KAIBIGAN NG LAHAINA
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Mission Statement
Kaibigan ng Lahaina strives to be the vanguards of Filipinos and Immigrants in West Maui leading the path towards assuring socioeconomic mobility, mental health and wellness, and advancement in educational and professional development.
About This Cause
Kaibigan ng Lahaina (KnL) “Friends of Lahaina” was created in response to the Lahaina wildfire disaster by a collective of Lahaina-grown Filipino residents dedicated to addressing the needs of the impacted Lahaina Filipino community. KnL is unique among other disaster response organizations because many of its members have been directly impacted by the disaster. Since our founding, members have been actively contributing to the welfare of the Filipino community in Lahaina and have played a key part in the community’s recovery. KnL was instrumental in organizing two Filipino resource fairs, Hawak Kamay I and II, at the Lahaina Disaster Relief Center. Hawak Kamay I served over 2,750 people through 80 partner organizations. Hawak Kamay II served over 1,200 people through 16+ organizations in order to encourage survivors to meet federal agency deadlines. These events provided a platform to inform the community about disaster relief and recovery resources, offering much needed translation services in a culturally grounded way that our Filipino community needs. These events allowed impacted families to apply for disaster relief with the help of cultural navigators in the spirit of the Filipino concept of Hawak Kamay (holding hands). KnL is led by a 11-member Board of Directors. In addition to being involved in the Filipino community, the Board of Directors collectively represents years of experience in the following industries/sectors in the community: Kokua Kalihi Valley Family Comprehensive Services, a federally qualified health center (FQHC), Maui Youth & Family Services, Hawaiʻi Department of Education, University of Hawaiʻi System, Boys & Girls Club of America, Hawaiʻi State Legislature, Maui County Council, UNITE Here Local 5, Maui Time Weekly, private practice and small business ownership. Through recognition of our organization, members also sit on the Mayor’s Lahaina Advisory Council, Ho'ōla iā Mauiakama Long-term Recovery Group (LTRG) Executive Committee, and the Hawaiʻi Executive Collaborative (HEC) Discovering Hawaii's Soul initiative. We have partnered with CNHA and the immigrant-serving organization Roots Reborn to distribute a needs-assessment survey. We have provided language access in Tagalog and Ilokano and continue to build infrastructure for disaster case management. We recognize the transition needed from short-term relief to long-term recovery and aim to establish a culturally-grounded, Lahaina resource center to support all fire survivors. KnL plans to establish a Resource Center as a hub for the community, offering a centralized location for resources and support. A physical center would help give the community a place to meet and identify for services, in an attempt to decrease the barriers the Filipino community may face in getting assistance. It is also pertinent to note that unlike other organizations that may serve Filipinos in Lahaina, KnL is a Lahaina-led Filipino organization who has the most insight and influence in the community. KnL is unique among other Lahaina-serving disaster response organizations because many of our members have been directly impacted by the disaster. KnL plans to establish a framework for long-term case management through continuous support for evolving needs and circumstances. A similar concept is the Kākoʻo Maui Relief & Aid Services Center in Kahului, through the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement. Beyond recovery, KnL dedicates itself to the recovery and strengthening of the community. There also is a need to diversify the workforce, to ensuring that Filipinos are not confined to dominating the service industry and, in turn, building and supporting a community infrastructure within Lahaina community to serve as a go-to resource for individuals seeking assistance or guidance and ensuring that the community is well-prepared for any future disasters.