One of Hawai'i's most prominent advocates for the homeless is resigning as executive director of the Institute for Human Services.

Lynn Maunakea said she is leaving her position at O'ahu's only emergency homeless shelter effective Dec. 1 to take a job with Kamehameha Schools.

"This (IHS job) is the opportunity of a lifetime. I know it was my opportunity of a lifetime," Maunakea said. "It's not like anything I imagined and probably not like anything I will have going forward.

"It's been a remarkable gift to be able to know people at all different levels of humanity and society and to be able to learn from them. The understanding of life that you get from this job is truly incredible."

Maunakea, originally from New York state, took over as head of IHS in January 1997 and has seen the organization through expansion in size and services. She has spent the past decade seeking support in the media and at the Legislature for homeless issues, including human services, housing and mental health.

Darlene Hein, director of Waikiki Health Center's Caravan healthcare program for the homeless, said Maunakea understands the network of social services in the state and has worked toward solutions for Hawai'i's growing homeless population.

"Lynn has really provided a lot of leadership to really look at and to strive for permanent supportive housing and to focus on the needs of long-term homeless," Hein said.

Maunakea's new position will be as executive director of the Ke Ali'i Pauahi Foundation, a nonprofit, charitable support organization of Kamehameha Schools that is dedicated to increasing educational opportunities for Hawaiians everywhere.

"I'm excited about that because a large number of people we see here (at IHS) are of Native Hawaiian decent," she said. "When you look at poverty and the roots of homelessness, the only way out is education. It's very exciting to be hired for a job to expand the educational opportunities that Kamehameha Schools offers to the community. If we can do that, we can further reduce things like homeless from the other end."

IHS provides shelter, food and services for more than 2,000 people a year. It operates separate men's and women's shelters in Iwilei and on any given day 400 people may be there.

Working with a budget of $5 million a year, the shelter serves about 900 meals a day and offers restrooms, showers, clothing, phone and mail services and case management for its homeless "guests."

IHS started in 1978 when the Rev. Claude Du Teil began giving out peanut-butter sandwiches and coffee to homeless people in Chinatown on his 58th birthday.

Maunakea is the fifth IHS director.

Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland, chairwoman of the Senate Human Services Committee, said Maunakea's advice will be missed at the Legislature.

"I often call here with regard to homeless and housing issues," said Chun Oakland, D-13th (Kalihi, Nu'uanu). "She has done such a tremendous service for our community. Her personal experiences as well as her leadership in this area I very much appreciate."

The IHS board of directors has started a search for the next executive director who must have a master's degree in either business administration, social work or public administration and have "integrity, vision and compassion," according to their ad in Sunday's Advertiser.

Sherman Hee, president of the board, said the next director will need to "build on the platform that Lynn Maunakea built."

"The new person will need to be sensitive to the needs of the staff and clients as well as share the culture and diversity they represent," Hee said. "He or she must also be sincerely committed to the mission of the IHS."

Maunakea said there is never a good time to leave a leadership job, especially with the nonprofit's important fundraising season just ahead.

"In terms of the financial stability and the managerial stability, it's there right now," she said. "We have a wonderful, solid, middle management crew. I can leave in clear conscience and know that whenever I'm out they will carry on."

Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com.