My name is Maja Szpunar and I am part of the King Kekaulike High School graduating class of 2023. I am currently a freshman at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and a recipient of the 2023 Susan Scofield and Debbie Hisashima Memorial Scholarships by the Kekaulike High School Foundation.
I am testifying in strong support of the Kekaulike High School Foundation’s Upcountry Winter Festival 2025.
The inaugural Upcountry Winter Fest took place in November 2023. The festival included a craft fair, holiday display, food trucks and booths, non-profit information booths, keiki games, and entertainment – not to mention that Santa and Mrs. Claus graced us with their presence!
Here are a few stats from 2023:
55 - Small businesses/vendors participated
9 - Kekaulike complex clubs and organizations participated from 4 of the 7 schools within the complex
60 - Volunteers came from the Upcountry community to make this festival successful
9 - Non-profit organizations provided information to festival goers on their mission and impact on the community
1,096 - Attendees were counted!!!
For the 9 Kekaulike complex clubs and organizations that participated at the food booths and keiki games, they were able to generate almost $7,000 in sales. These clubs and organizations range from Kaiapuni Class of 2024 to Pukalani Elementary School Robotics to Na Ali’i Boys Soccer. Of the other 55 vendors and small businesses this festival supported, based on our after-festival survey, the vendors were very pleased and are looking forward to coming back this year.
The Kekaulike High School Foundation aims to support the ENTIRE Kekaulike complex, through scholarships for students and grants for teachers. In 2022, their initial year of supporting the community, they have facilitated providing $8,500 in scholarships to seniors pursuing higher education and $1,000 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers. This increased in 2023 to $9,700 in scholarships, with $500 of that total coming directly from funds the Kekaulike High School Foundation was able to raise, and $250 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers.
Because of the success of the 2023 Upcountry Winter Festival, the Kekaulike High School Foundation was able to allocate $1,000 in scholarships and $1,500 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers for this year. This event also serves as the Kekaulike High School Foundation’s main fundraiser for the year.
Personally, the KKHS foundation has vitally impacted my higher education. As with many students, scholarships and grants are what determine how far we can take our education journeys. As someone who has always wanted to attend university, the stress of the cost of attendance was nerve racking. The KKHS Foundation scholarships I received therefore allowed me to begin my education goals. Scholarships such as those provided by the Foundation can give many students hope to attend the schools of their choice. Encouraging the next generation to pursue their college and trade goals is important to the futures and successes of the students of Hawai’i. My KKHS Foundation scholarships helped me to start my journey at UH Mānoa, with goals to give back to my community in the future. I hope that one day I can provide to the KKHS foundation through donations, to support other students such as myself, as the foundation once did for me. Because I understand the importance and security this scholarship has provided to myself and fellow classmates.
Mahalo for the opportunity to testify in strong support of the Kekaulike High School Foundation and Upcountry Winter Festival 2025. Have an amazing day.
My name is Teisha Nishimitsu and I am an Alumnus of King Kekaulike High School, and currently a sophomore attending Stanford University.
I am testifying in strong support of the Kekaulike High School Foundation’s Upcountry Winter Festival 2025.
The inaugural Upcountry Winter Fest took place in November 2023. The festival included a craft fair, holiday display, food trucks and booths, non-profit information booths, keiki games, and entertainment – not to mention that Santa and Mrs. Claus graced us with their presence!
Here are a few stats from 2023:
55 - Small businesses/vendors participated
9 - Kekaulike complex clubs and organizations participated from 4 of the 7 schools within the complex
60 - Volunteers came from the Upcountry community to make this festival successful
9 - Non-profit organizations provided information to festival goers on their mission and impact on the community
1,096 - Attendees were counted!!!
For the 9 Kekaulike complex clubs and organizations that participated at the food booths and keiki games, they were able to generate almost $7,000 in sales. These clubs and organizations range from Kaiapuni Class of 2024 to Pukalani Elementary School Robotics to Na Ali’i Boys Soccer. Of the other 55 vendors and small businesses this festival supported, based on our after-festival survey, the vendors were very pleased and are looking forward to coming back this year.
