A $2,500 check from the Kekaha Agriculture Association on Kaua`i, arranged by board member Kai Pelayo, was presented to Maui Economic Opportunity at the nonprofit’s fundraising Gala on Saturday, March 22, at the King Kamehameha Golf Club in Waikapu.
Pelayo is Community Affairs Manager for Bayer and represents the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce on the MEO Board. Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke and state House Speaker Nadine Nakamura, who represents East and North Kaua`i, handed the check to MEO CEO Debbie Cabebe at the event.
The Kekaha Agriculture Association is an agricultural cooperative on Kaua`i with Bayer Hawai`i as one of its members. The Association focuses on management of Kekaha’s agricultural infrastructure, development of economically viable and sustainable farms and agricultural endeavors and operates the Waimea hydroelectric plant.
As part of its more than 30 diverse programs, MEO supports farms and farmworkers. The nonprofit operated the National Farmworker Jobs Program for more than 20 years in Hawai`i and currently administers the federally funded Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, which offers kupuna coupons for fresh produce at farmers markets, and the county funded micro-agriculture grant program, offering up to $25,000 to small Maui County farms.
“Mahalo to the Kekaha Agriculture Association for your support and Kai Pelayo for connecting the Kekaha Ag Association with MEO,” said Cabebe. “We are grateful for this generous donation, which will be used to support funding gaps.
“It was an honor to have this donation presented by Lt. Governor Luke and Speaker Nakamura on behalf of the association.”
MEO CEO Debbie Cabebe holds a check from the Kekaha Agriculture Association for $2,500 presented by state House Speaker Nadine Nakamura (left) and Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke at the MEO fundraising Gala on Saturday, March 22, at the King Kamehameha Golf Club in Waikapu.
