Kā‘anapali Ocean Resort Charitable Foundation gifts $15,000 to MEO infant/toddler center

The Kā‘anapali Ocean Resort Charitable Foundation selected Maui Economic Opportunity’s Kahi Kamali‘i Infant Toddler Center for a $15,000 gift to support safe and affordable child care.

“The Foundation’s mission is to communicate and demonstrate ho‘okipa (generous hospitality) and mālama (deep care) for our community by supporting local charitable needs. Supporting your organization aligns with these core values,” said Melissa Pavlicek of the Kā‘anapali Ocean Resort Charitable Foundation in a letter to MEO.

The Kā‘anapali Ocean Resort Charitable Foundation and Trust have donated a total of $55,000 to the Kahi Kamali‘i Infant Toddler Center over the past four years.

Kahi Kamali‘i, located at the J. Walter Cameron Center in Wailuku, provides child care for 1 to 3 year olds. Unlike MEO’s Head Start, the center is open to all families, though financial assistance is available through Maui County scholarships and Child Care Connection subsidies.

The infant toddler center opened in 2003 as a partnership with the Cameron Center to address the need for center-based quality care for children under 3 years old. The program is licensed by the state Department of Human Services and is currently at capacity.

Licensing requirements at Kahi Kamali‘i include staffing of one lead caregiver and two other caregivers to maintain a ratio of 1 adult to 5 children.

“How do we as a community expect young parents on Maui to work or go to school and support their families amid limited and costly child care options?” asked MEO CEO Debbie Cabebe. “We applaud and genuinely thank the Kā‘anapali Ocean Resort Charitable Foundation for helping MEO maintain operation of Kahi Kamali‘i and keeping the costs down.

“Even with subsidies, tuition is a struggle.”

Kahi Kamali‘i is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. For more information about Kahi Kamali‘i Infant Toddler Center, call 808-249-2988.