The Kekaulike High School Foundation aims to support the ENTIRE Kekaulike complex, through scholarships for students and grants for teachers. In 2022, their initial year of supporting the community, they have facilitated providing $8,500 in scholarships to seniors pursuing higher education and $1,000 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers. This increased in 2023 to $9,700 in scholarships, with $500 of that total coming directly from funds the Kekaulike High School Foundation was able to raise, and $250 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers.
Because of the success of the 2023 Upcountry Winter Festival, the Kekaulike High School Foundation was able to allocate $1,000 in scholarships and $1,500 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers for this year. This event also serves as the Kekaulike High School Foundation’s main fundraiser for the year.
Mahalo for the opportunity to testify in strong support of the Kekaulike High School Foundation and Upcountry Winter Festival 2025.
RE: Testimony in Support of Maui AIDS Foundation’s grants from the COUNTY OF MAUI Mayor Richard T. Bissen Jr.’s Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2025
Aloha Council Members Lee, Rawlins-Fernandez, Sinenci, Sugimura, Kama, Johnson, Paltin, Cook, and U’u-Hodgins,
Maui AIDS Foundation, (MAF), is a nonprofit health and social service organization serving the residents of Maui County for over 37 years. The basic goals of the Maui AIDS Foundation’s Treatment Core Services programs are to minimize/eliminate HIV/HCV/STIs through testing, education, and to extend a linkage to medical care. MAF also provides Harm Reduction services including Narcan training/distribution and Syringe Exchange services and access to our food pantry.
Our organization requested $172,000 in core service grant funding, $119,000 for Free Clinic Expansion, and $70,000 to increase prevention and harm reduction education services. Thank you so much to Mayor’s Administration for awarding us have $140,000 by DHHS. This is the same amount awarded in the last 2-year contract. The need for these services has expanded because of the Maui Wildfire disaster; but the funding is exactly the same in an environment that makes fundraising almost impossible competing against businesses and displaced residents for those finite dollars.
MAF understands that the funding is tight right now but Free Clinics unburden public resources at a rate of $34 per $1 invested. We are asking this Council to invest wisely in our organization which will prevent long-term increases in health care treatment, opioid overdose, and food insecurity for houseless residents.
Untreated infections can raise a person’s risk of cancer in different ways. For example:
• Some viruses directly affect the genes inside cells that control their growth.
• These viruses can insert their own genes into the cell, causing the cell to grow out of control.
• Some infections can cause long-term inflammation in a part of the body which can lead to changes in the affected cells and in nearby immune cells, and can eventually lead to cancer.
• Some types of infections can suppress a person’s immune system and the immune system normally helps protect the body from some cancers.
Any of these changes may lead to a higher risk of cancer. Several of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) create viruses that are linked with cancer in humans. Our growing knowledge of the role of viruses as a cause of cancer has led to the development of vaccines to help prevent certain human cancers and prevention education is crucial to avoiding transmission and making the crucial decision to vaccinate. Human papillomaviruses (HPVs), Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and Human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8) are examples of viruses that are linked to the development of cancer.
Many STIs can be cured or treated with medication, the consequences of untreated STIs can include infertility, pregnancy complications, cervical cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease, birth defects, death, and an increase in HIV/STI transmission in the community. STIs are a state-wide concern with Hawaii ranking very high in congenital syphilis, primary and secondary syphilis, and chlamydia.
MAF assists those incarcerated, those living with Hepatitis and other STIs, people living with HIV, those suffering with substance use issues, LGBTQIA+ and Mahu populations, women and youth at-risk, Native Hawaiian communities, and those with mental illness disorders by offering a wide-range of linkage to care that provides treatment, case management, insurance enrollment, housing and utility subsidies, food pantry, testing, treatment, case management, LGBTQIA+ support groups, prevention and harm reduction education, Narcan Training and distribution, Pride Events, and so much more.
