Honolulu’s Malu Kou Center opens to bring care closer to the community

After the Lahaina fires in 2023 in Maui, Hawaii, many families were left without homes or support. Amid the tragedy, local community members came to each other’s aid, rebuilding homes and providing food, clothing and other essentials to those in need.

Health, housing and hope together under one roof

Inspired by this response, Kalani Redmayne, CEO of the UnitedHealthcare Community Health Plan of Hawaii, wanted to bring the same community-first spirit from Lahaina to Honolulu, Hawaii, to create something lasting: a community-centered space where real help and healing could take root. On Jan. 6, 2025, that vision became reality with the opening of Honolulu’s Malu Kou Community Connection Center. The center’s goal is simple: ease access to care centered around each person by building a welcoming center for everyone — no matter their background, health coverage or situation. So far, it’s been a lifeline for many, with nearly 400 visits in 2025.

Redmayne teamed up with Adrian Contreras, Recovery & Resiliency manager on the Optum Health Enterprise Clinical Services (ECS) team, and Roddy Marengo, UnitedHealthcare Community & State Housing program manager, to help bring this vision to life.

For the first six months, Contreras and Marengo were at the center every day, building trust and shaping the center’s operations. They still check in weekly to make sure the center remains responsive and rooted in what the community needs.

Meeting real needs with real heart

Why it matters: Malu Kou isn’t just about services, it’s about seeing the whole person. The center is committed to meeting people where they are by offering a broad range of programs tailored to the community’s most pressing needs.

Based on what visitors have shared, the top needs are:

To meet these needs, Malu Kou has a benefit navigator specialist and a community health worker. Their job is to connect people to the services they need, like insurance, food stamps, and housing and financial aid, all while building relationships.

What’s more: Mental health support is also a key part of the center’s mission. A behavioral health advocate from ECS is on-site weekly, offering a safe space for healing. Soon, a peer support specialist will join the team to make sure people feel truly seen and supported.

A partnership that heals

Together, UnitedHealthcare and Optum have established a center that meets immediate needs while strengthening lasting connections across the community. This ongoing collaboration ensures support is delivered with care and purpose — making Malu Kou a model for community-centered innovation that delivers the right care in the most compassionate way, every time. 

The bottom line: Malu Kou is a great example of what’s possible when UnitedHealthcare and Optum work together. Combining UnitedHealthcare’s deep understanding of member needs with Optum’s behavioral health expertise creates a space that goes beyond support – it fosters healing.