MICHAEL VICTORINO
As World War II was finally winding down, Sir Winston Churchill famously said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.”
When coronavirus arrived here almost a year ago, the pandemic dictated what we could not do. Yet, Maui County turned its attention to what we could do. And together we did plenty.
From Day One, our top priority has been public health and well-being. That meant helping individuals, families and small businesses cope with the pandemic’s sudden financial damage. Even before the $2.2 trillion CARES Act passed on March 25, we were actively planning.
With help from the Maui Food Bank, churches, nonprofits, social service agencies, small businesses, farms, ranchers and countless volunteers, together we distributed nearly 8 million pounds of food to Maui Nui residents during 2020. We shored up nonprofit agencies that care for children, the sick, elderly and homeless. With our partner, Maui Economic Opportunity, we distributed $9.5 million to help 12,494 county households pay for essentials.