Causes: Children & Youth, Human Service Organizations, Human Services, Transportation Assistance, Youth Development

Mission: Maui economic opportunity, inc (meo) is a private, non-profit community action agency, chartered on march 22, 1965 by federal mandate under provisions of the economic opportunity act of 1964. The agency provides a comprehensive scope of services to those in need throughout maui county and across the state of hawaii. The mission of meo is to strengthen the community while helping people in need restore their hope, reach their potential and enrich their lives.

Programs: Transportation services program: provide transportation to eliminate barriers and promote self-sufficiency. Increase the availability and affordability of opportunities for low-income, persons with special needs and youth through social services transportation. Approximately 4,350 passengers in the target population (elders, persons with disabilities, low income individuals, children and youth) took trips to and from nutrition sites, senior programs, day health, dialysis, and after school programs and activities. The number of passenger boardings totaled approximately 361,050. The ada paratransit service achieved approximately 61,425 passenger boardings.

early childhood services: the head start program helps to create healthy development in low-income children ages three to five. Offers services that depend on each child and family's culture and experience, to influence all aspects of a child's development and learning. Provide comprehensive preschool services to economically disadvantaged children. 287 or 103% of 3 to 5 year old low income or special needs children who participated in the comprehensive early childhood education program achieved appropriate social competence and awareness of appropriate school and home practices and behavior evidenced by an approved social/emotional screening tool. Other goals achieved were the necessary requirements to make the transition to kindergarten, received regular immunization, and allowed parents the opportunity to attend school or work to provide an income for their families.

employment and training: the program services consist of the following:1. Employment core services for low income prepares unemployed or under-employed low-income persons in obtaining and maintaining employment by achieving milestones that include enrollment, pre-employment and vocational training, job placement and retention. 76 clients were served. 2. The national farmworker jobs program (nfjp) is a nationally-directed program of job training and employment assistance for migrant and seasonal farmworkers (mfsws). Nfjp assists mfsws and their families attain greater economic stability. The program assists farmworkers to acquire new job skills in occupations that offer higher wages and a more stable employment outlook. In addition to skills training, the program provides supportive services that help farmworkers remain and stabilize their employment in agriculture. At the end of the program year, the program exceeded the annual national goals for entered employment rate, retention rate, and average earnings. The program served 50 clients. 3. Senior community service employment program (scsep) is a community service and work based training program for older workers. Authorized by the older americans act, the program provides subsidized service based training for low-income persons 55 or older who are unemployed and have poor employment prospects. Participants work an average of 20 hours per week and receive minimum wage. Program participants are placed in a wide variety of community service activities at non-profit and public facilities. It is intended that these community service experiences serve as a bridge to other employment positions that are not supported by federal funds. At the end of the program year, the program exceeded the annual national goals for entered employment rate, retention rate, and average earnings. The program served 29 clients.

various other programs at meo.