This week has been a whirlwind for those of us who live, work and pray in the State of Hawaii.
My heart aches for my friends and family residing in Maui. In the span of a single day, the cherished memories of my childhood in Lahaina have been marred. It's with a heavy heart that I witnessed the distressing sight of people being forced to make the agonizing decision of abandoning all their possessions to seek refuge and safety.
Their homes and businesses were destroyed.
When I was a child, I spent almost every summer at my grandparents' house in Haiku. My cousins lived (and still live) in Kihei. My brothers and I spent countless hours exploring and building lifelong memories there. Currently, my cousin is the Parochial Vicar on Maui (Msgr. Terrance (Terry) Watanabe).
One thing I know for sure is that the people of Hawaii will come together as we always do. We will help one another and work together. We will put petty disagreements aside and pull up our sleeves because there is a lot of work to be done.
If you want to help but don't know what to do, I have tried to list some resources below. I don't think I would be able to list everything, but I have tried to list some of the main ones.
In light of the ongoing tragedy on Maui, Aloha United Way has set up a webpage for people to donate to the Maui Fire Relief Fund. One hundred percent of proceeds are directed to Maui United Way, whose partner agencies are distributing relief funds according to the community’s most urgent needs.
If you, your organization, or your clients need help with information or emergency resources, please call 2-1-1, our statewide helpline. This free resource assists with food, housing, utilities, substance abuse, mental health, transportation, domestic violence, legal and financial aid, as well as support and care programs for keiki and kupuna.
Users may call, text, email, or use a live chat and search engine at auw211.org/.
Catholic Charities Hawai'i in the Honolulu Diocese has appealed for donations to help the agency meet the housing, food and other needs of what could be thousands of victims from wildfires raging on the island of Maui that wiped out an entire town and drove people to seek refuge in the ocean.
After an unusually dry year in Hawaiʻi, two small bushfires, heavily fanned by Category 4 Hurricane Dora in the Pacific, grew rapidly overnight. More than 1,000 acres of land has burned, and communities are already facing major power and telecom outages as well as road disruptions. The governor announced a state of emergency this morning and issued evacuation orders in towns across multiple islands, including Kohala Ranch, Lahaini, Kula and Wahikuli. WCK’s Emergency Response Team is on the ground to support with food and water needs for first responders, evacuated residents, and tourists.
WCK is first to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. When disaster strikes, WCK’s Relief Team mobilizes to the frontlines with the urgency of now to start cooking and provide meals to people in need. By partnering with organizations on the ground and activating a network of local restaurants, food trucks, or emergency kitchens, WCK serves comforting meals to survivors of disasters quickly and effectively. We know that good food provides not only nourishment, but also comfort and hope, especially in times of crisis.
Verified fundraisers on GoFundMe are raising money to help residents rebuild and recover.
Shoppers in Hawaii can make donations of up to $249 at their nearest Foodland, which is accepting donations at checkout to support the American Red Cross.
The Maui Mutual Aid Fund is accepting donations to support Maui families, elderly residents, people with disabilities and those with limited or no insurance.
Aloha United Way, a Honolulu-based nonprofit organization, has created the Maui Relief Fund that will go directly toward efforts supporting victims of the fires.
The Salvation Army’s Hawaiian and Pacific Islands Division is accepting donations to provide meals for thousands displaced in Maui emergency shelters.
The Maui Food Bank is providing meals for thousands of displaced residents.
The Hawaii Restaurant Association is organizing donations and volunteer efforts on Maui and Oahu. You can sign up to join relief efforts on Maui here, or fill in forms to help evacuees transported to Oahu here.
Animal shelters including Maui Humane Society and Hawaiian Humane Society are helping injured and displaced animals as well as assisting in reuniting missing pets with owners.
