The Maui Strong Fund is providing financial resources to support the immediate and long-term recovery needs for the people and places affected by the devastating Maui wildfires.

HCF is working in close collaboration with state and county leaders, nonprofit organizations, and community members to get an understanding of the quickly evolving priorities.

HCF has a four-phase approach to disaster response: click here. 

As of September 29, 2023, $131,172,374 has been donated to the Maui Strong Fund.

Organizations Seeking Funding

HCF is seeking funding requests for the Maui Strong Fund that have clear alignment with coordinated efforts on the ground on Maui. Requested fund amounts should align with the capacity of the organization to manage the grant funds (i.e., the organization has sufficient staff, accounting procedures, experience with programming, etc.). Independent efforts or self-deployment from neighbor islands or out-of-state organizations that have not been requested by Maui-based communities will likely not be funded. Read Maui Strong Funding Opportunity for detailed instructions on how to apply for a grant from the Maui Strong Fund.

501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply for financial resources from the Maui Strong Fund.

Non-501(c)(3) organizations are encouraged to find an existing 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to serve as fiscal sponsor, and submitted projects must be charitable in nature. Individuals are not eligible to apply.

To apply for funding, please log in or register for an account on the Grants Portal. If you need assistance, please view our Applicant User Guide, Frequently Asked Questions, How-To Videos, and/or submit a support ticket.

HCF staff will review applications weekly. Applicants should receive a status update or decision from HCF staff within one to three weeks.

If you have any questions about the application process, please email us at mauistrong@hcf-hawaii.org.

Maui Strong Fund Grantees

The Hawaiʻi Community Foundation is committed to transparency in our grantmaking. The following list includes partners that have received Maui Strong Fund grant awards, the day the grant was approved, the amount granted, and the work each partner is doing on Maui.

Total amount awarded: $25,254,144

GRANT CATEGORIES

Animal Welfare
Baby and Maternal Care
Child Care
Children and Family
Communications, Logistics, and Transportation
Direct Financial Assistance
Food and Supplies
Health Care
Immigrant Services
Lodging and Shelter
Mental Health and Grief Counseling
Workforce Development
Multi-Faceted

Animal Welfare 

Hawaiʻi Animal Kuleana Alliance (8/18/23) - $56,000
Hawaiʻi Animal Kuleana Alliance (HAKA) and its animal-search-and-rescue teams are helping on the ground in Lahaina to search for, capture, and transport animals from the field to veterinarians and the Maui Humane Society. It is also recovering remains of deceased animals and returning them to owners with respectful handling. The organization is assisting in food and supply distribution to community hubs and is partnering with all of Maui’s major animal-related recovery organizations. Funding will support specialized field gear, supplies and tools, administrative supplies, transportation, lodging, volunteer stipends, PPE, and technology for the field.

Hawai‘i Animal Rescue Foundation - $250,000
Awarded 8/14/23 - $100,000
Awarded 8/30/23 - $150,000
The Hawai‘i Animal Rescue Foundation (HARF) is providing food, shelter, and medical care for displaced owned dogs, cats, and farm animals evacuated from fire zones. Lack of housing for the displaced families means displaced pets will need care and shelter for the duration. Funds will be used for emergency sheltering and feed for dogs, cats, and livestock that need temporary housing while residents take care of other necessary things in the wake of being displaced by the fires. The organization is also travelling with veterinarians into the Lahaina community to treat animal medical needs on-site. It is working closely with the Maui Humane Society to coordinate response efforts.

Kitty Charm Farm (9/22/23) - $50,000
Kitty Charm Farm (KCF) is a primarily cat-focused animal rescue and hosting organization that has been working with Maui Humane Society and Hawai‘i Animal Rescue Foundation in responding to medical needs, rescue efforts, identification, and reunification for cats in Lahaina, including transport of identified cats to neighbor islands and the continental U.S. if families have relocated. KCF has 30 microchip scanners and volunteers in Lahaina working to scan the estimated 500- 700 loose cats in the area.

Leilani Farm Sanctuary (8/14/23) - $5,000
Leilani Farm Sanctuary, located on an 8-acre farm in Haʻikū, provides food, shelter, and veterinary care for rescued animals. Most recently, the organization has received a call about eight giant land tortoises that need safe refuge due to the wildfires. The sanctuary anticipates an increase in animals that need help and will need to bring in additional help to support special care for these animals. Grant funding will go toward feed costs, medication, temporary staffing, and shelter costs.

Maui Humane Society (8/11/23) - $250,000
The Maui Humane Society (MHS) is committed to addressing the animal displacement and injuries resulting from the Maui fires. The organization is receiving animal victims with burns and the effects of smoke inhalation, pets found lost, or those who need housing since the owner’s home was lost. While shelters are open, many displaced pet owners are living out of cars with their pets in need of support, food, and medication. Temporary housing for pets has become a key priority that will directly support families dealing with the loss of their homes.

back to top

Baby and Maternal Care 

Aloha Diaper Bank (8/11/23) - $100,000
Aloha Diaper Bank is purchasing two containers of diapers, wipes, and critical supplies and shipping them to Maui, where these supplies will be delivered door-to-door to families of low-income, the unhoused, and others in crisis. Aloha Diaper Bank is working closely with Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, the National Guard and other grassroots partners to get the diapers into the hands of those with the most urgent need. The organization anticipates delivering diaper assistance to more than 4,000 families.

Baby2Baby (8/17/23) - $20,000
Baby2Baby (B2B) is partnering with local organizations Aloha Diaper Bank and Pacific Birth Collective to ensure families have supplies. B2B is focusing its work now on the first six weeks post-fires, trying to get supplies where they are needed. It flew a cargo plane to Maui with requested supplies the day after the fires, and then another one on August 15, a week later. Funds will be used to buy supplies and transport them to the Maui organizations. The most requested items are diapers, wipes, hygiene products, formula, and baby food. Distribution partners are Aloha Diaper Bank, Pacific Birth Collective, Maui Rapid Response, and Maui Food Bank.

Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaiʻi - $250,000
Awarded 8/11/23 - $100,000
Awarded 8/30/23 - $150,000
Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHBC) is a designated disaster relief site working with Direct Relief to deploy emergency medical backpacks for triage care and distribution of medical supplies. The organization’s Mana Mama Mobile has been shipped to Maui to be used as a vital medical resource on-site in Lahaina. Key partners in this effort include the National Guard, the Red Cross, and grassroots partners assessing medical needs and distributing supplies. In addition, HMHBC is providing direct resources and remote clinical guidance and support through a 24/7 telehealth line. HMHBC will remain on Maui to ensure women's health gaps are filled as long-term recovery continues. Funds will support staff time, travel, accommodations, shipment and operation of the mobile clinic, on-island transportation costs, supplies, and more.

Pacific Birth Collective (8/14/23) - $150,000
Pacific Birth Collective is establishing a mobile unit dedicated to providing essential care and support to pregnant, birthing, and postpartum families currently displaced and negatively impacted. The mobile unit will transport medical supplies and other necessities while responding to needs in Lahaina and Kahakuloa with door-to-door medical support. The organization has already brought in a pediatrician for health care needs in Lahaina, but staff have been using their own vehicles. The mobile unit will provide much needed maternal, child, and general medical support during this crisis response effort.

back to top

Child Care

Maui Family YMCA (9/27/23) - $250,000
The Department of Education (DOE) recognizes a need to provide enrichment programs and activities to the K-8th grade youth through the fall break, before schools return students to campuses in Lahaina. The DOE is working with the Hawai'i Afterschool Alliance (HAA) to implement a coordinated approach to activate community-based organizations that can provide programming in areas of Maui where displaced families have re-settled. As one of these organizations, Maui YMCA has implemented a day camp program at the Westin Kā’anapali for over 200 youth who are temporarily housed there beginning September 25. Their camp will run Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and through the Fall 2023 break. This funding award supports three weeks of intercession day camp programming.

Partners in Development Foundation (8/30/23) - $108,434
Partners in Development Foundation (PIDF) is operating its mobile Tutu and Me to support families with young children on Maui. PIDF has been actively serving more than 100 families at four sites in Kula, Lahaina, Kīhei, and Upcountry with two in-staff team members and four on-site team members. Their programs are mobile, and can move locations as needed, which has helped respond to demand for services from families in crisis and provide important avenues for continuity and connection for young keiki and their ʻohana. PIDF is operating one day per week at each site currently, and with increased staffing, will increase frequency to two days at each site. PIDF staff from neighbor island locations are rotating in to ensure that Maui staff can be supported, while maintaining a Maui anchor at each program site. Staff are currently visiting hotels to provide keiki learning materials. PIDF has been working to add a Ka Paʻalana Maui pop-up program that is accessible to impacted Lahaina families, and will hire Maui-based teachers who have lost their jobs to fulfill staffing needs. The program provides direct resources through its Wailuku donation hub, and offers full family-focused programming for Maui ʻohana with young children five years of age and under.

back to top

Children and Family 

ʻAha Pūnana Leo (9/15/23) - $200,000
ʻAha Pūnana Leo (APL) provides rich and stimulating family-based learning environments where keiki learn to speak ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i and develop social, intellectual, leadership, and perceptual motor skills through classroom lessons, field trips, cultural activities, performance opportunities, and community service. APL’s Pūnana Leo o Lahaina facility was destroyed in the fire, and about half of its 22 enrolled keiki’s families and five staff members lost their homes. Funds will be used to support an interim program that provides a place to heal, support connection and resiliency, and prepare keiki for returning to school.

Albion SC Hawaii (9/6/23) - $10,000
The Maui United Soccer Club dba Albion SC Hawaii is supporting over 60 youth players who have lost everything. The organization has been coordinating support with direct communication and has confirmed about a third of its members face significant losses due to the fire. With these funds, the club will waive training fees to ensure that the youth can continue playing soccer. It will also replace all gameday and training gear for the youth players.

Ball Out 'Ohana Maui Youth Foundation (8/30/23) - $10,000
Ball Out is a nonprofit organization based out of Lahaina serving over 300 youth with agricultural, athletic, and mentoring programs. The organization is providing youth from Lahaina who have resettled in West Maui with opportunities for mentoring services and engagement programs including sports, agriculture experiences, culture and crafting programs, and academic supplies. Youth will be provided a different activity each week to help foster growth and enrichment in the community.

Boys & Girls Club Maui (8/18/23) - $100,000
The Boys & Girls Club Maui (BGCM) lost its Lahaina clubhouse and van in the fire—this location served over 200 members. The organization has pivoted its work to provide mobile services in response to the displacement of residents from Lahaina and is dedicating staff to ensure programs are available to children outside of school time. The mobile outreach services include youth activities and programs in public spaces and at approved school locations. These mobile services will also include resource distribution including educational and school supplies and daily healthy snacks and drinks; one established site is already serving 40 youth. The organization anticipates a current and increased need for these services to support families as they exit the shelters for housing placement in different parts of the island.

Downtown Athletic Club of Hawai‘i (9/15/23) - $100,000
In partnership with the Lahainaluna High School (LHS) athletic director, coaches, and administrators, the Downtown Athletic Club of Hawai‘i is supporting LHS student athletes so that they may participate in sporting events for the academic year to come. Providing the proper equipment to safely practice and participate will bolster student athletes’ motivation, increase their connectivity, and ensure access to the mental health benefits that team sports instill.

EPIC 'Ohana Inc. (8/23/23) - $10,000
EPIC 'Ohana Inc.'s Maui-based HI HOPES Leadership Board distributes gift cards to current and recently aged-out foster youth to support their recovery from the fires on Maui. The foster youth community is faced with significantly fewer support systems as a result of experiences in the child welfare system. EPIC 'Ohana’s Maui leadership team is uniquely positioned to fill this need for the approximately 50 families who were displaced and 30 young adult former foster youth who were directly impacted. This network is in direct communication with families and young adults as they are re-settled into new housing.

