Puna Strong Grants Program Launched - Hawaii County
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kilauearecovery@hawaiicounty.gov
Newsletter
Puna Strong Grants Program Launched
Hawai‘i County Mayor Mitch Roth Puna Strong has a community-based
and the Hawai‘i Community Founda- disaster management approach that
tion (HCF) on Jan. 7 announced the values the knowledge and capacities of
launch of the Puna Strong grants pro- residents and builds on local resources,
gram with funding from the County’s including social capital, and aims to in-
Kīlauea disaster recovery funds and crease community resilience. Communi-
HCF’s Hawai‘i Island Volcano Recovery ty resilience is the ability for the commu-
Fund. The focus of Puna Strong will be “This partnership between Hawai‘i nity to efficiently use available resources
on building community resilience for Community Foundation and Hawai‘i to respond to, withstand, and recover
the Puna communities impacted by the County represents a new way of work- from adverse situations such as the Kīla-
2018 Kīlauea eruption on Hawai‘i Island ing together across sectors for a com- uea eruption of 2018.
with a $350,000 investment in non- mon goal of building a resilient and vi- “From the aftermath of the volcano
profit organizations and partnerships brant community,” said Mayor Roth.
leading community-driven projects. See PUNA STRONG on Page 2
HUD Notices
Published
The U.S. Department of Housing and A webcam captures
Urban Development (HUD) published the lava lake inside
notices Jan. 6 in the Federal Register allo- Halema‘uma‘u on
cating additional recovery assistance, Jan. 8.
including two grants totaling $30.58 mil-
lion to Hawai‘i County.
The grants, previously announced in
Keeping Tabs on Kīlauea
August 2020, include $23.72 million in
additional Community Development The latest Kīlauea eruption began Dec. 20 as fissures opened up inside Hale-
Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) ma‘uma‘u crater at the volcano’s summit.
funding to address unmet housing recov- The eruption ended a two-year hiatus in eruptive activity and evaporated a water
ery needs from the 2018 Kīlauea eruption lake that existed at the base of the crater following the 2018 caldera collapse.
and $6.86 million in Community Develop- As of Jan. 8, the new lava lake was at a depth of 636 feet. According to HVO, there
ment Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) was “no seismic or deformation data to indicate that additional magma” was moving
to reduce long-term risk from natural into the rift zones at that time.
disasters. The notices outline the rules Updates on the volcano’s status can be found at https://www.usgs.gov/
and requirements set by HUD in order for observatories/hawaiian-volcano-observatory.
See HUD on Page 3
January-February 2021 Page 2 recovery.hawaiicounty.gov
Case Management Program Nears Conclusion
$800,000+ provided to Kīlauea Hui Funders
• Salvation Army • American Red Cross
nearly 100 households •
• Catholic Charities Hawai‘i Island United Way
A group of local charities known as the • Hawai‘i Community Foundation • Two anonymous sources
Kīlauea Hui has helped dozens of house-
holds following the 2018 eruption
through the County of Hawaii’s Case
Management program.
The program is a partnership between
the County, Neighborhood Place of Pu-
na, and the seven funding members of
the hui, who provide grants to help resi-
dents meet their individual recovery
needs.
The program started in September
2019 with the County awarding the Case
Management contract to Neighborhood
Place of Puna. Clients were accepted
until May 31, 2020. The program comes
to a close in February.
By the end of 2020, the Case Manage- Puna residents affected by the 2018 Kīlauea eruption received $829,154 in assistance
ment program had connected 97 house- through the Case Management program, primarily from the Kīlauea Hui, by the end of
holds to $829,154, with nearly all of the 2020.
assistance coming directly from the
charities themselves. Funds have gone PUNA STRONG From front page Darrin & Darien Gee Family Fund, estab-
toward such needs as repairing catch- eruption, we saw how the people of lished the Hawai‘i Island Volcano Recov-
ment tanks and homes, or replacing Hawai‘i Island rose up to strengthen, ery Fund to assist with recovery efforts
farm equipment lost during the erup- rebuild and heal the community,” said of those impacted by the Kīlauea volca-
tion. The hui also helped some residents Diane Chadwick, HCF’s director of com- no eruption.
