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Almost 150 people are off the job as the federal funding remains in peril for at least two agencies tasked with helping Maui recover from the August 2023 wildfires.
Citing issues with funding, Maui Economic Opportunity announced Monday that the National Dislocated Worker Grant, or NDWG, which provided jobs for people affected by the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires has been shut down.
According to MEO, the program also provided labor at no cost for sites doing recovery work from the wildfires that killed more than 100 people and burned much of Lahaina.
The MEO says the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations informed MEO on Monday that the department did not have enough money to cover MEO’s January reimbursement, and that continued funding through the U.S. Department of Labor remained uncertain. The program is structured so that MEO fronts payments, and the state reimburses the local nonprofit organization.
"That left us no choice other than shutting down immediately to prevent incurring further potentially non-reimbursable expenses," MEO CEO Debbie Cabebe said in a statement.
"We do not have an abundance of discretionary funding to cover potentially millions of dollars in expenses," she continued, noting that MEO had hoped to continue NDWG through Sept. 30.
Additionally, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement announced on Tuesday that 17 employees assigned to its Kākoʻo Maui recovery programs have also been placed on leave following unexpected federal funding cuts.
According to CNHA, these employees played a critical role in providing direct assistance to wildfire survivors, particularly at the Kākoʻo Distribution Center, which has temporarily closed due to the staffing loss.
"Today, just like many other community organizations, Kākoʻo Maui is faced with the loss of a majority of our staff due to a federal funding freeze affecting the National Dislocated Workers Grant," the organization wrote in an email. "This loss has led to the temporary closure of the Kākoʻo Distribution Center. As we continue to work through staffing challenges, currently scheduled appointments will be canceled until further notice."
The CNHA is reportedly working to identify alternative funding sources to support its programs and bring the affected employees back.
"These employees have been the backbone of our Maui recovery efforts, ensuring that thousands of Lahaina residents had food, shelter and essential supplies," said Kūhiō Lewis, CEO of CNHA, in a statement. "This funding cut was made without a clear assessment of its impact, and the loss of these jobs will disrupt services that families still rely on every day. CNHA is actively working to restore these positions and prevent further disruptions to recovery efforts."
For the 131 NDWG workers who lost their jobs Monday, MEO said it is committed to placing all participants in regular jobs, working with Employers Options and the Maui County American Job Center.
"We are deeply saddened by this unfortunate turn of events related to the federal funding environment," Cabebe said. "We had plans and expectations to run the program through Sept. 30."
NDWG was announced on Oct. 18, 2023, and since then has placed more than 300 people in temporary jobs ranging from $20.50 to $27 an hour at 51 host sites.
"NDWG was launched with the best of intentions in the midst of the suffering, devastation and chaos in the aftermath of the wildfires," Cabebe said. "The goal was to stand up the program quickly to help those impacted by the wildfires gain footing as they made decisions about their future."
"Looking back, the program was a win-win for participants and host sites providing important and necessary services. MEO will continue to support and look for ways to assist those impacted by the wildfires."
At the same time, CNHA is also exploring other long-term funding strategies to support Maui's recovery efforts.
"We are committed to finding solutions -- not just in the short term but for the long haul,"
Lewis said. "Recovery doesn't stop when federal funding dries up. Maui families deserve stability, and we will do everything in our power to ensure that continues."
In response to funding cuts, Lewis is traveling to Washington, D.C., to meet with federal officials to advocate for the restoration of program funding.
"Our message to policymakers is simple: These services are still desperately needed, and cuts like these have real consequences for real families," Lewis said.
MEO will also be hosting a resource fair for NDWG workers from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at MEO in Wailuku, 99 Mahalani St., behind the J. Walter Cameron Center.
There were 27 host sites performing wildfire cleanup, recovery and humanitarian work on Monday. Because of the way the program was structured, host sites were not the employers of record; Employers Options was.
According to MEO, NDWG participants must contact Employers Options to ensure receiving eligible benefits -- including unemployment compensation. Failure to update resumes and apply for jobs may disqualify workers from unemployment benefits.
Employers Options can be reached at (808) 877-6555. The Maui American Job Center is located at 110 Ala'ihi St., Ste. 209, Kahului and can be accessed online at MauiCounty.gov/1116/Maui-American-Job-Center.
MEO Community Services Director Cassi Yamashita is another resource and can be reached by email at cassi.yamashita@meoinc.org or by phone at (808) 243-4359.
Host sites with questions can contact Cabebe by email at debbie.cabebe@meoinc.org or by phone at (808) 870-1906.