MAF is requesting expanded grant funding to assist the agency with the following objectives:
• Expansion of MAF’s free clinic services to offset the increases in Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI); especially since the Maui Wildfires in August of 2023.
• Expansion of MAF’s prevention and harm reduction education to set a path toward elimination of HIV, Hepatitis, and other Sexually Transmitted Infections and in effort to reduce stigma.
• Increase efforts in harm reduction by the training and distribution of Narcan to assist Maui County residents with the ability to administer life-saving opioid overdose treatment
• Expand capacity to enable staff to begin some vaccination services by hiring an RN or LPN to support our one Provider, Dr. Bryan Chin.
MAF has always actively pursued a combination of funding mechanisms including Federal, State, and Private Foundation funding. Since the Maui Wildfires, it is not possible to compete against wildfire disaster efforts by fundraising. This expanded County funding would provide MAF resources to provide the services that Maui County desperately needs at this time.
Mahalo for consideration of increasing the funding for our County Grant Proposals. The goal is to eliminate STIs and Opioid overdose. The spread of STIs and Opioid overdose affect everyone in Maui County. We can affect this outcome with your help.
STOP THE SPREAD!
Linda Puppolo, Executive Director
Maui AIDS Foundation
1935 Main Street, #101
Wailuku, Hawaii 96793
linda@mauiaids.org
808-283-8390
www.mauiaids.org
My name is Roan Reinecke and I am testifying in strong support of the Kekaulike High School Foundation’s Upcountry Winter Festival 2025.The inaugural Upcountry Winter Fest took place in November 2023. The festival included a craft fair, holiday display, food trucks and booths, non-profit information booths, keiki games, and entertainment – not to mention that Santa and Mrs. Claus graced us with their presence.
Here are a few stats from 2023:
55 Small businesses/vendors participated
9 Kekaulike complex clubs and organizations participated from 4 of the 7 schools within the complex
60 Volunteers came from the Upcountry community to make this festival successful
9 Non-profit organizations provided information to festival goers on their mission and impact on the community
1,096 Attendees were counted!!!
For the 9 Kekaulike complex clubs and organizations that participated at the food booths and keiki games, they were able to generate almost $7,000 in sales. These clubs and organizations range from Kaiapuni Class of 2024 to Pukalani Elementary School Robotics to Na Ali’i Boys Soccer. Of the other 55 vendors and small businesses this festival supported, based on our after-festival survey, the vendors were very pleased and are looking forward to coming back this year.
The Kekaulike High School Foundation aims to support the ENTIRE Kekaulike complex, through scholarships for students and grants for teachers. In 2022, their initial year of supporting the community, they have facilitated providing $8,500 in scholarships to seniors pursuing higher education and $1,000 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers. This increased in 2023 to $9,700 in scholarships, with $500 of that total coming directly from funds the Kekaulike High School Foundation was able to raise, and $250 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers. Because of the success of the 2023 Upcountry Winter Festival, the Kekaulike High School Foundation was able to allocate $1,000 in scholarships and $1,500 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers for this year. This event also serves as the Kekaulike High School Foundation’s main fundraiser for the year.
The King Kekaulike high school foundation gave me a $2,750 scholarship that helped me transition from highschool to college. I had unexpectedly lost my dad in March of my senior year which significantly altered my plans for college. It was extremely emotionally difficult. The scholarship gave me the funds for my first semester of College here at UHMC. It was recognition and support of me as a student and would have made my dad very proud of me. This scholarship helped set me up for success as I am set to receive my Associates Degree in Liberal Arts and am transfering to UH Manoa in the fall. The Kekaulike High School Foundation is a source of support and encouragement for me as well as other students in the Kekaulike Community.
Aloha Maui County Councilmembers,
My name is Maja Szpunar and I am part of the King Kekaulike High School graduating class of 2023. I am currently a freshman at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and a recipient of the 2023 Susan Scofield and Debbie Hisashima Memorial Scholarships by the Kekaulike High School Foundation.
