Amazon Founder Donates to The Maui Farm

The Maui Farm announced it recently received a generous gift from Amazon founder and Executive Chair Jeff Bezos.  The amount was not disclosed.

This is the second such gift announced recently by a Maui nonprofit from the e-commerce executive. Earlier this week, the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of Maui also announced the receipt of a donation.

The Maui Farm offers safe, transitional housing specifically focused on meeting the needs of women and their children who have overcome significant life challenges such as domestic violence, substance abuse, and homelessness. The Maui Farm’s programs uniquely integrate farm-based, and place-based approaches to strengthen families and teach life skills that will allow them to become and remain self-sufficient.

At The Maui Farm, families have a fresh start where they can connect with the land, each other, and their community in a safe and supportive environment.

“We are deeply grateful for Mr. Bezos’  donation to aid our critical work,” said Executive Director of The Maui Farm, Kandice Johns. “Healthy families are the foundation of a resilient community. The Maui Farm’s farm-based approach to strengthening families has successfully helped hundreds of families avoid homelessness and stop the cycle of poverty, abuse and neglect.”

Using its educational farm as the platform for all services, The Maui Farm achieves its mission through programs that develop skills in financial management, self-advocacy, employment and housing readiness. In addition to the Family Strengthening Program provided to residents, The Maui Farm also offers educational opportunities for the broader community, such as service learning projects and monthly farm tours.

The Maui Farm will use the gift from Bezos to best further its mission, operations and programs in the near and long term. However, the true beneficiaries are the countless families and children on Maui who are struggling with the challenges of homelessness, family violence, and substance abuse that will now be assured that there is a legacy of hope in place to help lift and strengthen them to reach their full potential.

Beth Mathias, Board Chairperson said, “This generous gift will allow us to grow the organization’s endowment to promote long-term sustainability of our programs while positioning The Maui Farm for future growth opportunities to expand our mission and reach.”

Founded in 1985, The Maui Farm, Inc. is a community-based 501c3 nonprofit organization providing transitional housing and farm-based, family-centered programs that teach essential life skills for self-sufficient living.