Hospice Maui receives Mayor’s Small Business Award for Outstanding Nonprofit

Melanie Dwyer, CEO of Hospice Maui, was honored with the Mayor’s Small Business Award for Outstanding Nonprofit, recognizing the organization’s excellence in compassionate care, workforce leadership, and community service across Maui County.

“This award is truly a recognition of the entire Hospice Maui ʻohana: our staff, volunteers, board, and community partners, who provide comfort and dignity to patients and families everyday,” said Dwyer. “We are deeply honored to be acknowledged alongside other organizations working to make Maui a better place for all.”

Compassionate Care, Close to Home

Each year, Hospice Maui serves more than 600 patients and their loved ones through hospice and palliative care programs. Services are provided in homes, care facilities, and at the five-bed Hospice Maui Hale, the only inpatient hospice home in Hawai‘i with a 5-star rating from Medicare.

In addition, Hospice Maui provides:

• Palliative care visits — over 1,000 annually, supporting patients with serious illness earlier in their journey.
• Pediatric care — ensuring keiki are close to their ʻohana and support system when it’s needed most.
• Charity care — nearly $160,000 provided last year so no one is turned away due to financial need.
• Bereavement programs — workshops, groups, and memorial events serving hundreds of grieving families, free to the community.
• Volunteer support — more than 2,200 hours contributed annually.

Building the local health care workforce

Hospice Maui elders say they are deeply committed to growing and strengthening Maui County’s health care workforce. Through its partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College’s Nursing Program, Hospice Maui provides a preceptorship program that gives nursing students hands-on training in hospice and palliative care.

“This not only helps develop future clinicians but also ensures that local students gain valuable experience while serving their community,” according to the organization.

Hospice Maui also extends this commitment beyond Maui island, supporting care and training on Molokaʻi, where health care resources are limited and workforce development is essential.