100 Women Who Care Choose Malama Family Recovery

From left to right: 100 Women Founder Chelsea Hill, Malama Development Coordinator Frances Duberstein, 100 Women Maui member Jeanne Duberstein and Malama Board Member Amy Petersen

Members of 100 Women Who Care Maui recently chose Malama Family Recovery Center (Malama Na Makua A Keiki) as the winning nonprofit at their quarterly meeting at the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea.

100 Women Who Care Maui meets for one hour, four times each year, to nominate and hear from local charities and causes nominated by its members.

After each chosen organization makes a 5-minute presentation followed by a 5-minute q&a, members vote and the organization with the most votes receives a $100 check from every member. $9,372 was collected for Malama Family Recovery Center and event organizers expect more donations to come in as members who were unable to attend send in their checks.

Malama Family Recovery Center provides caring, holistic substance abuse treatment to women and children so families can live safe, independent and healthy lives. It is the only women-specific addiction treatment center on Maui and the only place where babies and young children can stay with their moms in treatment.

Funds donated at this event are supporting Malama’s programs that strengthen mother and child bonding and increase attentive parenting practices in order to improve and support the entire family’s well-being.

“We are grateful beyond words for this tremendous outpouring of support, especially from the women in our community,” said Dr. Lisa Ponichtera, Malama’s clinical director. “For an organization like ours that operates on a very limited budget, a donation of this magnitude makes a big difference. We hope each and every one of the women who played a part in this knows that their gift will make a direct impact on the mothers, children and families we serve. It’s amazing to see the difference that a determined and compassionate group of individuals can make when it comes to helping those who desperately need treatment and support.”

The first 100 Women Who Care Maui meeting was held in December 2014 and since then it has raised almost $90,000 for local causes. The group has grown to more than 300 women.

For more information, visit 100womenwhocaremaui.org.