Friends of Children’s Justice Center on Maui - $40,000
Awarded 8/14/23 - $20,000
Awarded 9/15/23 - $20,000
The Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of Maui (FCJCM) is working to help at least 130 of its youth clients who have been displaced by the fires, providing clothing, bedding, and personal hygiene for the youth. FCJCM will provide gift cards to first responders, governmental agencies and other social service agencies dealing directly with its youth to purchase the needed items. FCJCM will also provide financial assistance for its youth clients. The organization is working with Hale Pono, a youth shelter, to assist with housing.

Imua Family Services - $300,000
Awarded 8/14/23 - $250,000
Awarded 9/8/23 - $50,000
Imua Family Service’s (IFS) is working to address the immediate needs of children and families directly affected by the Maui wildfires. The agency will use grant funding to support mobile therapeutic/direct intervention and crisis services, pop-up respite centers for children and families, mental health and well-being counseling, crisis intervention counseling, resource support systems, health insurance onboarding support and social services education (i.e. FEMA, SNAP, etc.), professional training and support and supplies and materials.

Learning Endeavors (9/8/23) - $20,000
Learning Endeavors (LE) is an education nonprofit based in Kīhei. It specializes in place-based science experiences, including field studies/trips and curricula that incorporate technology, the arts, multiple science fields, and more. Current program offerings include weekend events, intercession camps, workshops, and afterschool activities. LE is expanding its offerings for families impacted by the fires both in Kīhei and West Maui. Funds will cover scholarships for families enrolling in programs, educational events, a lecture series, and Saturday events for keiki in Lahaina. LE can provide virtual and hybrid learning experiences for students who have transporation barriers.

Maui Hui Mālama (8/11/23) - $75,000
Maui Hui Mālama (MHM) is providing relief to families experiencing displacement from the fires, including food, basic-need supplies, and gas and grocery gift cards as direct support. The organization will also host family support days for displaced families to come together to share a meal and be in community, and for parents to find respite through coordinated keiki activities. MHM is working to provide activities and build positive memories for keiki impacted by the wildfires with its trauma-informed care approach.

Maui Preparatory Academy (9/22/23) - $250,000
Maui Preparatory Academy (MPA) is a pre-kindergarten through 12th grade private school located in Nāpili. Its campus survived the fires, but due to its close proximity to the disaster area, MPA is enrolling educationally displaced students, the vast majority of whom were directly affected by the fires. Funding helps support their tuition and complete educational needs. This includes desks and chairs, paper products, and other supplies necessary for schooling, as well as support for preschool, teacher aids, paraprofessionals, and a licensed clinical social worker to help students affected by the fires with their particular emergent and evolving academic and emotional needs as they progress through the school year.

Parents and Children Together (9/22/23) - $100,000
For the past 25 years Parents and Children Together’s (PACT’s) Maui programs, based in Wailuku, have been serving Maui County communities with a focus on domestic violence prevention and intervention, family strengthening services, behavioral health support for families with youth exhibiting serious behavioral, social, and emotional challenges, and intervention and community education for human sex trafficking survivors and youth at-risk. In response to the fires, in which at least 26 families participating in its programs have lost homes, PACT is using funding to provide basic needs support for 57 clients and staff; comprehensive wellness assessments to identify the specific needs and challenges faced by each family regarding their physical and mental health and social well-being of parents and children; regular wellness visits in partnership with the Department of Health; psychological support in the form of counseling services and support groups; education and resources on disaster preparedness, safety measures, and available resources; and partnerships with community hubs to ensure PACT efforts are effectively communicated and aligned with community resources.

Village of Hope Maui (8/17/23) - $10,000
Village of Hope Maui is supporting relief efforts for displaced children and families by providing “relief backpacks” filled with supplies and essentials (clothing, first aid kits, reusable water bottles, etc.). The organization has already been providing “journey bags” to foster children transitioning to their caregivers, so the key partners and resources are already in place. Families and individuals provide a list of what they need, and the organization's sponsors and volunteers will fill a backpack with those items and deliver to the family. Village of Hope is working with churches, community groups, businesses, and through social media to connect its resources to those in need.

Maui Public Art Corps with fiscal sponsor Lōkahi Pacific (8/24/23) - $5,000
Maui Public Art Corps, with its fiscal sponsor Lōkahi Pacific, has received donations for children displaced by the fires. One donor has contributed to the purchase of Hydro Flasks, reusable water bottles, and backpacks for these children. Over 100 local artists have contributed designs that Maui Public Art Corps will turn into stickers. Maui Public Art Corps is working closely with the Student Services Coordinator for Maui Department of Education and will host Sticker Buffet events at schools and other community locations where children can select stickers and customize their water bottles and backpacks, offering a creative outlet to help youth regain a sense of ownership, identity, and normalcy during this challenging time.

Maui Youth & Family Services (8/22/23) - $175,000
Maui Youth and Family Services (MYFS) staff immediately responded to families by being present at shelters and connecting with students. MYFS counselors staff most public schools with and serve the families as needed. These funds will support staffing and transportation costs for counselors providing services, as well as pop-up counseling sites where survivors are gathering and where resources are distributed, including Nāpili Plaza, Lahaina Gateway Mall, and Kāʻanapali hotels. MYFS is working closely with the Department of Education to coordinate where counseling is needed in school, after school, and in communities around the island wherever Lahaina families have re-settled. Among their offerings, MYFS will have three staff dedicated to mental health needs for West Maui adolescents.

Native Hawaiian Philanthropy (8/14/23) - $85,000
Native Hawaiian Philanthropy is providing backbone support to four nonprofit partners supporting 50 children displaced from King Kamehameha III Elementary School. This effort is being led by the school’s parent/teach organization, Laeula o Kai Canoe Club, Hālau Makana Aloha o Ka Lauaʻe, and Aumana. The families of these students have been placed in homes with other Maui families, and are being navigated to new school systems and connected with direct support services from various agencies. These four nonprofit organization partners are now managing this network of families to ensure they are cared for and have the right resources.

