Hawaii County and the Hawaii Community Foundation have announced a third round of Puna Strong grant recipients.
Puna Strong remains focused on disaster readiness and building resilience for the Puna communities impacted by the 2018 Kilauea eruption with a $608,000 investment in nonprofit organizations and partnerships leading community-driven projects and building the capacity of local organizations.
“The fact that we are now in the third round of grants is a testament to the tremendous success of this program,” said Mayor Mitch Roth in a press release. “Our ongoing partnership with HCF continues to be a source of pride for our county. These grants empower local Puna organizations and contribute to their impactful work with our residents.”
The first two rounds of grants supported the work of more than two dozen organizations that addressed a range of issues important to the community, including mental health, home and community food production, youth development, cultural grounding, environmental protection, educational opportunities, access to community-focused information, and readiness to respond to community emergencies/disasters.
“Each grant recipient was carefully chosen for their commitment to supporting and strengthening the long-term resilience of the Puna community,” Chelsey Chow, program officer for the Hawaii Community Foundation, said in the press release.
Grants were awarded to the following 10 organizations and ranged from $50,000 to $75,000 for an 18-month period:
— Arts &Sciences Center: Beyond school community learning
— Equality HI: Cooking for resiliency, moving from neighbors to ohana
— Hawaii Animal Kuleana Alliance: Emergency rescue and disaster preparedness programs
— Hawaiian Volcano Education and Resilience Institute: Disaster preparedness, outreach and sustainability support
— Hawaii’s Volcano Circus: Startup and realignment for community resilience
— Ho‘oulu Lahui: Planning for long-term resilience
— Men of Pa‘a: Resilience and sustainability, charting a path to recovery
— Na Maka Haloa O Waipi‘o: Kukulu Kaiaulu, Hawaiian culture, language and history
— ‘O Maku‘u Ke Kahua Community Center: Mala Ho‘oulu ‘Ike at ‘O Maku‘u Ke Kahua Community Center
— Pohaku Pelemaka: Community-based stewardship management, Hawaiian culture, language and/or history
For more information regarding Puna Strong or other grant programs, please visit our website at recovery.hawaiicounty.gov/resources/recovery-grants.
