Office of Community Services (OCS) Home Page
Last updated 08/05/2025
The Office of Community Services (OCS) assists Hawaii’s low-income, immigrant and refugee populations to overcome and alleviate workforce barriers to economic self-sufficiency through an array of community-based programs and services. OCS primarily contracts and administers program services on behalf of the State and Federal governments. OCS allocates funds using a competitive purchase of services process unless the funding source authority directs the award to a specific organization(s).
Programs and Services
The CSBG program is a federal, anti-poverty block grant which funds the operations of a state-administered network of local Community Action Agencies (CAAs). The program was established by Congress in the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 as part of the War on Poverty. The purpose of the Economic Opportunity Act is to provide federal funding to local CAAs to deliver a range of services to assist low-income families and individuals. These programs aim to reduce poverty, revitalize low-income communities, and empower low-income families and individuals to become fully self-sufficient through community action.
The TEFAP is a federal program that helps supplement the diets of low-income Americans by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost. The client income eligibility level is 185 percent or below the federal poverty level for TEFAP services. As food bank storage depletes at record rates, increasing the State of Hawaii’s food supply continues to be the greatest need in terms of what TEFAP can provide.
Both the CSBG and TEFAP programs provide services throughout the State of Hawaii. Please see contact information below.
CSBG
| County | Community Action Agencies | Address | Phone Number |
| City and County of Honolulu | Honolulu Community Action Program, Inc. | 1132 Bishop Street, Suite 100 Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 | (808) 521-4531 |
| Hawaii County | Hawaii County Economic Opportunity | 47 Rainbow Drive Hilo, Hawaii 96720 | (808) 961-2681 |
| Kauai County | Kauai Economic Opportunity, Inc. | 2804 Wehe Road Lihue, Hawaii 96766 | (808) 245-4077 |
| Maui County | Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc. | 99 Mahalani Street Wailuku, Hawaii 96793 | (808) 249-2990 |
TEFAP
| County | Service Providers | Address | Phone Number |
| City and County of Honolulu | Hawaii Foodbank, Inc. | 2611 Kilihau Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96819-2021 | (808) 836-3600 |
| Hawaii County | The Food Basket, Inc. | 140-B Holomua Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 | (808) 933-6030 |
| Kauai County | Hawaii Foodbank- Kauai Branch | 4241 A Hanahao Place Lihue, Hawaii 96766 | (808) 246-3809 |
| Maui County | Maui Food Bank, Inc. | 760 Kolu Street Wailuku, Hawaii 96793 | (808) 243-9500 |
OCS is one of several state agencies that administers the state’s Grant-in-Aid program in accordance with Chapter 42F of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS). The Hawaii State Legislature awards grants funded by the State under Hawaii Revised Statutes, Chapter 42F. Chapter 42F Grants (frequently known as “Grants-in-Aid” or GIAs) are awarded for two types of requests:
- Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs) to construct and/or repair buildings and other facilities.
- Operating funds to support programs.
Click the link above for more information about GIAs.
Guidelines for current Grantees will be posted here soon.
Applications for new GIAs will be made available on the Hawaii State Legislature’s website: Hawai‘i State Legislature (hawaii.gov). For more information, please contact the House Committee on Finance or Senate Committee on Ways and Means. The Office of Community Services does not handle the applications for new GIAs.
Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP)
OCS administers the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) which provides coupons to low-income seniors to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from farmers’ markets, roadside stands and community supported agriculture programs.
Click the link above for more information about SFMNP.