HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0633.025 2020-2022 p/H555G
ooMK. (033
air L.• tr MALAMA 0 PUNA
r,v _,. P.O Box 1467
Pahoa, Hawaii 96778
, ., (808) 965-2000
www.malamaopuna.org * malamaopuna@yahoo.com
Protecting Hawaii's precious natural heritage
May 27, 2022 0 .r
RE: Request for WaiWai grant for FY 2022-23
TO: Committee on Human Services and Social Services, May 31 meeting at 10:30am ` "'To)
Aloha,
The board, members, and myself were thrilled to find Malama 0 Puna on the list of
potential awardees for the FY 2022-23. Coming from a Puna Strong Grant program
meeting with the County, Hawaii Community Foundation and other awardees yesterday, it
was so inspiring to see the work being done to lift up Puna after the 2018 disaster and the
impacts of the pandemic. Our Food Security program has already completed several
successful projects assisting families and households with food production in Nanawale,
Hawaiian Shores, and other communities in Lower Puna. We wish to continue this
important work and extend our efforts to even more communities.
As discussed and shared by all the Puna Strong Grant recipients, the work done by the
nonprofits in Puna requires funding to support the organization and provide compensation
for project coordinators. Maintaining compliance with all the State and Federal agencies
overseeing nonprofit operations is a challenge in today's world. Attracting qualified and
willing project coordinators cannot be done based on volunteer energy alone. We've been
fortunate to attract youthful and qualified individuals to assist in our Food Security program
and receiving these funds will allow us to retain their services.
We are very grateful to the County to be recognized as an important service provider in the
Puna District and appreciate the financial support needed to keep this organization
functioning for the good of the community.
Mahalo,
a04-e(-
Eileen
O'Hara, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Comm. No. (0/P)
Ref. To: P (t SSSU
Ref. Date MAY 3 1 2022