As a local non-profit organization, Ka Hale A Ke Ola (KHAKO), “The House of Life,” has been breaking the cycle of homelessness on the island of Maui for over 30 years. KHAKO, dedicated to serving the needs of the homeless and disadvantaged on Maui, is a housing-focused, comprehensive resource center that provides emergency shelter, life skills training, case management, a primary-care medical clinic, and affordable housing facilities for families with children.  

KHAKO’s Executive Director Sue R. Sadecki said, “In light of losing one of our two shelters in the August 8, 2023, Lahaina fire, we remain committed to working tirelessly to expand our programs and services as we continue to advocate for policies that address the root causes of homelessness in our community. Our properties consist of a homeless shelter on one side and affordable housing units on the other side. As the wildfire engulfed Lahaina town and destroyed our 78-unit shelter complex, our agency employees displayed acts of heroism by helping approximately 220 Lahaina shelter residents evacuate and move into our Wailuku site.” 

As KHAKO continues to rebuild in Lahaina, they are grateful for the help offered by FEMA, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, numerous community organizations, and individuals. “Many people are not aware of the amazing services we provide,” Sadecki noted. “For example, the KHAKO case management team assists guests in finding immediate and permanent affordable housing. Childcare is provided for the benefit of the parent to seek employment and go to work. The Children’s Services Coordinator assists families with resources they may need in the community, offers events and programs that delight the keiki who live on-site, and high school volunteers visit to provide tutoring to all the school age children.” 

County, state, and federal grants are helping KHAKO move forward to rebuild; however, there is still a long road ahead. Now that the debris removal is finished, they need additional funds to complete the rebuilding. “We provide essential services that need to happen in Lahaina as soon as possible,” Sadecki added. “One of my favorite quotes is by Coretta Scott King, ‘The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.’”