We’ve got a problem. Meda and I had lunch yesterday (Tuesday, May 2) at Saigon’s Restaurant, on Waialae Avenue in Kaimuki. When we finished, we were walking over to the crosswalk at 12th Avenue, and spotted a wallet on the pavement. Meda picked it up. Inside there was some folded up cash and a few other items. Not a lot of money by our standards, but a good amount for a lot of people.
We left word at Saigon’s and at the small Bento place right next to the crosswalk, not wanting to keep this money without making an effort to find its owner. We left my contact info. If someone calls and can describe the wallet and what was in it, we will gladly return it.
Talking it over this morning, we realized perhaps it belonged to someone living on the streets, accounting for the usual stuff that you might find in a wallet or purse.
Does anyone know if there’s a social worker who maintains contact with those living on the street in the area, who might be in a position to have heard if someone lost their $$?
Thanks for any assistance you can give.
If so, please let me know, or pass along this info to them.
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My suggestion would be to contact Michael Kitchens at Stolen Stuff Hawaii. On their Facebook site, they have people posting lost wallets and ID cards all the time to the site, looking for the owner. I would say for security sake to potentially reach out to him directly through his Facebook site and see what his advise would be.
Thank you, Ian, for your kindness in this sometimes uncaring world. Wish there were more like you and Meda. Hope that wallet finds its way home.
I’ve turned in to HPD tho have to say, they don’t seem enthusiastic in locating owner. There’s a street team that works specifically w/homeless. On news when first started sometime last year. Might track them down. Devastating for a street dweller to lose wallet.
Kateinhi might be thinking of the Street Medicine program at IHS? Anyway, they might be able to help.
The kindness of strangers has become the exception rather than the rule these days. Mahalo Ian and Meda for your efforts on behalf of the owner – whoever it turns out to be. Losing one’s wallet is a big deal, no matter how much or little cash it contains. I hope the owner can be located.
You two are good people…
I’m sure there are organizations serving homeless people in Kaimuki.
I suggest:
Calling the Institute for Human Services. (Phone: 808.447.2800) to find out what agencies serve homeless populations in Kaimuki….. website: https://ihshawaii.org/
Calling James Koshiba, the new state homeless coordinator. Civil Beat had an excellent article about him recently:
https://www.civilbeat.org/2023/02/hawaiis-new-homeless-chief-is-counting-on-the-aloha-spirit-to-solve-this-divisive-problem/
Civil Beat recently had an excellent article about the crisis of homelessness:
https://www.civilbeat.org/2023/03/nowhere-to-go-lack-of-housing-and-staff-is-undercutting-efforts-to-deal-with-homelessness-in-hawaii/
Actually I am not convinced that the person who lost the billfold is homeless. Seems it could be a senior citizen or other person who is not sure what to do or who to call. I like the idea of calling HPD and Michael Kitchens at Stolen Stuff Hawaii. I hope something works out.
We agree that it could be a senior citizen, but the absence of any other “stuff” along with the money seemed unusual to us. That’s what got us thinking it might have been someone who was homeless. But obviously, we don’t know. Also, thank you for the suggestions.
I wrote a post about your story. Check it out:
https://gigihawaii.wordpress.com/2023/05/05/lost-and-found-2/
Thanks.