The Hawaii Youth Opportunities Initiative (HYOI) helps young people leaving foster care become successful adults by offering connections they need to education, employment, housing, health care, and the community. HYOI works in partnership with the national Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative as well as with local funders to increase opportunities for this population of youth and improve policies and practices on their behalf. EPIC Ohana, Inc. is the lead agency and works with the Department of Human Services and others to implement the initiative in Hawaii.
HYOI, currently operating on Oahu and the Big Island, intends to be statewide by the end of 2012. Initial funding was provided by the Victoria and Bradley Geist Foundation, the Atherton Family Foundation, the McInerny Foundation, Bank of Hawaii, and the Hawaii Community Foundation.