Testimonies received from BFED Committee.

Hi, my name is Lena. I'm providing testimony in support of Councilmember Johnson's proposal to increase DHHC's Human Concerns Grant Subsidy Program by $3 million dollars. By extension, I specifically support the increase to The Maui Farm's budget from $279,666 to the requested $313,588. Having been a part of the Family Strengthening Program, I am writing to support The Maui Farm and all the services they provide. Before staying at The Maui Farm, I had just gone through a severe domestic violence situation in which I was stabbed, and honestly without this place, I don’t know where I’d be. When I first moved to The Maui Farm, I had nothing. Through the program there I have learned so much and have grown as a person, as a mother, and a member of the community. Before, I didn’t realize there was helpful people for women like me and the horrible situation I found myself in. Through the individual and group sessions I realized how much abuse my children and I had gone through, and I can now recognize and avoid toxic lifestyle cycles. I now have a stronger and stable relationship with my children and have a stable family life. The support from the staff there allowed me to realize that I am not alone and always connected me with great resources. They made sure we got the care that we needed, even supporting with attaining therapy and addiction recovery services. I know that the staff at The Maui Farm is always here for me, but they helped me to build my own support network as well. I now have a stable job and income, a working vehicle, improved credit, savings, and housing. During my transition to stability, I had a safe place to stay at The Maui Farm and I was able to continue going to work and grow in the company I am employed with. I was also able to save money by working in the Stipend program while the staff helped me to improve my budgeting skills and work habits. This helped me build a great foundation to manage my home and work life. I knew nothing about credit growing up and before the Maui Farm I had no credit. Through the individual sessions and staff support, I learned a lot about building my credit. I now have a great credit score, which I built in less than 1 year while in the program. This credit score improvement allowed me to get a dependable car, an apartment, a better position at my work, along with getting a loan to consolidate all my debt. I am almost debt free! Above all, I am confident in continuing my path toward my ultimate goal of buying a house, armed with the tools and support from the Maui Farm. I hope you now have a better understanding of how programs like this need to stay funded, because they save and impact lives. I am forever grateful to The Maui Farm and staff!

Dear Council Members,

I am writing to express my full support for Council Member Johnson’s priority proposal to increase funding for the Department of Human Concerns Programs. As a representative of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Maui (BBBS of Maui), I wish to highlight the critical importance of this funding increase for our organization and the communities we serve.

In the face of recent challenges, including the devastating wildfires, our organization has witnessed a significant increase in demand for our services, particularly in our Mentor Center after-school program. Despite being awarded flat funding for FY 2025, BBBS of Maui is committed to meeting the evolving needs of our community, especially the youth of the Hale Makana O Waiale community.

BBBS of Maui had requested a total of $203,728 in funding to support our vital programs and operations. However, in the Mayor's proposed budget, only $195,000 has been allocated to our organization. Prior to the wildfires, we experienced a surge in enrollment in our afterschool program, catering to 3rd through 5th graders in the Hale Makana O Waiale area. With only one Case Manager overseeing a caseload of over 40 youth and high school volunteers, our capacity to provide effective support is stretched thin. Youth often rely on our services beyond scheduled hours, highlighting the critical need for additional staffing to accommodate their needs.

The proposed funding increase of $8,728 would allow us to add a much-needed part-time position in our Mentor Center after-school program, providing vital support to our existing staff and enabling us to extend our operating hours to better serve the community. Moreover, in the aftermath of the wildfires, we have extended our support to neighboring youth at the Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center, who have lost access to their classroom facilities. The increased funding would enable us to cover operational costs associated with accommodating partner agencies at no expense to them.

In light of these pressing needs and our unwavering commitment to serving the Maui community, I urge you to lend your support to Council Member Johnson’s priority proposal to fund BBBS of Maui as requested. By investing in our organization, you are not only supporting the positive development of youth in our community, but also fostering resilience and empowerment in the face of adversity.

Mahalo for your time and attention to this matter. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you need any more information or clarification.

