(BIVN) – The third round of Puna Strong grant recipients was announced by the County of Hawaiʻi and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation on Tuesday.

“The fact that we are now in the third round of grants is a testament to the tremendous success of this program,” said Mayor Mitch Roth. “Our ongoing partnership with HCF continues to be a source of pride for our county. These grants empower local Puna organizations and contribute to their impactful work with our residents.” 

The County says grants were awarded to the following 10 organizations and ranged from $50,000 to $75,000 for an 18-month period:

• Arts & Sciences Center: ASC Beyond School Community Learning
• Equality HI: Cooking for Resiliency, Moving from Neighbors to Ohana
• Hawaiʻi Animal Kuleana Alliance: HAKA’s Emergency Rescue and Disaster Preparedness Programs
• Hawaiian Volcano Education and Resilience Institute: Disaster Preparedness, Outreach and Sustainability Support
• Hawaii’s Volcano Circus: Startup and Realignment for Community Resilience
• Hoʻoulu Lāhui: Planning for Long-Term Resilience
• Men of Paʻa: Resilience and Sustainability – Charting a Path to Recovery
• Nā Maka Hāloa O Waipiʻo: Kūkulu Kaiāulu, Hawaiian Culture, Language, and History
• ‘O Maku‘u Ke Kahua Community Center: Māla Hoʻoulu ʻIke at ʻO Makuʻu Ke Kahua Community Center
• Pōhaku Pelemaka: Community-Based Stewardship Management, Hawaiian Culture, Language, and/or History

From the County news release:

Puna Strong remains focused on disaster readiness and building resilience for the Puna communities impacted by the 2018 Kīlauea eruption with a $608,000 investment in nonprofit organizations and partnerships leading community-driven projects and building the capacity of local organizations.

The first two rounds of grants supported the work of more than two dozen organizations that addressed a range of issues important to the community, including mental health, home and community food production, youth development, cultural grounding, environmental protection, educational opportunities, access to community-focused information, and readiness to respond to community emergencies/disasters.

“Each grant recipient was carefully chosen for their commitment to supporting and strengthening the long-term resilience of the Puna community,” said Chelsey Chow, program officer for the Hawai‘i Community Foundation. “Since the inception of Puna Strong, grantee partners have developed their own capacity and the network of organizations across Puna has been strengthened.”