The Dowling Community Improvement Foundation awarded a $25,000 grant to Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center to purchase 15 to 18 computers and software updates for its education lab.

Center residents are required to participate in education or vocational programs. One example of the programs' success is William Avilla, who was referred to the shelter in April 2007. Using the center's education resources, he secured his GED in September and attended support meetings to keep his life on track, according to a Ka Hale A Ke Ola news release. Eventually, Avilla was able to move into a transitional rental unit at the homeless center and get a job at Auntie Pasto's.

He recently moved out of the shelter and is on his own, working and attending culinary arts classes at Maui Community College.

The Ka Hale A Ke Ola center serves approximately 1,250 people with emergency or transitional needs each year and provides 6,650 education and life skill classroom hours, the release said.