ʻŌiwi Stories from Puna is a four-part video series created by OHA sharing the experiences & perspectives of Hawaiians affected by the recent lava flow in Puna. Through the emotional first hand accounts of Hawaiians, we learn about the hardships, cultural perspectives & the amazing resiliency of this tight-knit community. Through increased understanding, we hope to build increased compassion and support for the people of Puna. To help those displaced by the lava, donate to gofundme.com/puuhonuaopuna.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is committed to supporting our beneficiaries coping with the ongoing eruption at Kīlauea volcano on Hawaiʻi Island.
Native Hawaiians who have been affected by the recent lava flows are encouraged to apply for emergency aid from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, which has set aside financial assistance for individual households in Puna. OHA is collaborating with the Neighborhood Place of Puna to distribute the funds to qualified Native Hawaiian households in Puna.
Potential applicants are asked to call in advance to schedule a meeting with the staff of Neighborhood Place of Puna, whose contact information is:
Or you can call the OHA Hawaiʻi Island offices to arrange an appointment:
OHA is also offering its Disaster Relief Loan Program to help Native Hawaiian families.
Existing loan borrowers who are affected by a natural disaster are eligible for the following:
To qualify, loss must be verified and directly affect the borrower’s living environment/situation or job/business.
Native Hawaiians who are affected by a natural disaster are eligible for the Disaster Relief Loan:
For information about these loans, visit oha.org/loans or call 594-1888.