Wisdom Circles Oceania (9/8/23) - $55,000
Wisdom Circles Oceania (WCO) incorporates art and music healing practices, trauma-informed practices, culturally-rooted strategies, and other modalities into services for youth and children, with additional benefits to adults. The Executive Director, who was raised on Maui, has been on island since the fires, offering free of cost services and experiences at hubs, hotels, and shelters. WCO says each week of programming has already served 150 children at public schools, shelters, and westside beach parks. WCO has since partnered with Pōmaikaʻi School in Wailuku, The Royal Lahaina Hotel, and is going to Honokōwai and Nāpili Park next. It will expand its services to other schools as requested. Funds support coordination costs, Maui-based staff, artists and practitioner stipends, transportation, and supplies.

back to top

Communications, Logistics, and Transportation 

Blue Water Rafting (8/11/23) - $5,000
Local boating company Blue Water Rafting, along with partnering local boat captains, are working collectively to transport supplies from Kīhei Harbor to those stranded in and above Lahaina town. Partners on the ground to this boat effort are several local truck drivers who are actively delivering to families in need and have been meeting the boat captains at designated harbors.

Community Workday Program, dba Mālama Maui Nui (8/14/23) - $100,000
Community Workday Program (dba Malama Maui Nui) is a nonprofit poised with vehicle support, volunteer manpower, equipment, and supplies to provide transportation for initial emergent support and then later utilize their heavy-duty trucks and equipment to support cleanup efforts. With their vehicles, they have done supply runs daily to take water, food, first aid, healthcare, and social services to support people in Lahaina. The next phase of their work is to help with waste/debris removal and will coordinate with government officials on this activity. They have experience cleaning up sites and can support with the proper equipment, hard hats, safety vests, gloves, road cones, tents, tables, chairs, high visibility attire, grabbers and reusable trash bags, and other things to create a sustainable approach to the work ahead. They have engaged a variety of partners including the County of Maui, houseless service nonprofits, social service nonprofits, food service providers, and other first responders.

Footprint Project (8/24/23) - $250,000
Footprint Project is coordinating with local NGOs, local government, local solar installers, and microgrid industry partners to provide free emergency power for community relief hubs in Maui. Solar grids are being deployed for community charging hubs, as on-the-ground partners are unable to pinpoint recovery of utilities in the region. As of August 18, four solar microgrids have been deployed at three community relief sites, and there are 12 potential sites available for installation. Funds will be used for solar and battery equipment procurement, installation and maintenance by local solar installers, and disaster program logistics and management. Partners on the ground include: Maui Nui Resiliency Hui, Maui County Council, Regenerative Education Centers, Direct Relief, ITDRC, SmartAID, and Empowered By Light. Industry partners for the technology installation include Hawai‘i Solar Energy Association, Sunrun, Rising Sun Solar, Greentech Renewables, Fortress Power, Schneider Electric, LONGi, Elcco Electric, SimpliPhi Power, and Sol-Ark.

Hawaiʻi Technology Academy (9/6/23) - $27,300
The Hawaiʻi Technology Academy is a K-12 public charter school that operates a blended learning program in which 80 percent of coursework is online and 20 percent is in person. The school has enrolled 21 new high school students from Lahaina who were affected by the fires. The funds awarded will support transportation costs and laptop purchases for the students.

Hawaiian Hope Org (9/6/23) - $225,000
Hawaiian Hope Org is a technology-based nonprofit that specializes in computer refurbishing. The organization seeks to provide 1,500 computers to those impacted by the wildfires. It has 5,000 computers in stock at two sites and has already begun distributing computers that are ready for use. Through these funds, the organization can staff a volunteer coordinator position that will lead the team of volunteers helping to get the hardware ready for use.

Maui Economic Development Board (8/17/23) - $50,000
Maui Economic Development Board Inc. (MEDB) is running a small network of Starlink wi-fi/cell terminals and cell phone charging stations around the Lahaina and Westside impacted areas. The terminals and charging stations are being used nearly around the clock, providing connection to find loved ones and to fill out all the internet forms and resources those affected are being directed to. MEDB is coordinating with the Mayor’s Office, the Maui Police Department, and a range of Maui-based technology companies and donors.

Maui Nui Resiliency Hui - $248,760
Awarded 8/16/23 - $123,760
Awarded 8/25/23 - $125,000
Maui Nui Resiliency Hui (MNRH) is supporting the installation of 12 standalone power stations in Lahaina, where power has not yet been fully restored. Each solar power pack can power a Starlink terminal to provide internet access, and can connect to 128 devices for charging. This power service is critical to families still stranded in Lahaina. The organization is working with county councilmembers and the Maui Police Department to gain access to the secured community. There is a sense of urgency to get power to this community before any impending weather arrives to the islands. This is also considered a long-term need for the area. MNRH is also supporting two month subscriptions for seven Starlink terminals that have been donated to the community through a local partnership. MNRH will ensure the terminals are installed and operating.

Maui Reef Adventures (8/16/23) - $5,000
Maui Reef Adventures has been transporting supplies to Lahaina utilizing both Mala Ramp and Kahana Beach since August 10, 2023. It has completed six round-trip supply runs with Maui Gold Pineapple, which has donated 12,000 pounds of fresh cut and whole pineapple along with bottled water, fuel, non-perishable food, ice, pet food, diapers, and hygiene products. In addition, it recently worked with a company to deliver donated fuel, clothing, baby and pet food, baby bottles, formula, diapers, and non-perishable food products on its behalf. The company is also offering support with transporting individuals stranded by road closures out of Lahaina.

Nā ʻAikane o Maui (9/8/23) - $250,000
Nā ʻAikane o Maui is serving as a central hub for the Sheraton Kāʻanapali region, supporting nearly 1,200 individuals daily and in position to support all 1,900 residents housed with the hotels. The hub provides essential food and drink supplies; mother and infant care supplies; basic medical and hygiene supplies; batteries and PPE; clothes and toys for children and adults; and traditional healing services such as lomilomi and lāʻau lapaʻau, offered by cultural practitioners. Funds will be used to support the infrastructure of the hub operations, including technology supplies, contractual support, insurance, and other necessary expenses.

