MEO receives $6,250 grant with help from Valley Isle Community FCU

Maui Economic Opportunity received a $6,250 grant through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines in a partnership with Valley Isle Community Federal Credit Union to support MEO’s Business Development Center.

Valley Isle Community FCU President and CEO Trevor Tokishi approached MEO CEO Debbie Cabebe about applying for matching funds through the member impact fund program grant. The funds would support BDC community lending and provide working capital to the program.

The BDC program offers an array of small business services and support including microlending, business planning classes, financial planning classes for adults and youth, and credit counseling. BDC also runs Maui County’s micro-agriculture grant program.

Last week, a team from the credit union including Tokishi, Jarrin Arakaki, Small Business Manager, and Kyle Williamson, Vice President Lending, presented the check to Cabebe at the MEO Wailuku office.

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines is a member-owned cooperative that provides funding solutions and liquidity to more than 1,200 members to support mortgage lending, economic development and affordable housing in the communities they serve. 

The Valley Isle Community FCU is a full-service financial institution serving all residents on the island of Maui. Established in 1940, the credit union is a financial cooperative, owned and operated by members. Members’ deposits support loans for other members.

“Maui Economic Opportunity thanks Trevor Tokishi for bringing up this opportunity to MEO,” said Cabebe. “Small businesses are the lifeblood of our community, providing essential services and innovative products for locals and tourists alike. And the wages and taxes they pay help local families and individuals provide for themselves.”