HONOLULU (HI Now) - When floodwaters swept across Hawaiʻi, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs moved quickly to make sure Native Hawaiian families didn’t face the aftermath alone.
OHA is directing nearly $4 million in disaster relief to support Native Hawaiian households and communities hit hardest by the recent storms and flooding across the state. The funding includes up to $2.9 million for verified Native Hawaiian households in highly impacted areas, $410,000 in direct disaster aid grants and $250,000 in Mālama Honua Home Repair Grants — ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 — for qualified households with verified storm damage repair needs. An additional $300,000 has been set aside to assist federal civilian workers, including TSA agents, affected by the Department of Homeland Security shutdown.
Beyond disaster relief, OHA is also investing in the next generation of Native Hawaiian leaders. The ʻAha ʻŌpio o OHA Youth Leadership and Civic Engagement Conference offers a free, week-long leadership experience for Hawaiʻi high school students interested in culture, leadership and advocacy. Launched in 1988, the program provides a culturally grounded legislative experience designed to cultivate civic responsibility among Hawaiian youth.
For college graduates looking to make their mark on a national stage, OHA’s Nā ʻElele o Kahikina Congressional Fellows Program places Native Hawaiian public servants in Washington, D.C., rooted in the Hawaiian value of kuleana, or responsibility. Applications for Summer 2026 placements are now open, with a deadline of May 15, 2026.
For more information on OHA programs and services, visit oha.org. Follow OHA on Facebook at @officeofhawaiianaffairs, on Instagram and X at @oha_hawaii!
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