Project Strong One (9/8/23) - $8,950
Project Strong One is a nonprofit organization partnering with a collaboration among Maui-based community members seeking resources for their communities. Key partners include Maui Collective Contributor, the VA Clinic Pacific Island System, Tulsi Gabbard's "Helping Hands," and Healing Maui, who are all responding to the Maui fires in Lahaina and Kula. Project Strong One has sourced supplies at the directive of the local partners and is providing assistance in delivering 40 pallets of essential and consumable items. Funds are covering the cost to ship the items to these listed partner agencies and NGOs, who are coordinating pickup and delivery on Maui.

back to top

Direct Financial Assistance 

Maui United Way - $5,000,000
Awarded 8/30/23 - $1,500,000
Awarded 9/8/23 - $3,500,000
Maui United Way (MUW) established the Emergency Financial Assistance (EFA) Program in response to the disaster's profound impact and its community's urgent needs. The EFA Program provides direct financial assistance to adult individuals who reside in the fire-affected zones through digital payment (Venmo, Paypal, direct deposit to individuals’ bank accounts) or pre-paid VISA cards (physical and electronic). MUW estimates that between 9,000 – 13,000 individuals have been affected. To date, MUW has already received nearly 9,000 applications, committed $5 million to EFA, and is seeking additional support to operate this program.

back to top

Food and Supplies 

Aloft (9/8/23) - $90,000
Aloft Charity is a nonprofit working with a group of community members and volunteers on Maui who are operating meal distribution at S-Turns Hub in West Maui. Through this partnership, Aloft Charity is supporting the continued distribution of at least 300 meals per day. The organization is working with a local food truck operator to cook on-site, where nearly 6,500 meals have already been distributed in the first 20 days of operations since the fires. Funds will cover 90 days’ worth of meals for families re-settled at the nearby hotels.

Citizen Church Maui (8/30/23) - $50,000
Citizen Church Maui is actively supporting Lahaina residents impacted by the fires through meal distribution (3,000 meals per day), essential resources, grief support, and temporary shelter assistance. The organization is also providing 300 grocery boxes weekly to families in need. It is partnering with Mercy Chefs, which has provided access to a commercial kitchen. With support, it will continue to provide water, food boxes, essential items, household assistance, and 300-500 meals weekly. These funds will be used to hire displaced individuals to fill much-needed positions to fulfill its food distribution activities.

A Cup of Cold Water (8/14/23) - $10,000
A Cup of Cold Water (ACCW) is a community car/van outreach program formed by the ministry of the Episcopal Churches of Maui in partnership with the Wailuku and Kahului Hongwanjis. ACCW has been providing unsheltered people with water, food, clothes, hygiene items, slippers, sheets, towels, blankets, pet food, tarps, and much more. It has been asked by the Maui County Mayor’s Office to help take supplies to people in Nāpili.

Common Ground Collective (8/14/23) - $200,000
Common Ground Collective (CGC) is filling a gap for the Salvation Army (SA), which normally prepares meals for the Red Cross shelters. However, the SA facility was lost in the fire and CGC has stepped in to support the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College and Chef Hui in preparing meals. In an intermediary role, CGC will be purchasing the supplies and refrigerated trucks and also coordinating with Chef Hui, the Maui College, SA and shelters to get food to those in the shelters. CGC will also serve as a backbone to World Central Kitchen until all organizations are certified to support themselves.

Hawai‘i Agritourism Association (9/6/23) - $135,000
The Hawai‘i Agritourism Association (HATA) is partnering with GoFarm Hawai‘i, the Hō‘ea Initiative, Chef Hui, and other farmers and practitioners. With these funds the organization will buy food from local farmers and restaurants to create easy-to-prepare meal kits with local recipes. Kits will be delivered to West Maui and Upcountry distribution sites to get to families and individuals in need. HATA is working closely with community organizations to ensure people impacted by the fires have access to the deliveries.

Hawai‘i Farmer's Union Foundation (9/6/23) - $125,000
The Hawai‘i Farmers Union Foundation supports the Hawai‘i Farmers Union United, serving Maui for the past six years. Funding supports emergency relief for families, farmer and rancher support systems, purchase of local produce to help feed families, and mental health access for members and others in need. Overall the farming and ranching industry was impacted directly and this funding will support the infrastructure and capacity for the food systems to serve community needs.

Hoʻopili Farmers Association (8/14/23) - $10,000
The Hoʻopili Farmers Association is working to ship much-needed supplies from Moloka‘i to Maui. It is purchasing fresh produce from Molokaʻi farmers to send over, and coordinating with others on Molokaʻi, including hunters, fishers, and nonprofits, to get additional goods together for shipment. The organization is working in partnership with the nonprofit Lāpule o Hina to gather supplies, as well as coordinating with the Molokaʻi community.

Hua Momona Foundation (9/8/23) - $150,000
Hua Momona Foundation is the nonprofit arm of the Hua Momona Farms located in Kapalua, West Maui. The organization has been providing 250-1,000 hot meals per day (depending on funding) to West Maui residents affected by the fire. Meals are being delivered to people who cannot find food, cannot afford to buy food, or who do not want to leave their homes. The Foundation has a network including Local Harvest (50 growers) and its own farm as resources for fresh produce. It is staffed by local Maui residents and is in a location nearest the neighborhoods directly impacted. The primary work of Hua Momona is to acquire and prepare meals that are distributed by local partners like Hawai‘i’s Hungry Heroes. Funds will support daily prepared meals.

Kaialahui Foundation (9/6/23) - $20,000
Kaialahui is a 350-acre farm in Waikapū that hosts 25 farmers. These farmers will collectively lose about half of their income due to the loss of business from Lahaina customers, but they have shifted to support their communities by providing immediate food relief. Kaialahui will use funds to purchase food from the farmers and donate to organizations preparing and delivering meals to the community directly. The organization is working with many partners in the community to ensure farmers and food systems can be sustained.