receive additional assistance from the munity philanthropy on Hawai‘i Island. “Puna Strong is another thoughtful,
Federal Emergency Management Agen- “We are excited to work with Hawai‘i strategic tool designed to help residents
cy. County to continue supporting this take action,” said Council Member Ash-
“Without the Case Management pro- community so that they feel ready and ley Kierkiewicz. “I’m excited about the
gram, we would not have been able to empowered to take on future challeng- opportunity for community to pilot initi-
assist as many individuals and families as es.” atives or scale up programs that make a
we did,” said Victor Leonardi, divisional The four-month-long eruption de- positive difference, helping Puna on its
director of emergency services & safety stroyed hundreds of homes and severe- journey to heal and bounce forward.”
for The Salvation Army and Kīlauea Hui ly impacted area farms, and public and Recently released by Hawai‘i County,
chairman. private infrastructure. It coincided with the Kīlauea Recovery and Resilience
“It takes a lot of collaboration and co- the end of the 35-year-long Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō Plan describes the community resilience
ordinated effort to make all the pieces eruption that also significantly impact- strategy that will guide grantmaking
of the puzzle fit back together for survi- ed the region. under Puna Strong. This strategy aims
vors.” In May 2018, HCF, alongside Ander- to:
son-Beck Fund, Jack’s Fund and the
See PUNA STRONG on Page 3
January-February 2021 Page 3 recovery.hawaiicounty.gov
HUD From front page
the County and other grant recipients to KĪlauea Recovery Plans Released
receive funding allocated by Congress for
disasters in 2018 and 2019.
HUD previously allocated to the County
$83.84 million in CDBG-DR funding to
address unmet housing recovery needs
from the eruption. The County submitted
Cover art for the
an Action Plan outlining initiatives to be
Kīlauea Recov-
supported with the grant – a voluntary
ery and Resili-
housing relocation program and housing
ence Plan was
relocation services — which HUD ap-
designed by
proved in October 2020. Funds will be
Jubilee Nelson
released following approval of a grant
Drake of Hawai‘i
agreement.
Academy of Arts
Both CDBG-DR grants must be used to
and Science.
address unmet housing recovery needs,
according to HUD. The County has 180 Hawai‘i County announced on Dec. 4 the release of the Kīlauea Recovery and Resili-
days to submit an amendment to its Ac- ence Plan, a strategic document that will continue to guide recovery following the
tion Plan addressing use of the latest 2018 Kīlauea eruption, and two supporting documents – an islandwide Volcanic Risk
CDBG-DR grant. Assessment and an Economic Recovery Plan. (To view each of the plans, visit recov-
The County is working to identify addi- ery.hawaiicounty.gov.)
tional housing solutions that could be Together, these documents integrate broad-base community engagement and tech-
added through the amendment process. nical data in the development of recovery strategies and projects that will help the
The CDBG-MIT funds will require a sep- Puna District and the island as a whole become more resilient to natural hazards.
arate Action Plan to be submitted within “The 2018 eruption was a devastating event for many that changed our lives and
270 days. Both actions require a public our landscape,” said Douglas Le, the County’s Disaster Recovery Officer. “But every
comment period. disaster creates opportunities to learn from the past and shape our future. With the
According to the CDBG-MIT notice, the assistance of state and federal disaster funding, the Kīlauea Recovery and Resilience
hazard mitigation funds are to be used to Plan and its supporting documents will help residents secure housing, build a more
increase “resilience to disasters and re- resilient economy, prepare for future disasters, and protect our natural and cultural
duce or eliminate the long-term risk of resources.”
loss of life, injury, damage to and loss of The Kīlauea Recovery and Resilience Plan builds on recovery initiatives that are on-
property, and suffering and hardship, by going and identifies additional projects for support that fit within three strategies:
lessening the impact of future disasters.” Kīlauea Eruption Recovery, Disaster Readiness, and Community Resilience.
