A meeting room in the new Maui Support Center at St. Anthony School in Wailuku. (Courtesy Catholic Charities Hawaii)
By Jennifer Rector
Hawaii Catholic Herald
In a mission to care for caregivers in the wake of the devastating 2023 wildfires, a new effort to support first responders has begun on Maui.
The Maui Support Center is now open at St. Anthony School in Wailuku.
Catholic Charities Hawaii is partnering with the American Red Cross to provide professional help to those who work on the front lines, but also to any members of the public who need support — especially people affected by the Maui fires.
The Maui Support Center “provides critical support to Maui’s first responders, teachers, therapists, disaster case managers and other professionals on the front lines who may be feeling the emotional toll of helping others,” according to Catholic Charities Hawaii.
This includes providing individual and group meetings, one-on-one sessions with trained therapists either in person or via telehealth, guided group discussions and more.
“To ensure the continued recovery of Maui, (the) Catholic Charities Hawaii-Maui Support Center strives to support the well-being of our first responders, disaster case managers and dedicated helpers who have endured unwavering stressors with the work they do,” said
Chantel, the program director. “We provide the tools and support necessary to foster and sustain positive well-being, enabling them to continue their vital work in the community.”
According to a 2018 study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, 30% of first responders suffer from behavioral health conditions such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. That is 10 percentage points more than the general population, according to SAMHA.
The Maui Support Center aims to address first responders’ everyday struggles by providing a “safe environment to talk, reflect and develop coping strategies.”
“The Maui Support Center is good for those who are coping right now trying to figure things out — (the survivors) are in the rebuilding stage at this point and again trying to get all the materials and the money that they need to rebuild. That part is stressful for them as well,” said Msgr. Terry Watanabe, pastor of St. Anthony Church and vicar forane of the Maui-Lanai Vicariate.
Msgr. Watanabe blessed the facility on Jan. 17 and hopes that folks use the resources now available to them.
“They (Catholic Charities Hawaii) have really done a wonderful job in setting the place up,” Msgr. Watanabe said. “They refreshed two of the classrooms and the office at the end of the hall and it’s very beautiful. It’s a great place for people to come and to visit with the counselors, to talk story and to try to work things through.”
Since its opening, the Maui Support Center has been busy, according to Chantel: “We’ve provided individual sessions, group meetings and community outreach and resources to over 200 individuals.”
The Maui Support Center’s location at St. Anthony School also provides a full-circle moment for the new president and CEO of Catholic Charities Hawaii, Tina Andrade.
Andrade taught the 10th and 12th grades at St. Anthony School for seven years. Her connection to Maui and St. Anthony has only strengthened since the wildfires nearly two years ago.
“Maui holds a special place in my heart. I feel a strong responsibility to help rebuild and ensure that all of our neighbors have access to safe, affordable housing,” Andrade said.
Being in the “rebuilding stage,” as Msgr. Watanabe put it, is what most survivors are dealing with now.
“One of the things that people are working on right now is really trying to find resources for rent and utilities,” he said. “So hopefully looking for finances for those kinds of things because some of the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) money from the government is drying up and they need to make sure they are paying their rent and things like that.”
Some wildfire survivors appreciate that they have not been forgotten, Msgr. Watanabe said.
“We just gave out gift cards from Costco and they were very grateful for that,” he said. “They were pleased that we haven’t forgotten about them and that there is still support for them.”
“It was about a quarter of a million dollars of gift cards that were given out. So really, they really need all of that. I mean groceries are not getting any cheaper so it’s very helpful,” he added.
The Maui Support Center is open to anyone who is facing these struggles and more.
“We understand that helping others can take a toll on your well-being, which is why we’re here to support you too,” Andrade said.
For more information about the Maui Support Center, call (808) 743-6141 or visit catholiccharitieshawaii.org.