Makana ‘Āina Foundation (8/30/23) - $15,000
The Makana ‘Āina Foundation is working with Maui Food Bank and other food distributors to provide more fresh local foods to the on-island food supply distribution efforts that are supporting those impacted by the fires. Funding will ensure the delivery of 2,000 units of entree bowls and 2,000 units of dry good snacks that will mostly consist of locally sourced proteins prepared at a certified facility in Mānoa, O‘ahu. It will be delivered fresh/frozen or shelf stable, as requested by the Maui Food Bank.

Maui AIDS Foundation (8/14/23) - $10,000
The Maui AIDS Foundation (MAF) is a certified food pantry, distributing food, drinks, hygiene supplies, and AIDS prevention items. MAF has opened its doors to everyone affected by the wildfires to distribute food, water, and emergency supplies, including hygiene items, bedding, flashlights, baby Items, cots, and tents. Funds will be used to purchase additional supplies and distribute them to families who have been displaced by the wildfires.

Maui Family Support Services (8/15/23) - $75,000
To date, Maui Family Support Services (MFSS) has received requests from 60 people needing assistance from impacts from the wildfires. It expects these numbers to increase as people seek more support or have trouble accessing resources. Needs include clothing, shoes and slippers that fit them, diapers and pull-ups, wipes and other hygiene products, medical items, survival essentials, food and water, transportation replacement, and housing assistance. MFSS is using Survey Monkey to gather families’ needs and track when their requests have been purchased and distributed. It is using four agency vehicles to deliver supplies to impacted families.

Maui Food Bank (8/11/23) - $250,000
Maui Food Bank (MFB) is providing food to support the thousands of people on island who have been displaced by the fires. The organization is distributing food at many shelters, including the War Memorial and King’s Cathedral shelters. MFB is also delivering food to West Maui several times a day to residents in dire need.

The ParaGenius Foundation (8/30/23) - $34,000
The ParaGenius Foundation is a nonprofit based in Kīhei focused on supporting and promoting sustainable organic farming. ParaGenius is partnering with ‘Oko’a Farms (The Farm) to donate thousands of pounds of produce each week for human and animal consumption. The Farm suffered about $10,000 in fire damage but still managed to distribute about 5,000 pounds of organic produce/food, valued at $6,000, in the last two weeks of August, and will continue to do so. A weekly distribution of about $3,000 in produce from the Farm goes to Hungry Heroes Hawai‘i, World Central Kitchen, Food Not Bombs, and other smaller groups that are confirmed food distributors to those in need, including animals and pets. Organic produce distributed includes 600 pounds of beets, carrots, radishes, pumpkins, cassava, ginger; 400 pounds of kale, chard, lettuce, and herbs; and 500 pounds of lychee, tomatoes, bananas, and dragon fruit. Funds will support food distribution for the next eight weeks.

The Salvation Army (Hawaiian Islands and Pacific) (8/11/23) - $250,000
The Salvation Army is feeding thousands at Maui County and American Red Cross shelters in response to the various wildfire evacuations. It began providing meals immediately after evacuations began, with service now expanding across the island. The Salvation Army is at the forefront of the relief effort, providing help and support while working closely with first responders and emergency management agencies to meet the immediate needs of individuals and families impacted by the wildfire.

The Sewing Hui of Maui (8/17/23) - $5,000
The Sewing Hui of Maui received requests from shelters for pillowcases for families, especially keiki, and walker/wheelchair bags for kūpuna and disabled persons. The Hui had a goal of making 2,000 pillowcases that can double as bags, and 270 walker bags. This goal was met through donations and the organization is continuing to support those affected by the fires, particularly those who have lost sewing materials and equipment. The Hui is leading a sewing supply drive to help get seamstresses and quilters back to sewing again, relying on partners from its pandemic and post-pandemic projects to support efficient distribution of resources.

back to top

Health Care 

Aloha House (8/30/23) - $250,000
As a result of the fires’ impact on residents, Aloha House is anticipating an influx of clients with co-occurring substance use and mental health needs. Individuals may have been affected through direct experience of the fires, through friends or family members affected, or may have secondary trauma from helping those in need. Aloha House is operating a crisis mobile outreach with workers on call and responding to individual needs. Funding will support four care coordinator positions and a care coordinator manager for 12 months. Expanding staffing will allow for increased community outreach, assistance with intake, supporting treatment needs, providing referrals, and other navigation services. Current Aloha House clients will also be supported with options to extend their stays and receive additional support to avoid relapse or loss of housing.

American Cancer Society (8/24/23) - $100,000
The American Cancer Society (ACS) has created the Hawai‘i Response Crisis Fund, a 100 percent restricted fund to support cancer patients and their families in Hawai‘i with a specific geographic focus on those affected who are from Maui. The organization has developed solutions to address transportation and lodging challenges as well as other difficulties that might limit access to cancer care. Immediate solutions include providing gas cards, rental vehicles, free hotel lodging, and free airfare to neighboring islands. The Hope Lodge Honolulu is already hosting one guest from Maui who lost everything, and it is ACS’ hope that the Hope Lodge remains operational throughout the crisis. ACS staff have made every effort, to the extent possible, to maintain communication with current cancer patients, survivors, volunteers, and health systems. Partner networks include the Pacific Cancer Foundation and Maui Cancer Resources.

Community Clinic of Maui - Mālama I Ke Ola Health Center (8/16/23) - $250,000
Mālama I Ke Ola Health Center’s (MIKOHC) Lahaina clinic was destroyed in the fires. The organization is partnering with the Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) and Hui No Ke Ola Pono (HNKOP) to set up the new Lahaina Comprehensive Health Center, which will be run out of a DOH building that was unoccupied and untouched by the fire, right below the Lahaina Civic Center. The organization will also operate mobile clinics and traveling medical care to meet clients where they are, if they cannot walk in for services. MIKOHC is being supported by partner clinics on Hawai‘i Island and O‘ahu. Grant funds will be used for medical equipment and supplies, furniture, and computers to be shared by all staff in the collaborative effort.

