Maui Hero Project - Youth Emergency Response Team

Aloft, Inc is the nonprofit, fiscal sponsor for the Maui Hero Project whose mission is to support youth in responding and recovering from the 2023 Maui Wildfires while at the same time preparing for future crises. The program has received a grant through the Maui Strong Fund to provide its services to youth in the Kula and Lahaina areas.

Maui Hero Project - Maui Wildfire Response

The Maui Hero Project is an adventure, rites of passage program based on the myths and legends of the Hawaiian hero, Maui. For 25 years the program has been re-tracing Maui’s epic, coming-of-age, adventures such as fishing up the islands and harnessing the sun through cultural and adventure activities like wild food foraging, herbal medicine, archery, fishing, and backcountry camping skills.

The program also integrates elements of the FEMA – Teen Community Emergency Response Team Training (CERT) teaching first responder skills such as search and rescue, medical operations, CPR, first aid, fire suppression, and psychological first aid to empower youth to deal with a crisis.

The program is also a trauma-informed approach to recovering from the effects of the tragic 2023 Maui Wildfires. Through the adventure of self-discovery participants journey from the hopeless feelings of victimhood, and into the realm of heroism by learning to use their experiences to help others in times of need.

As part of the program, Maui Hero Project youth will engage neighborhoods to offer disaster preparedness training using its "mobile command center" trailer pulled by its 15-passenger van. It will also use its mobile resources in times of crisis to deploy youth as part of the community response.

The program is raising money to assist with the related costs of the van and mobile command center.