PUNA STRONG From page 2 made to nonprofit organizations with a
any questions. Letters of interest will
• Build networks and community ca- 501c3 tax status, as well as partnerships
also be accepted and can be submitted
pacity that connect nonprofit organizations
to Diane Chadwick at dchadwick@hcf-
• Invest in revitalization efforts to and community groups taking action on
hawaii.org by Feb. 15, 2021. Include the
support disaster resilience community resilience. HCF encourages
name of the nonprofit organization and
• Promote economic growth organizations and individuals from the
partners, contact information, and a
• Identify areas for natural and cultur- communities of Puna to reach out and
brief description of the project or pro-
al resource management and agri- explore potential projects or initiatives
gram that addresses the community
culture development to be considered for funding. Please
resilience focus of Puna Strong. Inquiries
• Improve access to goods and ser- contact Diane Chadwick at dchad-
will be followed up with by a member of
vices. wick@hcf-hawaii.org or 808-938-8533
HCF’s Hawai‘i Island team.
Grants and technical support will be to discuss potential projects, and with
January-February 2021 Page 4 recovery.hawaiicounty.gov
Staying Connected
Kīlauea Recovery Youth Interns discuss resilience & recovery during COVID-19, post-eruption
Ua Alencastre-Galimba Devin Jose Travis Chai Andrade
While growing up, Ua Alencastre- tion.” bring a fresh and open look at issues.
Galimba got an early education in com- Bob Agres, the Recovery Team’s Com- “We help bring that long-term view,”
munity planning. Her mom, Michelle munity Engagement Manager, works she said.
Galimba, sat on the Steering Committee with the interns as part of a pilot pro- Each of the students are back home on
for the Ka‘ū Community Development gram. He said the Recovery Team takes Hawai‘i Island while taking remote cours-
Plan, and she would often attend youth engagement seriously. es due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While
meetings with her. “We often hear people point to youth a challenge, it’s something that they’ve
“I was in elementary through high as our future, our salvation – and yet each adapted to.
school in those meetings,” said Alencas- meaningful opportunities for youth to “I think it goes to show that resilience
tre-Galimba, who is now a 19-year-old lift up their voice and contribute their is not just limited to the Kīlauea erup-
Harvard University student. insights and leadership to shape our tion,” said Chai Andrade, a 19-year-old
As a Youth Recovery Intern for the island community are rare,” Agres student at Princeton University. “It’s a
County of Hawai‘i’s Kīlauea Recovery said. “When young people discover much bigger goal.”
Team, she also now has a seat at the they can be agents of change, wonder- He was previously an intern with the
table. The interns — Alencastre- ful things happen – they serve in their Recovery Team while attending high
Galimba, Devin Jose and Travis Chai An- communities, learn about public issues, school, received an Honorable Mention
drade — are all graduates of Kamehame- create innovative solutions to tough for his submission in the Nā ‘Ōpio o Puna
ha Schools and assist the County with public challenges, and become the vot- Art Contest, and was a Kīlauea Recovery
tasks such as community engagement ers and community builders and leaders SpeakOut youth panelist.
and the creation of Working Groups to we need for a strong and resilient is- Chai Andrade said he is encouraging
help implement the Kīlauea Recovery land of Hawai‘i.” the Recovery Team to ensure there is a
and Resilience Plan. Jose, a 19-year-old student at Grand mentorship aspect to the youth partici-
“It’s a growing importance,” Alencastre Canyon University, said she feels that pants in the Working Groups. The groups
-Galimba said. “I think the efforts toward their input is being heard. will be structured around resilience capa-
resilience, when you talk about resili- “I felt so validated with the way they bilities and include public, private and
ence, who we are building resilience for, were taking our suggestions and our community partners.
it’s for the next generation and after me. questions,” she said. “It creates this large network of people
So, I think with the idea of building a Jose said one of the values of getting that youth can reach out to if they have a
resilience community, it seems like input from young adults is that they can question or if they are curious about a
youth should be part of that conversa- career or different projects,” he said.
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