Graduating from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and being lucky enough to experience the islands’ love and the true Aloha spirit for 4 years, I am beyond devastated for the Hawaiian community and those affected on Maui. From the moment I stepped foot on Oahu I was welcomed with open arms from the community that surrounded me, and it gives me solace knowing that the islands will rally around those that have been impacted with the love I experienced.
My heartfelt sympathies are with the people of Hawaii whose way of life, rich with traditions and customs, has been forever altered by the deadliest wildfires in the last 100 years.
Thousands of residents are looking for missing loved ones, having lost their homes and everything they held dear. Early reports indicate the climate-driven fires destroyed as many as 2,200 structures, most of which were homes.
Devastating wildfires that erupted on the island of Maui last week have claimed the lives of at least 99 people. Many more are still missing.
The blazes erupted on Aug. 8 and spread rapidly due to very dry conditions stemming from a drought combined with powerful winds. Much of the historic town of Lahaina has been destroyed and the fire has burned thousands of residential and commercial buildings to the ground.
As the island of Maui tries to cope with wildfires that have destroyed so much, everyone affected is coming together to help each other. Nearly everywhere you turn on the island of Maui, you will come across two types of people within its 164,000 residents: Someone who has lost so much or knows someone who has lost so much, and someone who is willing to go above and beyond to help their neighbor. The Aloha spirit in Maui is real, and it’s helping many through the most difficult hardship of their life, those who have lost everything have not lost each other.
There are signs of hope and resilience amid the devastation as Maui rallies around people who lost everything. Lahaina is such a tight-knit community.
Communities and businesses nation-wide have been offering support and supplies in all forms. The people of Maui will need an immense amount of support to rebuild. The magnitude of this disaster will be felt for years.
United Airlines has been flying in relief supplies on behalf of the American Red Cross. Among the cargo of aid are clean-up kits full of work gloves, trash bags, and cleaning materials, alongside shelter supplies like soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, facial tissues, and blankets. So far, United Airlines has hauled 104 pallets with 81,000 pounds of aid, including 9,600 comfort kits, 4,000 blankets, and 960 clean-up kits. United Airlines relief flights are using Boeing 777 and 787 widebodies. They sometimes arrive with aid workers, but others will fly in empty to return to the United States mainland with both evacuees and stranded tourists.
Our thoughts are with Maui and everyone affected. A list of resources to help in anyway are listed below: The Salvation Army
Providing food and resources to those in need, The Salvation Army is accepting Maui donations on its Hawaiʻi site, hawaii.salvationarmy.org.
- Maui Mutual Aid Fund
- A local effort, the Maui Mutual Aid Fund is run by volunteers looking to get funds and support to vulnerable residents, such as kūpuna (elderly), those with physical disabilities, renters and individuals without insurance. Donations can be sent to bit.ly/mauimutualaide.
- Maui United Way
- Maui United Way has set up a Maui fire relief fund that will go directly to support Maui fire victims.
- Maui Strong Fund
- Created by the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation to provide resources for disaster preparedness, response and recovery, the Maui Strong Fund is currently being used to help aid communities affected by the Maui Wildfires. You can donate online at its website, hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strong.
- Maui Humane Society
- Unfortunately, it’s not just people affected by the fires, but pets too. The Maui Humane Society is asking for emergency foster homes for its animals to help make space for new displaced pets. Pet supplies, like wet and dry food, litter and pop-up kennels are also in need, and you can always donate funds on its website, mauihumanesociety.org.
- Hawaiʻi Red Cross
- A leader in disaster relief, the Hawaiʻi Red Cross is providing assistance and shelter to Maui fire victims.
- Maui Food Bank
- The Maui Food Bank is accepting both physical drop-off donations at various locations across Maui as well as online monetary donations on its website mauifoodbank.org/donate.
