Youth Leadership Fuels Lāhainā Recovery: Waipahu JROTC Donation Helps Lāhainā’s Mental Health Resiliency and Recovery
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Paulo Faleafine Jr.
Phone: 808-264-9887
Email: paulo@hi-nmii.org
Website: www.hi-nmii.org
LĀHAINĀ, MAUI (June 2025) — While the donation was made nearly a year ago, Nā Mea ʻIke ʻIa now shares this story with deep reflection and gratitude—knowing that the seeds planted by youth leadership have grown into something enduring and transformative.
In July 2024, the Waipahu High School JROTC program contributed $2,500 to support Kaʻikaʻi Lāhainā – Uplift Lāhainā, a community resiliency initiative born in the wake of the August 8, 2023, Lāhainā wildfires. This youth-led act of aloha directly supported volunteer coordination and administrative infrastructure, enabling Kaʻikaʻi Lāhainā to grow into Ke Ola Hou – The Lāhainā Resiliency Center, now a vital element of the Lāhainā Disaster Long Term Recovery Plan (LTRP) with nearly $2 million in secured funding from Maui County and the American Red Cross.
Guided by the values of kuleana (responsibility), aloha, and civic leadership, cadets Yukari Kobayashi and Mikah Sandoval-Tolaro, under the mentorship of instructors SFC Ivan Alvira and SFC Paulo Ahsam, spearheaded the fundraising efforts through organized parking donation drives. Their dedication ensured that Kaʻikaʻi Lāhainā had the necessary resources to coordinate volunteers, manage logistics, and facilitate critical early recovery services.
These supports helped lay the foundation for what would become Ke Ola Hou—a survivor-led, mental resiliency center, rooted in Aloha, committed to emotional, spiritual, and cultural recovery for those most affected by the disaster.
"It was youth who showed us what courageous service looks like," said Paulo Faleafine Jr., President of Nā Mea ʻIke ʻIa and founding board member of Ke Ola Hou. "Waipahu JROTC’s leadership helped ensure that volunteers had what they needed to move with purpose and care. Their support didn’t just fund a project—it helped birth a movement grounded in Aloha."
Among the early accomplishments of Kaʻikaʻi Lāhainā was the delivery of over one ton of supplies and materials to Lāhainā survivors through distribution hubs. This effort was made possible through the generosity of Rodger May and ʻOhana, who filled two 40-foot ocean containers with essential goods from Washington State. Shipping logistics were supported in part by a donation from the Matson Foundation and Island Movers (Maui), ensuring successful delivery to community-run supply hubs across Lāhainā.
What began as a gesture of youth solidarity has since transformed into a lasting beacon of hope and healing. Ke Ola Hou continues to stand as a testament to the resilience, leadership, and values of Hawaiʻi’s next generation.
Nā Mea ʻIke ʻIa extends heartfelt gratitude to the Waipahu JROTC cadets and their instructors for exemplifying the discipline of Aloha and demonstrating how youth leadership can sustain and strengthen our communities in times of greatest need.
To learn more or support recovery efforts, visit www.keolahou.org. Also visit Nā Mea ʻIke ʻIa at www.hi-nmii.org or follow @alohathriving.
