Bridge to Hope (BTH) is a nationally recognized partnership between the University of Hawaiʻi and the Hawaiʻi State Department of Human Services (DHS). The program supports post-secondary education as a pathway for First-to-Work participants to achieve long-term economic self-sufficiency.
Education to Leave Poverty, Not Just Welfare
Bridge to Hope supports education as a long-term path toward stability, family well-being, and economic independence.
Why College Education Matters
Research and local experience show that a college education can make the difference between continued poverty and economic self-sufficiency. Bridge to Hope is Hawaiʻi’s response to that need.
- Poverty rates for minority households decreased by one-half after women heading their households attained just one year of post-secondary education.
- Women with college education were less likely to return to welfare and more likely to escape poverty.
- In 2000, a woman with a high school diploma earned an average of $15,983.
- A woman with a 2-year Associate’s Degree earned an average of $23,731, an increase of 48%.
- A woman with a Bachelor’s degree earned an average of $29,848, an increase of 85%.
How Bridge to Hope Supports Education
First-to-Work can support full-time education by reducing work requirements for eligible students. Bridge to Hope helps students meet those requirements through on-campus employment.
| Category | Standard First-to-Work | Bridge to Hope Full-Time Education |
|---|---|---|
| Work Required | 30 hours | 20 hours |
| Education / Work Mix | Standard work requirement | 12 hours in class + 6 hours paid employment |
| Wages | $200 exempt wages + 33% | Wages are exempt from deduction |
Program Details
- Funds are used to provide on-campus student employment so welfare-recipient students can meet DHS requirements for paid employment.
- It costs about $2,000 to employ one student year-round.
- BTH is available on all 10 campuses of the University of Hawaiʻi system.
- Approximately 78% of participants attend a community college, where campus work opportunities are often limited.
- Participants are single parents receiving public assistance under TANF, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
- Students work in a variety of positions while gaining earnings, job skills, and employer references.
How BTH Positively Impacts Education and Families
Students report that Bridge to Hope:
Impact in the First Three Years: 6/2000 – 6/2003
In its first three years, Bridge to Hope employed hundreds of students and supported many more through advocacy, referrals, and waitlist assistance.
410
Total student impact over three years
263
Students employed with BTH funds
147
Students supported through waitlist and other placements
| Category | Number |
|---|---|
| First-to-Work participants attending ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ | 343 |
| Eligible students served | 463 |
| Number employed with BTH funds | 294 |
Year-by-year student support:
- FY’01: 110 total, 66 employed, 44 waitlist/other placements
- FY’02: 150 total, 97 employed, 53 waitlist/other placements
- FY’03: 150 total, 100 employed, 50 waitlist/other placements
Comparable TANF Education Results in Maine
²Ñ²¹¾±²Ô±ð’s Parents as Scholars program reported stronger wage and benefit outcomes for graduates than for other welfare leavers nationally. Bridge to Hope expects similar long-term benefits through increased education and income.
| Measure | Parents as Scholars Graduates | Working Welfare Leavers Nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Median wage | $11.71/hour | $7.15/hour |
| Employer-sponsored health coverage | 71.4% | 23.2% |
| Paid vacation and sick leave | 60%–65% | 33%–50% |
Leaving Welfare Does Not Always Mean Leaving Poverty
Research consistently finds that many welfare leavers do get jobs, but those jobs are often low-paying, unstable, and lacking health insurance or other benefits. As a result, many remain in poverty.
- Many welfare leavers remain in low-wage employment and do not earn enough to leave poverty.
- ²Ñ²¹¾±²Ô±ð’s Parents as Scholars graduates reported a median wage of $11.71 per hour, compared to $7.15 per hour for other welfare leavers.
- Bridge to Hope supports higher education as a long-term strategy for economic stability.
BTH Milestones
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1996 | Federal TANF policy limits education activities to 12 months. 184 recipients enrolled at ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ. |
| 6/2000 | Hawaiʻi DHS implements an education policy encouraging full-time post-secondary enrollment. |
| 10/2000 | First semester with the new policy: 294 FTW participants enrolled at ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ; 64 working with BTH. |
| 3/2002 | Fourth semester in place: 463 participants enrolled at ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ, a 57% increase over 10/2000; 97 working with BTH, a 65% increase over 10/2000. |
| 6/2003 | After three years, the number of TANF recipients requesting BTH exceeds available funding. |
Bridge to Hope Program History
Bridge to Hope is a successful example of cross-campus and university-community collaboration designed to help low-income families gain the education needed for long-term self-sufficiency.
| Date | Program History |
|---|---|
| 1996 | Implementation of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act. This created a five-year lifetime limit and work requirements for cash assistance. FTW participants in the University: 184. |
| January 1998 | First meeting of interested parties who eventually developed Bridge to Hope, including welfare-recipient students, social work advocates, women’s center staff, ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Commission on the Status of Women, and the welfare employment rights coalition. |
| July 1998 | First meeting between ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ and DHS officials to discuss concerns regarding work requirements and educational opportunities. ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ and DHS leadership expressed support for change. |
| Jan–May 1999 | Initial legislation for Bridge to Hope introduced by Rep. Arakaki and Sen. Chun-Oakland was unsuccessful. Community groups concerned with welfare and education continued organizing. |
| Jan–May 2000 | Advocates lobbied for pilot funding to help students meet DHS work requirements through on-campus employment. DHS amended FTW education policy, reducing work requirements for full-time students to 20 hours per week. Act 276 funded Bridge to Hope. |
| July 2000–01 | Bridge to Hope began. In October 2000, FTW participants in the University totaled 294. BTH identified 100 eligible students and employed 60. |
| July 2001–02 | Program funded at $150,000 for each fiscal year in the 2002–03 biennium. A part-time, system-wide coordinator was hired for program and DHS coordination. BTH employed 97 students while assisting an additional 59. |
| July 2002–03 | BTH employed 106 students while assisting an additional 50. The program budget was used to its maximum potential, and additional students could not be served without more funding. |
| July 2003–04 | Funded at $300,000 for FY2003–04 only. Approximately 100 students were employed, with recruitment ongoing. |
| July 2004–05 | First year of the DHS/ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Memorandum of Agreement funding BTH with TANF funds. Approximately 100 students were employed. ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ agreed to fund TAONF two-parent families in BTH with ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ funds. |
Sources
Deprez, Louisa, Sandra Butler, and Rebekah Smith. 2002. Parents as Scholars: Education Works. Prepared for the Alliance for Family Success. Augusta, ME: Alliance for Family Success.
Institute for Women’s Policy Research, Job Training and Education Fight Poverty (Publ#D444), April 2002.
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Derek Galanto
2600 Campus Road | Honolulu, HI 96822 | QLCSS 211
(808) 956-9313 | bth@hawaii.edu
Last Modified: June 2026