Maggie Batangan

May marks Community Action Month — a nationwide event to commemorate the value and meaning of the work of Community Action Agencies. At Maui Economic Opportunity Inc., we are proud to be Maui County’s Community Action Agency, a designation that dates back to 1965.

Our history is entwined with both federal and local government and offers a good perspective on why Community Action remains a critical partner to government agencies. In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act as part of his “War on Poverty” to “eliminate the paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty.” The act established Community Action Agencies to fight poverty by empowering low-income families and individuals to secure opportunities and become self-sufficient. Over 1,000 CAAs were established nationwide.

Our 1965 charter states that one of our purposes is to “promote the mobilization and utilization of public and private resources, and to enlist the participation of residents in the community.” From the start, we were meant to fill gaps, acting as a more nimble extension of public programs and initiatives.

Federal legislation envisioned local CAAs as an extension of local government. In fact, many nationwide chose to organize as a public agency. In Maui County, the choice was made to establish a private agency, one that would give the community a voice and allow for flexible responses to community problems.

In 1968 the federal government required local jurisdictions to formally designate their CAAs. Then-Chairman and Executive Officer Elmer Cravalho designated MEO as the county’s Community Action Agency, establishing an effective public-private partnership spanning over 60 years. Cravalho was a champion for MEO who also served as Maui’s very first mayor, and the first Speaker of the Hawaii House of Representatives.

As a CAA, MEO continues to be funded in part by the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG). CSBG is federal funding that empowers local communities by cutting red tape, reducing government dependency, and driving private-sector job creation. With strong accountability and a commitment to financial prudence, CSBG delivers measurable results, keeping decisions in local hands where they belong.

Today, MEO has more than 30 programs based on community needs. We listen to the community and develop programs based on their needs — rather than what we think they need. In the spirit of Community Action, our trademark has become the ability to stand up programs quickly while also adhering to high-standards of accountability.

While much has changed over time, the effectiveness of Community Action is shown in the ongoing community impact of MEO in Maui County. We continue to support government initiatives, fill gaps and use diverse resources in our quest of “Helping People. Changing Lives.”

Maggie Batangan is Executive Director of Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc. For more information, go to meoinc.org or call (808) 249-2990.