Sincerely,
Courtney Ikawa
Maui Regional Director

Aloha. Thank you for this opportunity to testify on behalf of Malama Hana formerly known as Malama Maui Hikina, to receive funding to continue its vital and important work. Malama Hana is deeply rooted in informed stewardship that protects our visitors to our Ahupua’a. In our work we share the protective information held within ancient place names of our sites. We share with our visitors the natural dangers of the area. We ask them to be aware and kilo carefully before going in. We inform them of the fragility of the eco-systems they will interact with when entering these spaces. We educate them at to their impact on these living systems, the community whose roads they drive and park on and the impact they have on our first responders themselves who risk their lives to save them from dangerous predicaments they often put themselves in. As well we share with them the impact of the absence of those responders when they are not available to serve our communities.

As stewards we are well paid by Malama Hana. Our work is deeply fullfulling and gives us great sense of self worth and purpose as we provide a protective influence steeped in the deepest values of Aloha. Aloha for our ‘aina, its endangered and critically endangered species, our local community and our visitors. We interact with respect and professionalism, and more often than not receive respect in turn.

Our founders Kauila Hanchett, of Holani Hana, Kaui Kanakaoli of Alakaui, Sunnie Makua of Ke Ao Hali'i and Lehua Park have led us on a path on an empowering path where our input is valued. Our knowledge and hearts have been enriched by the experience they have provided for us working with the Edith Kanaole foundation, givings us opportunities to access ancestral wisdom and science through mele, and ole. We have received on site education from Keahi Bustamente of DOHAR, Hannah Bernard from Hawaii Wildlife Fund, Jay Pennemin from Maui Nui Sea Bird Recovery Project and Petra Bertillson of The Marine Mammal Center, that we know and understand deeply the habits and needs of our critically endangered species put at risk at all of our sites by uninformed visitors.

Our path is now turning to include more than eduction of our visitors. As we become more informed ourselves through the process of natural kilo, interaction with Hana Kupuna and education with experts, we see ourselves taking on greater responsibility to be the educators of our own community on our ‘Aina.

As well Sunnie Makua and Mona Olivera, our site coordinator, are beginning to open a pathway to those of our younger stewards to receive University scholarships through internships programs that will be implented on our ‘Aina.

Mahalo Nui Loa for this opportunity to share our program with you. And hope you will find it worthy of future funding.

Kathleen Flanders
Hana Community Member
Retired Teacher
Malama Maui Hikina Steward

Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) is in support of Council Member Johnson’s priority proposal to increase funding for the Human Concerns Program’s. MEO Human Concerns Programs were flat funded for PY 2025. The agency requests would support salary adjustments and program operations.
Hiring and retaining qualified staff is one of the major challenges for everyone. The increases requested will keep the agency competitive in the current job market and assist in attracting and retaining qualified staff.
MEO also requested an increase to the Youth Services Program to continue prevention programs on Moloka`i. For the last two years the Moloka`i Kaohi Program has assisted over 650 youth through a Federal SAMSHA grant and private funding.
Here is a recap of budget shortages for MEO:
• Enlace requested $112,231, Mayor Proposed $107,532, short $4,699
• Head Start Summer and After School requested $490,572, Mayor Proposed $473,205 short $17,367
*Head Start also leverages $2,425,000 federal funds to operate eight centers and assist 170 children and their families. HS Summer and After School provides extended services and summer services for working parents or parents attending school.
• Planning and Coordinating Council, requested $92,828, Mayor Proposed $89,465, short $3,363
*P&CC also leverages $11,272 from the State Office of Community Services Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) for two Senior Coordinator salaries.
• Youth Services and Underage Drinking Prevention, requested $440,441, Mayor proposed $385,664, short $54,777

MEO respectfully requests your support of Council Member Johnsons’ priority proposal to fund MEO programs as requested.

Written testimony is attached in support of making the Mālama Maui Hikina Project a line item in the 2025 Budget. Council Member Shane Sinenci has introduced the idea.