Maui “H.E.L.P.” Program Offers Funding for Essential Needs
The Hawaiʻi Emergency Laulima Partnership program or H.E.L.P. has announced a second round of funding available as financial assistance for Maui County residents to pay for essential needs due to a layoff, reduction in hours or loss of income related to COVID-19.
Assistance may be used for food, personal hygiene, medicine, rent, mortgage, utility payments, phone or internet service, car payments and other essential needs.
Program guidelines include:
- Only one individual per household may receive assistance.
- A qualified individual shall not possess more than $5,000 in liquid assets.
- A household shall be designated based on most current tax filing.
- A household shall not apply for assistance more than once in a thirty-day period and shall not receive assistance more than a total of three times, or until all funds have been obligated, whichever occurs first.
Maximum assistance over a 30 day period ranges from $500 for a family of one to two individuals, to $1,250 for a family of seven or more.
Applicants must submit the following:
- Completed application
- Copy of photo ID
- Proof of layoff or reduction in hours (copy of UI filing or letter from employer)
- First page of most recent tax filing
- Copy of most recent bank and savings statement
For more information and to apply online go to www.meoinc.org HELP.
Individuals without internet access can call (808) 249-2990 or (808) 249-2980 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., excluding holidays.
Earlier this month, Maui Mayor Michael Victorino signed a budget amendment into law for $67 million in federal CARES Act funding to address public health and economic impacts caused by COVID-19. The money will be used to put food on the table of residents impacted by the virus and help them with rent, mortgages, electric bills and other expenses through the county’s Hawaiʻi Emergency Laulima Partnership (H.E.L.P.) program. Funding will also be used to continue support for small businesses and farmers through our Micro Loan and Farmers Relief programs.
The CARES Act provides for expenditures incurred between March 1, 2020, through Dec. 30, 2020. Unspent money will need to be returned.
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