Over 1,000 Maui keiki to benefit as wildfire mental health program expands in year 2

Maui Youth & Family Services (MYFS), in partnership with Maui United Way and Sentry’s Mālama Nā Keiki Initiative, is expanding critical mental health services for keiki impacted by the Lahaina wildfires. 

Guided by the theme “lei po‘ina ‘ole ke keiki” — a lei never forgotten is the beloved child—the initiative supports both direct care and the development of a broader community network of healing. MYFS will deliver counseling and substance use treatment through school-based counselors, community locations, residential programs and cultural prevention services. 

Partnering with Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui, MEO’s Head Start, Big Brothers Big Sisters and YouthLine, MYFS will extend mental health support to more youth. The program also includes expert-led training to strengthen trauma-informed care and integrate cultural knowledge into clinical practices. It will provide professional development training to over 100 providers, education and support to approximately 150 parents and family members and serve almost 1,400 youth with program activities. 

“We’re excited to partner with Sentry and Maui United Way on the Mālama Nā Keiki Initiative,” said Nicole Hokoana, CEO of MYFS. “This collaboration helps us build a stronger, more cohesive network of support for Maui’s keiki and ‘ohana.” 

The Sentry Mālama Nā Keiki initiative first launched in November 2023 with an initial $1 million donation. Sentry Insurance has since contributed an additional $2 million to the initiative, which at the start of the year reported reaching over 5,000 children and families across Maui.

The program’s trauma-informed services have helped address the emotional impact of the wildfires, while referring some children for more intensive counseling.

For more information, contact Dr. Lisa Ponichtera at lponichtera@malamafamilyrecovery.org.