Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 7, 1 July 2021 — OHA's Newest Grant Awards $1.25 Million to Nonprofits [ARTICLE]

OHA's Newest Grant Awards $1.25 Million to Nonprofits

By Ed Kalama Atotal of 14 nonprofit organizations on Hawai'i, Maui, Moloka'i, O'ahu and Kaua'i will receive funding totaling $1.25 million to help reinforce and strengthen Native Hawaiians' 'ohana (family), mo'omeheu (culture) and aina (land and water) via the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' (OHA) new 'Ohana and Community Program Grants. One grant recipient, the Adult Friends for Youth, will use their $124,000 OHA grant award to establish a Mohile Assessment Center in Wai'anae and 'Ewa to help divert youth who commit status offenses from entering the juvenile justice system. The program employs a non-directive method that has been proven to be effective with Hawai'i's highest-risk youth. Services will improve the wellbeing of youth and their 'ohana and create safer schools and communities. Other projects awarded grants include the restoration of dryland native forests in Kawaihae on Hawai'i Island, a substance abuse treatment program on Maui, a program that uplifts 'ohana by restoring access to lā'au lapa'au and lomilomi (traditional healing methods) on O'ahu, and an aina-based education program on Kaua'i. "It is our belief that we ean best address the disparities that Native Hawaiians face today by focusing on supporting and building on the foundational strengths of our culture. We recognize that these foundations have the power to affect the wellbeing of Native Hawaiians, and we are very proud to partner with these eommunity organizations who share our goals and objectives in moving the lāhui forward," said OHA Board Chair Carmen "Hulu" Lindsey. The purpose of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Grants Program is to support Hawai'i-based nonprofit organizations that have projects, programs, and initiatives that serve our Native Hawaiian lāhui in alignment with the strategic foundations, directions and outcomes of OHA's Mana i Mauli Ola Strategic Plan. This latest grant is a part of OHA's effort to increase its total community investment to benefit Native Hawaiians and the larger eommunity. So far in 2021, OHA has awarded $1,838,632 in 'Ahahui event, Iwi Kūpuna & Repatriation, and Homestead grants statewide to advance its strategic directions in the areas of education, heahh, housing and eeonomie stability. To read OHA's 15-year Mana i Mauli Ola Strategic Plan visit www.oha.org/strategicplan. ■