Welcome to Hawaii, Home of the Aloha Spirit!
Here, we are all "Ohana," which means "Family" in Hawaiian, and so we take care of each other. What is the Aloha Spirit? It is the coordination of the true self's mind, heart, and soul, manifested by thinking good thoughts, expressing good feelings, and sharing goodness with others.
The Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii (VASH) was founded by the Honolulu Rotary Club in 1997 when they realized that Hawaii had no Travelers Aid organization. VASH wants all visitors to our state to feel the Aloha Spirit firsthand, and we have assisted thousands of visitors since our inception.
 Our Mission
The mission of the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii is to share Aloha with visitors who have been victims of a crime or other adversities, and to provide follow-up assistance and support in an effort to create a positive memory of their stay in our islands.
Our Goals
Our goal is for every visitor victim, whether from the Mainland, a foreign country, or a neighbor island, to share with their family and friends that, despite an unfortunate incident, the Aloha Spirit of Hawai'i is real and that they can look forward to their next visit to the "Aloha" state.
Basic Functions
 • Provide assistance to visitors traumatized by crime or other adversities. Cases can be referred by law enforcement agencies, hospitals, and others.
• Recruit, train and coordinate the efforts of community volunteers to provide assistance and support to visitors
Summary
 While Hawai‘i still remains among one of the safest tourist destinations in the world, and our police and prosecutors do a fantastic job within the scope of available resources, we unfortunately will never prevent all crime against visitors. We must therefore ensure that each and every traumatized visitor receives timely assistance and experiences the true aloha spirit of our people.
VASH has demonstrated that committed and well-trained volunteers offer the most efficient and cost-effective way of delivering that service. The citizens of Hawai‘i are well aware of the enormous negative impact that crime is having on our visitor industry, our state economy, and the future of our children and grandchildren. We are not only concerned but want something done about it. Thousands of people are willing, given the opportunity, to volunteer to reach out to these victims with caring aloha. VASH provides them with that opportunity. It is simply a matter of aloha, which is, after all, what most visitors come to Hawai‘i for in the first place. We the people, our government, and visitor industry leaders cannot afford to disappoint them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a visitor qualify for your services?
They must be a visitor with a round-trip airline ticket to qualify for our services and be here for less than 60 days.
What can you do for the visitor?
The Visitor Aloha Society is a temporary lifeline to provide initial assistance until you can contact family and friends at home. It is not a long-term provider or insurance provider.
Do you advance cash?
No, we do not give out cash, but we can provide temporary services to address the visitor's immediate needs.
How do you know when a visitor has had an unfortunate incident?
Usually, the Visitor Aloha Society works closely with law enforcement and health care officials and members of the tourism industry who contact our office.
How long will you provide services for the visitor?
We are a short-term emergency agency, and most visitors are able to receive family support or obtain other resources in a day or two.
Will you provide a round-trip ticket to Hawaii or return ticket home?
No, we do not pay for Hawaii vacations or provide return airfare.
Contact Information:
Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii
Jessica Lani Rich, President & Executive Director
Waikiki Shopping Plaza
2250 Kalakaua Avenue
Suite 403-3
Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: (808) 926-8274
Fax: (808) 926-0500
email: visitorexec@hawaii.rr.com
VASH Office Hours
Monday to Friday (excluding holidays): 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
On Call Hours
Monday to Friday: 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Holidays and Weekends: 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
In cases of emergency situations, we can be reached after the hours listed above.
The Visitor Aloha Society of Hawai'i is a private,
501(c)(3) Non-Profit, Volunteer organization that is dedicated to sharing the Aloha Spirit with Visitors.
Its funding comes from the Hawai'i Tourism Authority
© Opening photo courtesy of Oahu Visitors Bureau
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