MAUI ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY INC

Early Childhood Services consists of three programs: Head Start, Kahi Kamali`i Infant and Toddler Center, and `Ohana Strengthening. Each program is designed to support families with young children.

 

The Head Start Program in Maui County has been part of Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) Inc. since it’s inception in 1965. MEO Head Start’s mission is to promote growth and change by empowering economically challenged, high-risk, and/or special needs preschool children and their families to better succeed in life.

The MEO Head Start Program has 13 centers on Maui, 2 centers on Moloka’i, and a partnership on the island of Lana’i. MEO Head Start offers both full and part-day center options.

MEO Head Start believes in a comprehensive approach to support the child and family. Services provided include health services, oral health, nutrition, social services, early childhood education, special needs services (coordinated with the Department of Education), family involvement and training, mental health and transition. Parents are highly involved in shared decision making within the program, including curriculum, program development and individualized goals for their child. We regard parents as their child’s first teacher and work in close partnership with the family.

 

MEO Head Start is a federally funded program, with additional funds from Maui County and the State of Hawai’i. Priority is given to families who are low income and have children with special needs or disabilities.

Kahi Kamali’i is designed to be a place where children can grow and develop in a supportive, safe, nurturing environment. Young children are valued and respected as individuals, highly capable of exploring while learning new skills each and every day. Parents are regarded as the child’s first teacher, making the family unit unique and significant to our program. We believe that young children learn best in an environment that provides safety along with encouragement, security and responsive caregivers.

Kahi Kamali’i Infant/Toddler Center is a joint partnership between Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc. and the J. Walter Cameron Center. The program offers childcare services for children 12 months to 3 years of age. Space is available for up to 20 children in a beautiful facility which offers separate space for young children to explore their surroundings. Children with diagnosed specials needs are welcomed to the program and are provided with services based on their individual needs. Plans will be developed by the parents, staff and other providers involved in the child’s care. Tuition assistance may be available for qualifying families. Parent conferences, meetings and trainings are also part of the program, allowing ample opportunity for communication between family and staff.

Kahi Kamali’i Infant and Toddler Center is a partnership effort with the J. Walter Cameron Center which obtained funding to build the facility. MEO provides the operational aspect of the center, providing staff and program management. Together, the Cameron Center and MEO agencies connect collaboratively on several activities throughout the year.

 

The `Ohana Strengthening project is a partnership between the County of Maui, Maui Economic Opportunity and the Maui Community Correctional Center (MCCC) in Wailuku, Maui.

The focus of `Ohana Strengthening is family strengthening through early intervention. The program works with incarcerated women to provide parent education including information on child development and developing strong parenting skills, tools and strategies to prevent child abuse and neglect, as well as substance abuse.
Services include parenting classes provided at MCCC, parent child interaction time, and caregiver support groups. Women and their children celebrate together twice annually at a special “`Ohana Day”, scheduled in May and December to commemorate Mother’s Day and Christmas

Provides a variety of services:

BEING EMPOWERED & SAFE TOGETHER (B.E.S.T) REINTEGRATION

Provide case management and supportive services, training and employment to increase opportunities for the successful reintegration after incarceration while promoting public safety.

ENLACE HISPANO PROGRAM

Assist the Hispanic/Latino population achieve self-reliance by providing them with education, outreach, intervention, referrals, translation, immigration and other direct services

PLANNING & COORDINATING COUNCIL SENIOR COORDINATOR

Assist senior citizen clubs with organizing, recruitment and membership enrollment, advocacy, education and social activities and events.

NATIONAL FARMWORKER JOBS PROGRAM (NFJP)

Provide training and employment assistance for migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families to attain economic stability.

SENIOR COMMUNITY SERVICE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM (SCSEP)

A community service and work based training program for older workers. Authorized by the Older Americans Act, provides subsidized, service-based training for low-income persons 55 or older who are unemployed and have poor employment prospects. Placement into long term employment.

RENTAL ASSISTANCE

Prevention of homelessness; help families and heads of households find shelter or maintain their current dwelling and/or assist with utility assistance. Provide first month’s deposit and rental subsidy up to six (6) months assistance at declining amounts to achieve stability.

MAUI INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTER (MILC)

Assist individuals with disabilities, and families of individuals with disabilities, identify community resources and navigate the education and medical systems to remove barriers and empower them to be fully engaged in all aspects of life.

MYCOGEN DISLOCATED WORKER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Assist dislocated Mycogen workers on the island of Molokai remove barriers and minimize stress related to the economic impact of employment loss.

SENIOR DISCOUNT RED CARD

MEO solicits merchants to participate in this program which offers senior citizens 60 years of age or older discounts on food and merchandise when using the MEO Red Card

FINANCIAL LITERACY

Financial literacy classes for low income individuals and youth to assist them with managing their finances.

LOW INCOME HOUSING ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP)

A Federal program that provides energy assistance. Low income Maui County residents can qualify for one of two programs: Gas or electric bill payment assistance - an energy credit given to households who are experiencing difficulty paying their gas or electric bills; Energy Crisis Intervention- financial assistance given to households whose electricity is off or will be shut off.

LOW INCOME HOUSING ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP) CRISIS INTERVENTION (ECI)

This is a supplemental program that provides emergency assistance to low income individuals to restore or prevent termination of electric or gas service.

WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (WAP)

Enables low-income families to permanently reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient.

PERSONS IN NEED - 60 PLUS PROGRAM

Assists low-income individuals sixty and older, who have income at or below the 125% poverty level achieve economic security through supportive services to include subsidies for hearing aids, glasses, scooters and dental work.

SENIOR FARMERS MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM (SFMNP)

Provides low-income seniors with eligible fresh produce with the goal of improving their health and nutritional status. Each SFMNP participant will receive a book of coupons worth $50 to exchange for fresh, nutrition and unprocessed locally grown fruits, vegetables, herbs and honey from an authorized farmer, farmers market or roadside stand (outlet).

SENIOR LEGAL SERVICES

Pro bono legal services are available for simple wills or living trusts (no probate), or deeds (to change name on real property), advance care directives and other simple legal matters. Attorney Brad Ing (Ing and Associates) offers his service monthly.

MEO transportation services provided via County of Maui grant appropriation:

Kaunoa Leisure Program

Senior Nutrition Program

Ka Lima O Maui Program

Employment for the Disabled, Low-income and Economically Challenged

Rural Shuttle

Youth Transportation (Maui & Moloka’i)

Easter Seals & Adult Day Care

Youth Transportation

Ala Hou Transportation

Dialysis Transportation

Paratransit Services

Transit provider for Maui County – Emergency Operation Center

EMPLOYMENT CREATION

Promote economic self-sufficiency through micro enterprise lending and training/technical assistance. Provide loans to assist low and moderate-income entrepreneurs start and/or expand a small business. Provide a 36-hour business planning course that focuses on the writing of a business plan, and eight, three-hour Be Strategic workshops for existing businesses to prepare for growth in their business, with a Strategic Business Plan. Other technical assistance includes credit assessment and business consulting for BDC micro loan borrowers and micro loan applicants.