OHA launches historic Lahaina collections to aid recovery

During a recent government meeting, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) provided an update on its activities and funding initiatives aimed at supporting the Native Hawaiian community on Maui. Stacey, a representative from OHA, highlighted the organization’s commitment to addressing local needs through various funding programs.

Currently, OHA has 29 active grantees on Maui, disbursing a total of $5.6 million to support community services. Among these, 13 grantees are dedicated solely to Maui, receiving $1.2 million in funding. Additionally, OHA manages 51 active revolving loan and consumer microloan funds, totaling $1.6 million, aimed at assisting families and businesses in the area.

In response to the devastating Lahaina and Kula fires, OHA launched the Kanaho Relief grant fund four months ago, which has already provided 249 payments amounting to $1.4 million to affected beneficiaries.

Stacey also announced an upcoming release of digitized historic collections from Lahaina, coinciding with the one-year anniversary of the wildfires. This initiative, a collaboration with the Lahaina Restoration Foundation, aims to preserve and share important historical resources. The first collection, featuring 215 historic photographs from 1900 to 1948, will be available on the Papa Kilo database, which serves as a repository for the life experiences of past generations. Subsequent collections will follow throughout the month.

The meeting concluded with a transition to remarks from Mayor Bisson, further emphasizing the collaborative efforts to support the community in the wake of recent challenges.