(BIVN) – Recovery efforts continue, months following the March kona low storms impacted the State of Hawaiʻi.
On Hawaiʻi island, the non-profit Vibrant Hawaiʻi reports that it received nearly 900 disaster case management referrals from the state this week. The referrals involve households that requested FEMA assistance following the storms.
Vibrant Hawaiʻi is “contacting each household by phone, text message, and email to determine whether they are still interested in receiving disaster case management services”, the organization announced in a news release.
“We recognize that household circumstances may have changed during the months since these families initially requested assistance,” said Janice Ikeda, Chief Executive Officer of Vibrant Hawaiʻi. “Our immediate priority is to identify who still needs support so our disaster case managers can begin working with those households as efficiently as possible.”
Households receiving a message from Vibrant Hawaiʻi will be asked to complete a short survey indicating whether or not they still need assistance. The message could come in the form of a text sent from (808) 900-0256, or an email from contact@vibranthawaii.org.
Participation in disaster case management is voluntary, and receiving disaster case management does not guarantee financial assistance or eligibility for a particular program, Vibrant Hawaiʻi says.
Meanwhile, Hawaiʻi agricultural producers affected by March storms are urged to contact their local U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency office and apply for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) by Friday, July 31, 2026.
There is a Hawaiʻi County FSA Service Center in Hilo (808-933-8334) and in Kealakekua (808-933-8381 Ext. 2)
From a Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency news release:
ECP provides financial cost-share and technical assistance to eligible agricultural producers to repair and restore farmland and irrigation equipment damaged by qualifying natural disasters. Assistance may be available for approved conservation practices such as debris removal, land grading or shaping, restoration of permanent fencing, restoration of conservation structures and emergency water-conservation measures during severe drought.
Farm producers and farmers from all four counties are encouraged to contact FSA even if they previously received information about other recovery programs, including the Emergency Watershed Protection program. Producers should not assume that participation in, or information about, another recovery program replaces an ECP application.
Eligible producers should contact their local FSA office as soon as possible. FSA will review requests, assess documented damage and provide instructions on eligibility, required documentation and approved restoration measures. Producers should not begin work before receiving directions from FSA when pre-approval is required.
Producers may be reimbursed for eligible restoration work, including some work they perform themselves; a 25% advance may be available upon request.
“We understand that recovery has placed a real burden on Hawaiʻi’s farmers and ranchers and we want every eligible producer to know that help remains available,” said HIEMA Administrator David Lopez. “We recognize that our farmers and ranchers are essential to Hawaiʻi’s communities and food security, so we strongly encourage farmers to call their local FSA county office and apply before the extended July 31 deadline.”
