The reach of the Maui Relief TANF Program, which assists residents directly
impacted by the 2023 wildfires, has expanded to include households without
dependent children and noncitizens following additional funding from the
State of Hawai`i.
The program run by Maui Economic Opportunity in partnership with the state
Department of Human Services began operating in the weeks after the Aug. 8,
2023, wildfires and offers help with housing, utilities, vehicles,
clothing, appliances and school supplies.
In the two years since its inception, the federally funded Maui Relief TANF
Program has helped 10,515 individuals and provided $20.3 million in relief.
For the most part, the program has assisted pregnant mothers and households
with dependent children. When funding is available MEO has opened
enrollment to households without children and different citizenship status.
Other expansions of the program through the years include the addition of
support for long-term rentals and appliances lost in the wildfires,
including refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers, microwaves and toaster
ovens.
Households are eligible for the Maui Relief TANF Program if their home or
place of employment was damaged or destroyed by the wildfires or they lived
or worked in the burn zone and were unable to return home or to work due to
the recovery efforts. The income ceiling for assistance is 350 percent of
the federal poverty level or $60,585 annually for an individual or $120,750
for a family of four.
“MEO is so grateful to the state for the funds to support wildfire
survivors without children,” said MEO CEO Debbie Cabebe. “It has been
heartbreaking to have to turn away individuals and families without
dependents.
“While the recovery moves into its longer-term stages, many continue
working to rebuild and restore their lives. Through programs like the Maui
Relief TANF Program and with caring partners such as the state Department
of Human Services, MEO hopes to continue to play a role in the process of
recovery.”
For complete details about the Maui Relief TANF Program and other MEO
assistance programs, go to our MEO Website.
Applications for the TANFprogram can be done online here:
MEO Maui TANF Online Application
For in-person by appointments at MEO (99 Mahalani St., Wailuku, next to the J.
Walter Cameron Center), appointments in Spanish and English can be made here:
MEO’s Maui Relief TANF Program – Appointment Calendar
on weekdays (excluding holidays) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
MEO can be reached at (808) 249-2990
Monni Nash, Maui Relief TANF Program Manager, works with a client in April
2024 at Maui Economic Opportunity in Wailuku..