi, The Institute for Human Services, Inc., Habilitat, Salvation Army, Waikiki Health, Kokua Support Services, Care Hawai’i, Love and Light Ministries – Parenting Classes, United Self Help and more.

Footage and photos of the event are available in the following link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1CbX49CYmAqWoWOGqVWNR3ynA0c-
QK8hl?usp=sharing.

The images are courtesy of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.