The Healing Journey (Maui Economic Recovery through Community Healing)

erc projects

The Healing Journey (Maui Economic Recovery through Community Healing)

Build local capacity to curate and host gatherings and events that fosters ongoing wellness and healing in tandem with workforce and economic development

Project Description

West Maui residents identified healing and gathering as key and foundational components to economic recovery, and this project plans regular community convenings with mental health and healing services, retail, food, entertainment, something like The Garden for reflection and quiet time, and gathering spaces for displaced families and community members.

These convenings will promote healing through gathering and relationships, offer well-being and mental health support, and provide opportunities for both keiki and kupuna to reconnect with their culture and community.

Purpose

This project curates and envisions community events deeply rooted in Lahaina's unique and diverse culture and seeks to build capacity among local community organizers and eventually establish a local event planner to pool resources from across the state.

The goal is to produce two years of seasonal convenings serving Lahaina. Beginning in August, the funding will be utilized to develop the plan, with the first community event targeted for Fall 2024.

Some desired outcomes include:

Sustainability:
- Communities hosting their own events (e.g., in their own rec parks)
- People motivated and inspired to continue this work in their own communities
Healing through community, healed together and capacity to move forward into the future
- Less heaviness because people have been heard, have resources and the community to move forward
- People enjoying spending time together and making own plans (re: connections in neighborhood spaces)
- Community relationships established and reestablished–people you can count on because you’ve spent time together
- SMILES
- More connectivity, shared, clear, dependable information

Support for the healers: space and exchange
Destigmatize help for healing
Instill confidence and trust in collaboration

Alignment with West Maui Community Plan (WMCP)

Goal 2.5 - Safe, healthy, livable communities for all.

Interdependencies and Roadblocks

Interest from West Maui community members
Location and infrastructure needed to host events in a welcoming environment
Assuring that the event is attended by the West Maui community in need without making it feel exclusive
Reaching the displaced community in ways that with which they are comfortable with (Working with County to find the displaced community and invite them)

Next Steps

Reconvene project team with community members
Identify date of first gathering

Project Details

Cost Estimate:

$800,000
Date of Estimate: August 24, 2024

Potential Funding Sources:

Committed funding: Seed funding from Hawai‘i Leadership Foundation - $75,000
Commitment from project team members: gain corporate sponsorship for future gatherings and expenses
This project does not require County of Maui funding

Project Lead

Initial project coordinator: Under My Umbrella

Project Partners

LahainaTown Action Committee (LAC) - Tambara Garrick
Hui Ho‘omalu - Aunty Momi Awo and Kehau Kahanu
Under My Umbrella - Amanda Corby Noguchi
Chef Hui- Melissa Padilla

Other ERC Projects

Designing Permitting Processes for Accelerated West Maui and Kula Recovery: A Project for Rebuilding

Developing and Integrating a Maui Workforce Ecosystem

Expanding R-1 Water System to Lahaina

Pathways to Prosperity: Health, Housing, and Economic Diversity for All

Regaining Lahaina’s Harbor for Economic Resilience

Story Mapping and Abundance Planning for Economic Recovery

Wai Dashboard

West Maui Water Management Plan

Advancing an Agricultural, Natural Resource & Food Systems Workforce Task Force

Lahaina Business Park

Back to ERC

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Key Highlights

ERC members share from the ERC process:

The opportunity to get to know and work with others, who they normally would not meet, in meaningful ways
A new way of doing business together for shared goals: Time to build foundations and relationships, to learn, and to think broadly about what Maui needs for long-term recovery has been really appreciated and is crucial for real impact
Witnessing a de-siloing of government (across levels) and experiencing working with agencies and across sectors provides hope
Mayor Bissen announced that there will be private funding to support two years of project management, so relationships, new ways of doing business together, and the projects will continue through implementation, and our administration will continue to support the people of the Maui and the County after this warm hand-off

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erc projects