Doctors on Call Maui partnering with Collaborative Support Services Inc. (8/22/23) - $250,000
The Doctors on Call Maui location at 3350 Lower Honoapiʻilani Highway in Lahaina is the only fixed-location lab and clinic still operating in West Maui. Although approved by Kaiser and HMSA, it is serving many more uninsured residents as a result of this disaster, and working in partnership with a temporary clinic set up at Lahaina Civic Center. Funds support services to meet immediate needs for the next few months, including staffing, medical supplies, and transporting supplies from Central Maui and other locations.

Hawaiʻi Self Advocacy Advisory Council (8/24/23) - $25,000
The Self Advocacy Advisory Council (SAAC) is a nonprofit organization for individuals with disabilities. Funding will be used to purchase replacement equipment needed to provide behavioral and other support for individuals with disabilities. In particular, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are significantly impacted by their inability to comprehend, process, and cope with the magnitude of the emergency situation. SAAC has already identified several families in need of replacement equipment for their children with autism spectrum disorder whose devices were lost in the fires. SAAC plans to receive referrals for requests through the state Council on Developmental Disabilities via their partnerships in the Disability Hui.

Hui No Ke Ola Pono (8/14/23) - $75,000
Hui No Ke Ola Pono (HNKOP) is currently assisting with medical and community needs in immediate response to the fires. The state Department of Health is opening a medical hub in the Lahaina Civic Center area to provide care to community members who have no means to get to town from the west side of Maui. HNKOP will be the medical provider and lead the outreach for this hub. Funds will be used for medical supplies, prescriptions, food, water, and emergency supplies that will be handed out at the hub as well as distributed by outreach done by foot throughout the area. Partners include Mauliola Pharmacy, Mālama I Ke Ola Health Center, and the Maui County Department of Health.

Kelea Foundation (9/22/23) - $25,000
The Kelea Foundation has been working with the disability community on Maui since 2018. Funding will secure a site in central Maui to serve as a hub for the Disability Hui, a partnership between Adaptive Maui and Aloha Independent Living to help those with disabilities who have been affected by the Maui fires. The site at 111 Hana Highway will be used for storage and distribution of durable medical equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers, and blood pressure machines, shower equipment, extended size clothing sent to Maui by FEMA, and other goods. It will also serve as a place where medical providers, occupational therapists, social workers, and other providers can pick up equipment for their clients, as well as a central meeting place for case workers and other volunteers, a central community center, a location for other non-profits in the Disability Hui to operate from, and a space for off-island medical providers to meet with patients or work on personalized care equipment service.

Mālama Family Recovery Center (8/30/23) - $150,000
Mālama Nā Mākua a Keiki, dba Mālama Family Recovery Center (MFRC), is anticipating an influx of clients with behavioral health needs. MFRC works uniquely with women experiencing substance addiction and their children, serving approximately 90 women and 30 children under the age of five each year. The organization is making additional outreach efforts to expectant mothers through its BabySAFE (Substance Abuse Free Environment) program, in collaboration with its community-based partners. Funds will provide additional staffing positions that will support intake, client treatment, coordinated care and activities, as well as referrals. This additional level of support is critical as the stressors on clients is high and increasing because of the disaster.

Maui Adult Day Care Centers (8/16/23) - $100,000
Maui Adult Day Care’s Lahaina Day Care Center burned down in the fire, and it has lost all paperwork and records for clients. MADCC is seeking funding to give scholarships to those families who need their services and can be accommodated at one of its other locations (Kīhei, Kahului or Wailuku). By providing this financial assistance to those in need, MADCC will be providing these adults a safe place to stay during the day, so their families can have more time to focus on recovery. MADCC has been given approval to expedite the transfer of its Lahaina clients to the other day care locations—it had 30 clients enrolled in Lahaina and served about 15 per day.

Maui Health Foundation (8/24/23) - $250,000
The Maui Health hospital clinicians and physicians have been working in West Maui, responding to health challenges requiring first aid, emergency care, minor medical care such as burns, smoke inhalation, wounds, asthma, heart attacks, sutures, psychiatric recovery and therapy, and more. They are also ensuring community members have access to the necessary prescriptions for their ongoing health management. Maui Health Foundation (MHF) will use funds to continue this work. The clinic has now moved to the Hyatt Regency in Kā‘anapali and serves displaced people staying there (750 displaced people) as well as at other hotels and areas nearby (300 people each). Maui Health System’s Community and Communication Response Team has been staffing the West Side clinic, in addition to their mobile outreach.

Mauliola Pharmacy, with fiscal sponsor Imua Family Services (8/14/23) - $500,000
Awarded 8/14/23 - $250,000
Awarded 9/22/23 - $250,000
Mauliola Pharmacy (MP) is providing emergent mobile pharmaceutical support services at shelters across the island and in West Maui for residents affected by the Maui wildfires. Between 300 and 500 individuals a day are being served. MP is working with a range of partners to create a coordinated care effort for the community, including the county of Maui, the state of Hawaiʻi, Imua Family Services, the shelters and shelter coordinators, FEMA/MEMA, local churches, and others.

Nā Ho‘aloha-Maui Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers (8/14/23) - $25,000
Nā Hoaloha-Maui Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers (Nā Ho‘aloha) is providing supportive services for older adults and those with disabilities, including escorted transportation to essential services such as doctors’ appointments; shop/drop grocery delivery to displaced participants, including pharmacy pickup and prepared meals delivered; coordinating supportive services for impacted older adults such as disaster assistance with replacement IDs, HUD and SNAP help, etc.; and support for volunteers providing disaster relief and in-home, hands-on wellness checks.