I am testifying in strong support of the Kekaulike High School Foundation’s Upcountry Winter Festival 2025.
The inaugural Upcountry Winter Fest took place in November 2023. The festival included a craft fair, holiday display, food trucks and booths, non-profit information booths, keiki games, and entertainment – not to mention that Santa and Mrs. Claus graced us with their presence!
Here are a few stats from 2023:
55 - Small businesses/vendors participated
9 - Kekaulike complex clubs and organizations participated from 4 of the 7 schools within the complex
60 - Volunteers came from the Upcountry community to make this festival successful
9 - Non-profit organizations provided information to festival goers on their mission and impact on the community
1,096 - Attendees were counted!!!
For the 9 Kekaulike complex clubs and organizations that participated at the food booths and keiki games, they were able to generate almost $7,000 in sales. These clubs and organizations range from Kaiapuni Class of 2024 to Pukalani Elementary School Robotics to Na Ali’i Boys Soccer. Of the other 55 vendors and small businesses this festival supported, based on our after-festival survey, the vendors were very pleased and are looking forward to coming back this year.
The Kekaulike High School Foundation aims to support the ENTIRE Kekaulike complex, through scholarships for students and grants for teachers. In 2022, their initial year of supporting the community, they have facilitated providing $8,500 in scholarships to seniors pursuing higher education and $1,000 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers. This increased in 2023 to $9,700 in scholarships, with $500 of that total coming directly from funds the Kekaulike High School Foundation was able to raise, and $250 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers.
Because of the success of the 2023 Upcountry Winter Festival, the Kekaulike High School Foundation was able to allocate $1,000 in scholarships and $1,500 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers for this year. This event also serves as the Kekaulike High School Foundation’s main fundraiser for the year.
Personally, the KKHS foundation has vitally impacted my higher education. As with many students, scholarships and grants are what determine how far we can take our education journeys. As someone who has always wanted to attend university, the stress of the cost of attendance was nerve racking. The KKHS Foundation scholarships I received therefore allowed me to begin my education goals. Scholarships such as those provided by the Foundation can give many students hope to attend the schools of their choice. Encouraging the next generation to pursue their college and trade goals is important to the futures and successes of the students of Hawai’i. My KKHS Foundation scholarships helped me to start my journey at UH Mānoa, with goals to give back to my community in the future. I hope that one day I can provide to the KKHS foundation through donations, to support other students such as myself, as the foundation once did for me. Because I understand the importance and security this scholarship has provided to myself and fellow classmates.
Mahalo for the opportunity to testify in strong support of the Kekaulike High School Foundation and Upcountry Winter Festival 2025. Have an amazing day.
Maja Szpunar
majamonkeybrains2@gmail.com
Aloha Maui County Councilmembers,
My name is Teisha Nishimitsu and I am an Alumnus of King Kekaulike High School, and currently a sophomore attending Stanford University.
I am testifying in strong support of the Kekaulike High School Foundation’s Upcountry Winter Festival 2025.
The inaugural Upcountry Winter Fest took place in November 2023. The festival included a craft fair, holiday display, food trucks and booths, non-profit information booths, keiki games, and entertainment – not to mention that Santa and Mrs. Claus graced us with their presence!
Here are a few stats from 2023:
55 - Small businesses/vendors participated
9 - Kekaulike complex clubs and organizations participated from 4 of the 7 schools within the complex
60 - Volunteers came from the Upcountry community to make this festival successful
9 - Non-profit organizations provided information to festival goers on their mission and impact on the community
1,096 - Attendees were counted!!!
For the 9 Kekaulike complex clubs and organizations that participated at the food booths and keiki games, they were able to generate almost $7,000 in sales. These clubs and organizations range from Kaiapuni Class of 2024 to Pukalani Elementary School Robotics to Na Ali’i Boys Soccer. Of the other 55 vendors and small businesses this festival supported, based on our after-festival survey, the vendors were very pleased and are looking forward to coming back this year.
