Ryan Chang feels for his former co-workers at Aloha Airlines. Chang, who worked as a flight attendant for five years at Aloha, said he wants to do his part to help the 1,900 Aloha employees who were told March 30 that they would no longer have jobs.

That's why he decided to donate a portion of the proceeds from his dance shows and workshops this weekend to help laid-off workers. His shows feature Kaba Modern, a California hip-hop dance group that appeared on MTV's "America's Best Dance Crew." While it's the dancers who will draw the public, it is Chang's sense of community that is directing the money to Helping Hands Hawai'i.

Chang is not the only one rushing to help the men and women affected by the single-largest layoff in state history.

Assistance is coming in from people in the community, non-profit groups and government.

The YMCA offers job training classes, groups such as The Salvation Army and Catholic Charities provide assistance with food and mortgage payments, and the state provides unemployment benefits.

In addition, Helping Hands Hawai'i, The Honolulu Advertiser, KGMB9 and First Hawaiian Bank are raising money and awareness of the plight of people often too embarrassed to ask for help.

In just 27 days, the Neighbors in Need fund has collected $72,049.16 from a few large donations, but also from many small checks and cash that come in the mail daily, said Scott Morishige, program manager of Helping Hands Hawai'i's Community Clearinghouse.

"It's been way better than I could ever have expected," Morishige said. "People call us to offer clothing and different kinds of donations."

For many, the first source of assistance was unemployment benefits.

Of the 1,900 Aloha employees laid off, 1,783 initially applied for unemployment, said James Hardway, state Department of Labor spokesman.

As of Friday, 700 were no longer receiving weekly unemployment checks, Hardway said. The amount of unemployment payments is calculated based on earnings in the last quarter worked. The weekly benefit ranges from a maximum of $523 a week to a minimum of $5 a week, he said.

"This is a good sign of where we are at," Hardway said. "It's not great because we still have nearly 1,100 Aloha employees collecting unemployment.

"It's a testament to Hawai'i's economy. We're not growing at the pace we had been, but we still have moderate growth."

At the Salvation Army, about 20 people each week ask for help with the mortgage and rent, said Maj. Jeff Martin, the group's divisional secretary. In May, 293 bags with enough food for two days were distributed, and so far this month, 267 bags, Martin said.

"There are so many people who had never thought they'd be in this situation," Martin said. "We're finding that with the economy the way it is, the best-laid plans can still go awry.

"We budget $600 a month for clothing assistance, and many times the monthly clothing budget is exhausted after only two weeks into the month."

At Catholic Charities, more people are coming in and applying for rental and utility assistance every day, said Rona Fukumoto, director of intake, information and referral for Catholic Charities, an agency set up to help people with emergency financial assistance.

On the Big Island, people come to Catholic Charities seeking help with gas money, Fukumoto said. The distances when looking for work can rack up the miles.

"Most people need help because they've fallen behind while waiting for their unemployment checks to start," Fukumoto said.

Lasting Friendships

When Chang worked at Aloha, there was never any indication that the company would fold, he said. He enjoyed his job as a flight attendant, flying to Las Vegas several times a month. When he looks back on his time with the airline, it's the friendships that he cherishes.

He left because he wanted to pursue his passion of producing shows. His production this weekend has sold out the 7 p.m. show at Castle High School in Kane'ohe, although seats are still available for the first show at 1 p.m.

"I want to help out with my old co-workers," said the 30-year-old Chang. "A lot of my old co-workers are going through a rough time. They're all good people. Whatever I can do to help them, I will."

Chang could not say exactly how much money he'll donate to the Neighbors in Need Fund, but he said it would be at least $1,000.

He also plans to donate money to four local dance studios. Tickets are $25 for either the workshop or the show.

"It's about giving back to the community," Chang said. "It's about karma and how good things will happen to everyone."

Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com.