GOVERNOR LINGLE RELEASES $50,000 TO MAUI ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

For Immediate Release: July 2, 2008

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle has released a $50,000 grant-in-aid to Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc. (MEO) to acquire a bus to continue to provide services for individuals with medical, mental health, and employment transportation needs. 

“These funds will support MEO’s ongoing efforts to provide transportation services for children and families, kūpuna, individuals who need medical assistance and other people in need in the community,” said Governor Lingle. 

The Governor previously released a $182,000 grant-in-aid to MEO to provide non-emergency, medical transportation services for patients requiring kidney dialysis treatment.

MEO is a non-profit agency chartered in 1965 that provides a variety of services to low-income elderly, children and youth, persons with disabilities, immigrants and disadvantaged persons to enhance their self-sufficiency and enrich their lives.

The organization operates Maui County’s largest transportation program, with 92 employees and 80 vehicles that transport students, seniors, residents who are disabled and many others. The program’s dialysis service assists approximately 75 dialysis patients on Maui and five dialysis patients on Moloka‘i who lack alternative means of transportation.

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For more information, contact:
Darwin Ching
Director, Dept. of Labor and Industrial Relations
Phone: (808) 586-8842

Lenny Klompus
Senior Advisor – Communications
Phone: (808) 586-7708

Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: (808) 586-0043