By Staff Reports
(Honolulu) – Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced the release of $1.5 million in capital improvement grant funds for Heritage Hall, a multipurpose community and cultural resource center in Paia, Maui.
“Heritage Hall represents a partnership between the Maui Puerto Rican Association and the Portuguese Association of Maui that is not only mutually beneficial but provides a resource for the larger community,” Gov. Abercrombie said. “I applaud their collaborative spirit and commitment to perpetuating two proud cultures with deep roots in the islands.”
The grant funds will go toward planning, design and construction for the Heritage Hall facilities, which will include a multi-purpose hall with a kitchen for community use and two cultural resource centers.
Maui Puerto Rican Association (founded in 1980) and the Portuguese Association of Maui (founded in 1984) established Heritage Hall as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to develop and operate the side-by-side cultural resource centers, with assistance from A&B, Inc. Both associations have cultural preservation as their mission and award scholarships for college studies.
