Charitable Action & Grassroots Relief Directorate

Overview

Charitable Action & Grassroots Relief Directorate

The Charitable Action & Grassroots Relief Directorate is Ohana Foundation International's direct action arm — the part of the organization that shows up when communities need help most. It delivers immediate relief in the aftermath of disasters, advocates for the civil rights of marginalized communities, and runs long-term poverty alleviation programs that address the structural conditions that perpetuate deprivation.

The directorate's approach is fundamentally grassroots: it works through and with community organizations, local leaders, and the people most directly affected by the challenges it addresses — not as an outside institution imposing solutions, but as a partner amplifying the capacity of communities to address their own needs.

This combination of immediate relief and long-term structural change reflects Ohana's understanding that genuine resilience requires both — that communities cannot build lasting strength on a foundation of unmet basic needs, and that meeting those needs without addressing their causes only perpetuates dependency.

Direct Relief

Poverty Alleviation & Disaster Response

The directorate's poverty alleviation programs address the immediate material needs of low-income communities — food security, housing stability, access to essential services — while simultaneously working to address the structural barriers that perpetuate poverty. Its disaster relief function provides rapid-response support in the aftermath of natural disasters and humanitarian crises, coordinating with PHIF's medical teams and POINT's logistics capabilities to deliver comprehensive community recovery support.

Civil Rights

Advocacy & Community Justice

The directorate's civil rights program provides legal advocacy, community organizing support, and public education on the rights of marginalized communities — with a focus on communities facing discrimination, disenfranchisement, or systemic injustice. It works alongside community legal aid organizations, civil society groups, and international human rights bodies to document abuses, support affected individuals, and advocate for systemic change through legal, political, and public channels.

Areas of Focus

Community Priorities