About - Nā Keiki O Emalia

Our Mission

Serve • Educate • Advocate

Nā Keiki O Emalia provides support to grieving children, teens, and their families to help them heal after the death of someone important to them. We are dedicated to providing compassionate and professional support to bereaved children and teens in our community. We offer a space where young people can connect with others who have experienced the death of someone important and receive guidance from trained facilitators. We coordinate peer support groups that are free of cost and allow children and teens to build supportive relationships with their peers.

In addition to peer support groups, Nā Keiki offers education to families, schools, and community organizations to enhance their ability to support children who have experienced the death of someone important to them. Our goal is to increase awareness and understanding of the unique needs of grieving children and to provide practical tools and strategies to help them cope with their grief. By providing education and support to the wider community, we aim to create a more compassionate and understanding environment for bereaved children and teens.

Nā Keiki is dedicated to being a passionate advocate for enhancing programs, policies, and research geared toward supporting grieving children and their families. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment where these children and teens can heal and find hope for the future.

Our
Mission

Serve Educate Advocate

Our Story

Nā Keiki O Emalia was founded in 2015 by Brooke Brown, Ph.D., following the death of her daughter Emalia from cancer and leaving behind her 3-year-old son. Brooke recognized the need for a supportive environment where children on Maui could receive assistance in dealing with the grief of losing a loved one.

Statistics show that 1 in 5 children experience the death of someone close to them before the age of 18, which can lead to a range of issues if not properly addressed. These issues include anxiety, academic difficulties, depression, promiscuity, and relationship problems that can continue into adulthood, resulting in unfulfilling lives.

At Nā Keiki O Emalia, we are committed to addressing these potential problems by providing facilitated peer-to-peer support groups, which have proven to be the most effective modality of working with children and teens. Our programs are open to children aged 6 to 18 and are offered free of charge. Our mission is to help children and teens cope with their grief and build resilience, so they can move forward in their lives with hope and confidence.

Listen to Nā Keiki O Emalia’s Story

with Executive Director, Carole Zoom
in an Interview with Susie Theiman on “Non-Profit Notes”

Emalia's Circle

A celebration of Emalia’s life

A celebration of Emalia’s life was held at the Kahului Harbor, and family and friends joined in canoes and on surfboards in a large circle on the water while lei were released into the ocean and countless flowers were dropped from a helicopter.

“When we are born, akua [spirit] says, “Go out into the world! I’ll give you a lifetime to make a big circle, a lifetime to touch all the people you can touch, to love all the people you can love and get them to love you, and get them to be your family, your ‘ohana [family].”