Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 35, Number 6, 1 June 2018 — Aloha mai kākou, [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Aloha mai kākou,

' 'ŌLELO A KA LUNA HO'OKELE V 1 MESSAGEFROMTHECEO r

RESPONDING IN T I M E S 0F CRITICAL NEED

We're often asked how the Office of Hawaiian Affairs improves conditions for Native Hawaiians. How we respond is now more critical than ever, as communities on either end of the main pae 'āina eope with catastrophic events and uncertain futures. Historic flooding along Kaua'i's north shore and an explosive eruption in the Kīlauea East Rift Zone on Hawai'i Island eall for distinctly different approaches. Collectively, however, they've forced thousands of residents to evacuate, and an untold number of homeowners and renters will have nothing to retum to. We have a duty to respond to the staggering needs of these communities - of our people - and do what we ean to help them resume a sense of normalcy. We've hit the ground ranning in Kaua'i, where an intense, record-setting deluge in April dumped 28 inches of rain on the Waipā ahupua'a over a 24-hour period. At the time, some 300 homes were evacuated. While most of the island has recovered, the hardest-hit areas continue to suffer. OHA responded immediately by donating fuel, then followed up in the field when our beneficiaries raised concerns that weren't rising to the media's attention. In May, a team from OHA's administration and Trustee Dan Ahuna's office went into these remote areas to see the damage firsthand and talk with community members on the ground to assess how OHA ean contribute in a meaningful way. Hā'ena, Wainiha and Hanalei residents have shown tremendous resiliency and initiative, coming together to help with the elean up, ran donation centers and operate shuttles in and out of areas where highway repairs restrict access. But we need to meet them more than halfway, whieh calls for out-of-the-box thinking to cut through bureaucracy and address immediate needs. I will be working closely with our Board of Trustees to direct much-needed OHA resources to both Kaua'i and Puna. Plans include $500,000 in relief aid; additional funding through our emergency, home improvement and business loan programs; and OHA staff outreach. We will be posting updates on our support efforts on oha.

org/kauai and oha.org/puna. The situation in Puna is still evolving. At the time of publication, the explosive eraption showed no signs of stopping. Thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate as the lava flow entered resi- ' dential subdivisions, cut off highway access and sent toxic volcanic ash and gases into neighboring areas. There's an immediate need for transitional and permanent housing, and we need to provide other types of support to help people eope mentally and emotionally during this traumatic time. As we did in Kaua'i, we'll be sending a team to Hawai'i Island to hear directly from Puna beneficiaries. In addition to relief dollars, OHA ean invest time and leverage resour'>pc

We ean work wilh service providers, such as Helping Hands and Cafi olie Charities, who administer the OHA-funded Pūnāwai Program that provides emergency financial assistance for Native Hawaiians. We ean advocate for our beneficiaries before state agencies and ;

nonprofit organizations. We ean put people on the ground to reall) understand and address the unique needs in eaeh community. And we ean commit for the long haul and go the extra mile to help residents kūkulu hou, to rebuild. Beneficiaries on Kaua'i and Hawai'i Island have set an example by coming forward to help their neighbors in these times of crisis. We need to follow their lead, step out of the box and step up to the challenge. ■ 'O au iho nō me ke aloha a me ka 'oia'i'o.

Kamana'opono M. Crabbe, Ph.D. Ka Pouhana/Chief Executive 0fficer