Fire relief grant supports Maui Healing art therapy and wellness sessions

The Rotary District 5000 Foundation provided $3,600 to nonprofit Maui Healing to bolster therapeutic support and community wellness sessions during a period of great uncertainty.

The weekly sessions were offered to survivors of the August 2023 Maui Fires, and took place in Lahaina and at Hale ʻO Lāʻie in Kīhei. Maui Healing launched its weekly Art Groups in response to the thousands of displaced residents struggling to maintain the supportive connections once shared with neighbors and friends. The sessions were designed to foster emotional healing and community connection through creative expression. 

The Rotary grant primarily funded food and snacks for children attending therapy sessions. Families were able to attend sessions without the added burden of meal planning or food insecurity. Sharing meals created a safe, welcoming environment, helping clients—especially children—feel more relaxed and willing to share during therapy.

According to Ailene Schwartzlow, director of Maui Healing, the funding enhanced accessibility and effectiveness of the Art Groups and Workshops. The nonprofit reported, over the past six months, an average of 50 clients per week received support through a combination of individual and group sessions.

“The Lahaina Rotary grant has been instrumental in expanding access to therapy and wellness programs for the Lahaina community,” Schwartzlow said. “Through this support, Maui Healing Hawaiʻi has been able to serve more clients, provide consistent care and foster healing spaces where individuals and families can connect, recover and thrive.”

The Rotary District 5000 Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding humanitarian service projects, is part of the Rotary District 5000 comprising about 1,500 members, spread across 45 clubs on Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi Island. Maui is home to nine Rotary Clubs. To learn more about them, reach out to Maui Island Resource Chair Joanne Laird at mamalrd01@gmail.com.