The County of Hawaiʻi, in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation (HCF), announced $586,917 in Puna Strong Collaboration Grants to support community resilience and disaster readiness in Puna.
Created in response to the 2018 Kīlauea eruption, Puna Strong has awarded more than $2.1 million in total funding. The Puna Strong Collaboration Grant program is the next phase of this effort to support the impactful work of community organizations.
Puna Strong is made possible by financial support from the County’s recovery funds and HCF’s Hawaiʻi Island Strong Fund.
In this latest round, Puna Strong Collaboration Grants have been awarded to 13 organizations whose projects align with the Kīlauea Recovery and Resilience Plan and will advance sustainability and capacity building across various sectors with communities throughout Puna.
The organizations are:
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Removing Barriers to Transportation for Puna Youth |
$36,452 |
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Hawaiʻi Animal Kuleana Alliance (HAKA) creates personalized emergency plan videos with a focus on the specific needs of Puna residents. |
$47,465 |
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The PueoWorks Community Robotics and Technology Center serves as a resource hub for students and community members at Keonepoko Elementary School. |
$50,000 |
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Establishes a teacher resource room to enhance access to education for young families in lower Puna. |
$50,000 |
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Access to Education and Outreach on Community Resilience |
$23,000 |
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Smoke It Up! promotes the consumption of feral pig meat to enhance food security and support the agricultural economy. |
$50,000 |
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Malamalama Waldorf School Community Plant Nursery to increase its plant propagation capacity. |
$30,000 |
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Men of PAʻA Mentorship Initiative supports the successful reentry of justice-involved individuals. |
$50,000 |
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Ku Mai Puna program enhances community capacity and resilience through two cohorts featuring four Hawaiian Cultural classes and one community event. |
$50,000 |
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Māla Hoʻoulu ʻIke inspires agricultural opportunities to create a self-sustainable life for ʻohana and community. |
$50,000 |
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Malama Kaʻakepa Pohaku Pelemaka and Na Lauʻo o Kaʻakepa are collaboratively stewarding the Kaʻakepa area by addressing environmental misuse and developing a comprehensive management plan. |
$50,000 |
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Puna Ola: Community Resource Center partners with 16 organizations to deliver 69 impactful events fostering community engagement and connection throughout Puna. |
$50,000 |
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Malama Design Studio (MDS), a 9-month accelerator for early-stage Native Hawaiian-owned businesses, and internship opportunities. |
$50,000 |
Each of the organizations mentioned above was chosen for its commitment to addressing community needs and fostering innovative collaborations that will enhance resilience and quality of life for Puna residents.
To learn more about the Puna Strong grant recipients and our other grant programs, visit recovery.hawaiicounty.gov/resources/recovery-grants.
Photo credit: County of Hawaiʻi