Name in the News: Christine van Bergeijk By Vicki Viotti April 13, 2018
Christine van Bergeijk points out the white tern that has settled, somewhat permanently, into a tree outside her Fort Street Mall office. The executive at Hawaii Community Foundation has been generally focused in recent years on permanent housing for the homeless at locations around the state, but she rather enjoys seeing this creature find a home right close at hand. Van Bergeijk, 60, is the foundation’s senior vice president of strategies, initiatives and networks. That long title covers a lot of projects to which she may increasingly turn, now that HousingASAP — the coalition effort that with HCF direction and funding ramped up services to the homeless — has moved into a new more-supportive phase.
KAT WADE SPECIAL TO THE STARADVERTISER Senior Vice President of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, Christine Van Bergeijk.
The Indiana native worked previously as economic development division manager for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, as a technical consultant for the U.S. Administration for Native Americans and as a planning officer for the nonprofit jobs program, Alu Like Inc. She is the married mother of two and an avid cyclist.
The HousingASAP coalition has expanded and still holds its meetings with HCF. Van Bergeijk applauds its efforts to draw in more landlords by having nonprofits hold the master lease on a rental. That gives the landlord more confidence and the tenant an edge in competing for the affordable rental opportunity, a fairly rare commodity. While she acknowledged that there are homeless who will need lifelong help, she also sees individuals and families who do get beyond it, with a little assistance. “I think a lot of our organizations are getting much better at figuring out what level of supports someone needs and only giving them that much — not overresourcing the family that doesn’t need it,” she said.