Debbie Cabebe, CEO, Maui Economic Opportunity
December 23, 2024
The state Department of Labor & Industrial Relations (DLIR) secured federal National Dislocated Worker Grant (NDWG) funding in the weeks following the devastating wildfires in Lahaina and Kula on August 8, 2023, to assist those who lost their jobs and livelihoods and to place them in temporary paid jobs related to recovery.
Amid the turmoil and a sincere desire to help those impacted, DLIR asked Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) to stand up the emergency program quickly, which MEO did. The temporary employment program, offering jobs between $20.50 and $27 an hour, was up and running in November 2023.
In more than a year, the NDWG program has employed 303 in temporary jobs and in long-term employment and enrolled more than 400.
MEO is optimistic that the NDWG program will continue through September 2025, and the state has submitted a request to the federal program officer for the rest of the grant’s funds.
MEO apologizes to the host sites for the recent issues related to the flow of funds to NDWG and understands their concerns.
MEO empathizes with the host sites and knows firsthand the critical work they are doing. MEO mobilized days after the wildfires to help place residents at evacuation sites into vacation rentals, to transport visitors and residents out of Lahaina, to help the Hispanic/Latino community restore documents and to find and subsidize rentals for up to 9 months with Hawai‘i Community Foundation funds and unsolicited donations.
Later, the state Department of Human Services turned to MEO to run the Maui Relief TANF Program, which provides housing, utility, vehicle, clothing, appliance and school supply assistance. MEO got that program up and running quickly as well and has helped hundreds of residents since November 2023.
In addition, MEO’s Business Development Center used county funds to provide bridge grants to struggling businesses.
The destruction and pain caused by the wildfires are unprecedented in recent memory. But as with previous disasters, such as the pandemic, the Great Recession of the late 2000s and 9-11, MEO has been there for the Maui County community, offering residents a hand, a hug and help to survive and rebuild their lives.
