Office of Hawaiian Affairs continues — nearly 6 months after severe kona lows caused flooding and damage in communities throughout Hawaiʻi — to deliver emergency and recovery assistance to Native Hawaiian beneficiaries through a coordinated group of relief programs.
The agency through its I Ola: Kona Low Disaster Relief, Māhiʻai Microfund, Mālama Honua Disaster Fund and ʻĪnaʻi Kōkua Gift Card programs also already distributed or approved for distribution more than $1.5 million already to help Native Hawaiian families recover, rebuild and strengthen their resilience following the March storms.
“Recovery does not end when the storm passes or the immediate emergency is over,” said Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees Chairperson Kaialiʻi Kahele in an agency release. “For many of our beneficiaries, rebuilding their homes, farms and livelihoods takes months. [Office of Hawaiian Affairs] made a commitment to stand with our lāhui through that recovery, and these programs demonstrate that we are continuing to put resources directly into the hands of the people who need them.”
I Ola: Kona Low Disaster Relief
The agency approved 130 beneficiaries for assistance, with $1.098 million disbursed statewide, through the I Ola program.
Partner Hawaiian Council continues to review remaining beneficiary applications already in the pipeline and issue payments as awards are approved. The program is no longer accepting new applications.
Māhiʻai Microfund
The Māhiʻai Microfund remains in active beneficiary disbursement also in partnership with Hawaiian Council, providing assistance to Native Hawaiian farmers and agricultural producers while supporting food security, economic resilience and mālama ʻāina.
The microfund disbursed $101,000 as of Aug. 19 to 21 beneficiaries, with another $89,000 in approved awards pending disbursement.
Award determinations from the finalized applicant pool are substantially complete, with five non-kona low awards remaining as the existing queue continues to be processed.
No additional applications are being accepted.
Mālama Honua Disaster Fund
The Mālama Honua Disaster Fund continues active beneficiary review and award processing.
Office of Hawaiian Affairs received 74 applications statewide, with 33 under review and another 14 in the final stages of processing. Six applications were approved for assistance; $60,000 was distributed through the program’s first three grant awards.
Additional awards will be distributed as applications complete final approval and payment processing.
ʻĪnaʻi Kōkua Gift Card
The ʻĪnaʻi Kōkua Gift Card program advanced into beneficiary distribution and closeout, with 190 Home Depot gift card awards totaling $380,000.
Award and denial notices were issued to all applicants; approved beneficiaries are expected to receive their distributions by the end of August.
The 190 approved awards include 97 beneficiaries on Oʻahu, 29 on Hawaiʻi Island, 31 on Maui and 33 on Molokaʻi.
Office of Hawaiian Affairs is also extending the impact of the program’s remaining $30,407, which was approved for redeployment to Kōkua Kaʻū as part of the agency’s response to Hurricane Lala.
“These numbers represent much more than dollars distributed,” said Office of Hawaiian Affairs Interim Administrator Summer Sylva in the agency release. “They represent families repairing their homes, farmers rebuilding their operations and beneficiaries receiving help at a time when they need it most. Our staff and partners continue working through the remaining applications and awards so that the resources approved by our board reach our beneficiaries as quickly and responsibly as possible.”
Visit the Office of Hawaiian Affairs website for additional information about the agency’s programs and services.
