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Maui Economic Opportunity continues to provide curb-to-curb paratransit service for persons with disabilities after securing a five-year contract with the County of Maui.

The program, which is designed to provide students with hands-on experience and knowledge about various industries in the county, covered areas such as sustainable science, conservation and agriculture, economic and workforce development, Maui governance, healthcare, and construction and technology.

Twenty-one high and middle school age youth learned the value of good credit, budgeting and the difference between credit and debit cards at Maui Economic Opportunity’s Teen Financial Literacy class series held Monday and Tuesday.

The Maui Economic Opportunity’s Board of Directors appointed officers for the 2023-24 fiscal year, with Judge Rhonda Loo symbolically handing out keys to signify each member’s responsibility to the organization.

Five community leaders were voted into the Board of Directors for the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce during the organization’s Annual Meeting, held June 29 at the MEO building in Wailuku.

Evelyn Del Valle, 24, has come full circle with MEO Head Start, the preschool program offered to income eligible families, individuals in temporary shelter, foster children and others – without charge to them. She was a shy youth, who spoke mostly Spanish, when she attended the MEO Head Start program two decades ago. In May, she earned her associate degree in early childhood education.

A total of 27 individuals were assisted in filling out their US citizenship applications, an arduous process that could take as long as two hours, at a Citizenship Clinic on June 24 at Maui Economic Opportunity in Wailuku.

Maui Economic Opportunity has begun operating out of the Lahaina Civic Center two times a month to improve access to clients on the west side. Community Services staff will be available from 9 a.m. to noon on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. 

Kahi Kamaliʻi Infant Toddler Center, has received a donation of $15,000 from the Kāʻanapali Ocean Resort Charitable Trust, bringing their total contributions to $40,000 in three years.

Pacita Asuncion, a former client in a kupuna employment program, has been named the Employee of the Month at Maui Economic Opportunity.

Maui Economic Opportunity’s popular Teen Financial Literacy Workshop will be held in-person July 10 and 11 at MEO in Wailuku.

Maui entrepreneurs can join the Core Four Business Planning series by Maui Economic Opportunity to receive guidance on writing a business plan and a chance to qualify for up to $20,000 in startup grants.

Applications for annual federally funded energy credit assistance for low-income residents, who are not in crisis but require help to pay their heating and cooling bills, are now being accepted via mail or in-person through the end of June.

Maui Economic Opportunity’s program that assists individuals released from jail and prison by helping them to reintegrate into society, received $4,550 donations from the Construction Industry of Maui and three other attendees of the group’s scholarship banquet Wednesday. 

Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen declared May Community Action Month in Maui County and recognized the county’s Community Action Agency, Maui Economic Opportunity.

The fourth Maui Economic Opportunity Abilities Awareness Fair, which will provide information about services for persons with disabilities and promote better awareness about living with a disability, will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, May 12, at the Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center.

Maui Economic Opportunity named Human Resources Administrative Specialist, Kristen Sato as its Employee of the Month.

Maui Economic Opportunity will be offering transportation for East Maui residents to Mayor Richard Bissen’s community events in Hāna on Thursday, April 27, and Friday, April 28, at Coconut Grove on Alalele Place.

Traci Fujita, who currently serves as the director of the Office of Council Services, has joined the Maui Economic Opportunity Board of Directors, filling the Council representative spot.

Maui Economic Opportunity assisted 19,239 individuals and families and helped 15,203 achieve economic stability and security, according to the nonprofit agency’s recently released 2022 Annual Report.