The Kekaulike High School Foundation aims to support the ENTIRE Kekaulike complex, through scholarships for students and grants for teachers. In 2022, their initial year of supporting the community, they have facilitated providing $8,500 in scholarships to seniors pursuing higher education and $1,000 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers. This increased in 2023 to $9,700 in scholarships, with $500 of that total coming directly from funds the Kekaulike High School Foundation was able to raise, and $250 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers.
Because of the success of the 2023 Upcountry Winter Festival, the Kekaulike High School Foundation was able to allocate $1,000 in scholarships and $1,500 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers for this year. This event also serves as the Kekaulike High School Foundation’s main fundraiser for the year.
Mahalo for the opportunity to testify in strong support of the Kekaulike High School Foundation and Upcountry Winter Festival 2025.
Teisha Nishimitsu
teisha.nish@gmail.com
808 - 757 - 6529
TESTIMONY FROM LINDA PUPPOLO
Testifier’s name
RE: Testimony in Support of Maui AIDS Foundation’s grants from the COUNTY OF MAUI Mayor Richard T. Bissen Jr.’s Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2025
Aloha Council Members Lee, Rawlins-Fernandez, Sinenci, Sugimura, Kama, Johnson, Paltin, Cook, and U’u-Hodgins,
Maui AIDS Foundation, (MAF), is a nonprofit health and social service organization serving the residents of Maui County for over 37 years. The basic goals of the Maui AIDS Foundation’s Treatment Core Services programs are to minimize/eliminate HIV/HCV/STIs through testing, education, and to extend a linkage to medical care. MAF also provides Harm Reduction services including Narcan training/distribution and Syringe Exchange services and access to our food pantry.
Our organization requested $172,000 in core service grant funding, $119,000 for Free Clinic Expansion, and $70,000 to increase prevention and harm reduction education services. Thank you so much to Mayor’s Administration for awarding us have $140,000 by DHHS. This is the same amount awarded in the last 2-year contract. The need for these services has expanded because of the Maui Wildfire disaster; but the funding is exactly the same in an environment that makes fundraising almost impossible competing against businesses and displaced residents for those finite dollars.
MAF understands that the funding is tight right now but Free Clinics unburden public resources at a rate of $34 per $1 invested. We are asking this Council to invest wisely in our organization which will prevent long-term increases in health care treatment, opioid overdose, and food insecurity for houseless residents.
Untreated infections can raise a person’s risk of cancer in different ways. For example:
• Some viruses directly affect the genes inside cells that control their growth.
• These viruses can insert their own genes into the cell, causing the cell to grow out of control.
• Some infections can cause long-term inflammation in a part of the body which can lead to changes in the affected cells and in nearby immune cells, and can eventually lead to cancer.
• Some types of infections can suppress a person’s immune system and the immune system normally helps protect the body from some cancers.
Any of these changes may lead to a higher risk of cancer. Several of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) create viruses that are linked with cancer in humans. Our growing knowledge of the role of viruses as a cause of cancer has led to the development of vaccines to help prevent certain human cancers and prevention education is crucial to avoiding transmission and making the crucial decision to vaccinate. Human papillomaviruses (HPVs), Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and Human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8) are examples of viruses that are linked to the development of cancer.
Many STIs can be cured or treated with medication, the consequences of untreated STIs can include infertility, pregnancy complications, cervical cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease, birth defects, death, and an increase in HIV/STI transmission in the community. STIs are a state-wide concern with Hawaii ranking very high in congenital syphilis, primary and secondary syphilis, and chlamydia.
MAF assists those incarcerated, those living with Hepatitis and other STIs, people living with HIV, those suffering with substance use issues, LGBTQIA+ and Mahu populations, women and youth at-risk, Native Hawaiian communities, and those with mental illness disorders by offering a wide-range of linkage to care that provides treatment, case management, insurance enrollment, housing and utility subsidies, food pantry, testing, treatment, case management, LGBTQIA+ support groups, prevention and harm reduction education, Narcan Training and distribution, Pride Events, and so much more.
