Program areas at MEO
Transportation services program: provide transportation to eliminate barriers and promote self-sufficiency. Increase the availability and affordability of opportunities for low-income, persons with special needs, seniors and youth through social services transportation. Approximately 5,397 passengers in the target population (seniors, persons with disabilities, low income individuals, children and youth) took trips to and from nutrition sites, senior programs, day health, dialysis, and after school programs and activities. The number of passenger boardings including ada paratransit service totaled approximately 210,208.
Meo business development center (meo bdc) offers business planning classes and consultation, financial literacy, and microloans for small business startup operations or expansion, and agricultural micro grants for local operating farms on Maui, molokai and lanai to increase the farm's capacity, productivity, name recognition and income. 58 farms received micro grant assistance during the second year of the funding.the meo bdc business planning or core four course assisted 196 businesses in the development of a realistic, achievable business plan. The five-week program is offered throughout the year on Maui, molokai, and lanai. 750 individuals attended financial literacy classes that focused on increasing financial health, including saving, budgeting, lending and investment information.
Early childhood services includes the federally funded meo head start preschool program that provided comprehensive services to income eligible families and promotes school readiness for children ages three to five years old. Comprehensive services are provided to enrolled children and their families, which include health, nutrition, social, and other services determined to be necessary by the family needs assessment. A total of 165 children and 161 families were served by the program during the 2021-22 program year. Due to lingering covid 19 pandemic exposure and closure of centers, many efforts were made to stay connected with enrolled children and families. Community partners assisted with shelf life food for weekends and Opportunity to purchase local produce. Extended day services and summer program were provided with county resources.the kahi kamalii infant and toddler program provides quality early childhood services to families that are employed full time. The program serves children aged 12 months to 3 years. The goal of the program is to provide center-based care for young children so families can successfully obtain and maintain self- sufficiency. The program is supported by the county of Maui.
Other program services include crisis and emergency assistance to stabilized households evidence based youth prevention programs, employment and training, business plan classes and technical assistance, microloans, reintegration support services, hispanic acculturation services, weatherization, liheap programs, the senior farmers market nutrition program, and community services block grant that funds agency-wide administration and programs that support low income individuals and families. Highlights for the fiscal year included expanding youth prevention services to the island of molokai, expanding the senior farmer's market nutrition program to assist low-income families, hosted computer 001 classes to assist seniors and others chip away at the digital divide, participated in the Maui county comprehensive Economic development strategy focus groups and conducted meo's triannual community needs assessment to develop the organization's community action and strategic plan.