Therapeutic colouring and activity books get distributed to the keiki of Lahaina

This photo taken Oct. 16, 2014, shows Lahaina Pililaau, left, age 3 of Makaha, Hawaii learning how to count with help from his mother Ninia Elsey, right, as his brother Manalei Pililaau looks on in Honolulu. (Eugene Tanner/AP Photo)

MAUI COUNTY, Hawaii -

Discovery Art for Youth, a small nonprofit based in Colorado, distributes thousands of therapeutic colouring and activity books to schools on Maui in an effort to help the keiki process their grief and trauma from the Lahaina fire.

Christina DiMari, the Executive Director for Discovery Art for Youth, felt a sense of responsibility following the heartbreaking news about the fires on Maui. She decided to take action by creating a book that tends to the needs of the children who were impacted by traumatic events.

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After the fire, DiMari called the owner of the Maui Printing Company to discuss how she could distribute her books directly to the youth so that they can receive it immediately. The owner of the Maui Printing Company was able to get their paper source on board with the cause, and received paper to make the book… for FREE.

Approximately 4,000 of the therapeutic colouring and activity books have been distributed to every public school on Maui and 5,000 are on the wait list. DiMari is seeking the community’s help to raise funds so that she’ll be able to distribute more books.

DiMari creates specific books that are based on certain areas of the country that are dealing with different situations. The books are designed to be a resource for school counsellors, teachers, and behavioural health specialists to help the children that are in their care.

“When I saw on the news what was going on, I’m in Colorado, and my heart was just overcome with this feeling that I’ve got to do something to help the children and the youth because when all this first wave of shock and survival passes over, there’s just going to be an enormous amount of trauma and unsettling spirits,” stated DiMari.

DiMari has dreams of one day opening a healing space by the ocean, for the people of Maui to use creativity as a way to cope and heal. She continues to work alongside the Maui community in hopes of making books for young adults and adults as well.