MAF is requesting expanded grant funding to assist the agency with the following objectives:
• Expansion of MAF’s free clinic services to offset the increases in Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI); especially since the Maui Wildfires in August of 2023.
• Expansion of MAF’s prevention and harm reduction education to set a path toward elimination of HIV, Hepatitis, and other Sexually Transmitted Infections and in effort to reduce stigma.
• Increase efforts in harm reduction by the training and distribution of Narcan to assist Maui County residents with the ability to administer life-saving opioid overdose treatment
• Expand capacity to enable staff to begin some vaccination services by hiring an RN or LPN to support our one Provider, Dr. Bryan Chin.
MAF has always actively pursued a combination of funding mechanisms including Federal, State, and Private Foundation funding. Since the Maui Wildfires, it is not possible to compete against wildfire disaster efforts by fundraising. This expanded County funding would provide MAF resources to provide the services that Maui County desperately needs at this time.
Mahalo for consideration of increasing the funding for our County Grant Proposals. The goal is to eliminate STIs and Opioid overdose. The spread of STIs and Opioid overdose affect everyone in Maui County. We can affect this outcome with your help.
STOP THE SPREAD!
Linda Puppolo, Executive Director
Maui AIDS Foundation
1935 Main Street, #101
Wailuku, Hawaii 96793
linda@mauiaids.org
808-283-8390
www.mauiaids.org
Aloha Maui County Councilmembers,
My name is Roan Reinecke and I am testifying in strong support of the Kekaulike High School Foundation’s Upcountry Winter Festival 2025.The inaugural Upcountry Winter Fest took place in November 2023. The festival included a craft fair, holiday display, food trucks and booths, non-profit information booths, keiki games, and entertainment – not to mention that Santa and Mrs. Claus graced us with their presence.
Here are a few stats from 2023:
55 Small businesses/vendors participated
9 Kekaulike complex clubs and organizations participated from 4 of the 7 schools within the complex
60 Volunteers came from the Upcountry community to make this festival successful
9 Non-profit organizations provided information to festival goers on their mission and impact on the community
1,096 Attendees were counted!!!
For the 9 Kekaulike complex clubs and organizations that participated at the food booths and keiki games, they were able to generate almost $7,000 in sales. These clubs and organizations range from Kaiapuni Class of 2024 to Pukalani Elementary School Robotics to Na Ali’i Boys Soccer. Of the other 55 vendors and small businesses this festival supported, based on our after-festival survey, the vendors were very pleased and are looking forward to coming back this year.
The Kekaulike High School Foundation aims to support the ENTIRE Kekaulike complex, through scholarships for students and grants for teachers. In 2022, their initial year of supporting the community, they have facilitated providing $8,500 in scholarships to seniors pursuing higher education and $1,000 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers. This increased in 2023 to $9,700 in scholarships, with $500 of that total coming directly from funds the Kekaulike High School Foundation was able to raise, and $250 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers. Because of the success of the 2023 Upcountry Winter Festival, the Kekaulike High School Foundation was able to allocate $1,000 in scholarships and $1,500 in grants to Upcountry public school teachers for this year. This event also serves as the Kekaulike High School Foundation’s main fundraiser for the year.
The King Kekaulike high school foundation gave me a $2,750 scholarship that helped me transition from highschool to college. I had unexpectedly lost my dad in March of my senior year which significantly altered my plans for college. It was extremely emotionally difficult. The scholarship gave me the funds for my first semester of College here at UHMC. It was recognition and support of me as a student and would have made my dad very proud of me. This scholarship helped set me up for success as I am set to receive my Associates Degree in Liberal Arts and am transfering to UH Manoa in the fall. The Kekaulike High School Foundation is a source of support and encouragement for me as well as other students in the Kekaulike Community.