Project Vision - $250,000
Awarded 8/15/23 - $50,000
Awarded 8/16/23 - $200,000
Project Vision Hawaiʻi is doing mobile medical outreach in Lahaina, and is cycling through each of the shelters to provide medical care and emergency SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, and TANF applications. In coordination with the Mayor’s Office and MPD, it has been delivering potable water to first responders and residents who have been displaced. Project Vision Hawaiʻi will use grant funds for medication, medical equipment, personal necessities, and safety items for teams on the ground. It is hosting health fairs at homeless shelters and vision clinics for those who need contacts or glasses replaced. It is also shipping another trailer to support Maui efforts from its neighbor island office and will seek more storage and transportation with the expanded efforts. Project Vision is working closely with Mālama Maui Nui, Mauna Medics, the Homeless Taskforce of Mālama Soul Project, Maui Rapid Response, and Hawaiian Homestead leaders.

UVSC (9/15/23) - $20,000
UVSC, a Maui-based organization, supports cancer fighters by helping to reduce their economic worries, allowing patients and their families to focus on fighting, healing, and living on. Funding allows UVSC to provide economic support systems and fill in gaps in services for cancer patients from Lahaina and Upcountry Maui who face severe economic challenges and trauma from the fires.

Waiʻanae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (8/24/23) - $20,000
Wai‘anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC) is sending health providers daily to assist Mālama I Ke Ola (dba Community Clinic of Maui) in providing medical care to those impacted by the Maui wildfires. Mālama I Ke Ola is the only federally qualified health center on Maui, and they are stretched thin providing medical care at their Lahaina-based Hawai‘i Department of Health clinic, through outreach services, and at their main clinic. The organization’s resources have been further strained due to staff that were directly impacted. This grant will primarily support travel and ground transport for WCCHC APRNs and a few MDs with experience and training in Family Medicine to fly to Maui daily, at least through September and potentially beyond, depending on need.

West Hawai‘i Community Health Center dba Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center (9/15/23) - $40,000
Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center (HICHC) has joined the Hawai‘i Department of Health, Wai‘anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, and Community Clinic of Maui dba Mālama I Ke Ola Health Center to provide urgent medical and behavioral health care services to individuals and families affected by the wildfires in West Maui, including Lahaina, Kīhei, and Kula. Funds support transportation costs, supplies, and staff time for HICHC’s interdisciplinary team, who provide services to approximately 20 people per day at the public health center and in the field.

back to top

Immigrant Services

Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights with fiscal sponsor Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network (9/15/23) - $246,500
A coalition of more than 25 organizations serving immigrant communities in Hawai‘i, the Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights (HCIR) is coordinating assistance to immigrant families and individuals who were impacted by the Maui fires. Funding supports HCIR efforts to reduce inequities in access to relief and recovery programs faced by Maui immigrants, who comprise a significant portion of the Maui community, by supporting advocacy for equitable policies and practices, providing language services, and assisting with navigating the complex and inconsistent rules about immigrant eligibility for various federal and state emergency response benefits.

The Legal Clinic (8/21/23) - $30,000
The Legal Clinic is assisting individuals to replace immigration-status documents lost in the fires, including green cards, citizenship docs, COFA visas (I90, I9, N565, I94, etc.), and proof of DACA status. These documents are essential for immigrants, who often face limited English abilities and require translation services while navigating post-disaster recovery steps. The Legal Clinic is working closely with the Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights and the Pacific Gateway Center, which is establishing an office for immigration services on Maui in the coming months. The Legal Clinic will provide ongoing immigration legal services for those impacted, both remotely and in-person at this upcoming Maui location, and ensure that language access compliance mandates are met.

Marshallese Association of Kaua‘i (8/23/23) - $50,000
The Marshallese Association of Kaua‘i (MAK) uses grant funds to directly purchase needed goods for Micronesian residents of Maui who were impacted by the fires, shipping supplies directly to contacts in the Micronesian communities on Maui who distribute them to residents through community groups attending to COFA family needs. This population faces significant barriers due to language and cultural differences that prevent COFA communities from seeking resources. This work will help provide resources for COFA families in need of direct support.

Roots Reborn, with fiscal sponsor Maui Economic Opportunity (8/14/23) - $100,000
MEO is serving as an intermediary partner to Roots Reborn, a group of immigrant-focused human rights lawyers and organizers on Maui who are directly serving immigrant communities across Maui County. The high number of non-U.S. citizens who were residing in Lahaina is a hidden and heightened challenge, so Roots Reborn is working with immigrants affected by the wildfires to ensure they don’t fall through the cracks during recovery and response efforts. Grant funds will be used to support translation services, housing assistance, food assistance, and support for navigating insurance claims and other resources for which immigrants are eligible. The organization is also in contact with consulates that represent these impacted immigrant communities.

back to top

Lodging and Shelter 

American Red Cross (Pacific Islands Region) (8/11/23) - $250,000
The American Red Cross is serving as a one-stop-shop for disaster recovery efforts on Maui. The primary focus is sheltering people who have been displaced by the fires; the Red Cross is operating three shelters on island, serving thousands each day. These shelters include Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center, Maui High School, and Maui War Memorial. All shelters are at capacity with 1,000 to 2,000 people accessing services each day. The Red Cross is partnering with the Salvation Army to provide food at these shelters, and is coordinating at least 300 volunteers to staff these locations and help with the crisis.

Arc of Maui (8/14/23) - $60,000
Arc of Maui County is supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who were impacted by the Maui wildfires and forced to relocate to a safe, temporary home in Wailuku. Staff have worked with donation centers to acquire some basic items, but now also needs to purchase specialized items such as beds and medical equipment. Arc of Maui’s own staff have directly impacted by the wildfires, limiting the number of staff able to work to serve clients.

Boy Scouts of America, Aloha Council (9/6/23) - $50,000
The Boy Scouts of America, Aloha Council has been activated by the County of Maui to be a relief shelter and assisting organization. Currently Camp Maluhia, its campsite on Maui, has lodged nearly 100 Red Cross workers staying intermittently at the camp. It is completely underwriting the cost of hosting the relief workers, and funds will cover staff time, rental costs, utilities, and transportation.

Catholic Charities Hawai‘i (9/11/23) - $2,000,000
Catholic Charities Hawai‘i (CCH) provides a range of social services with a focus on those with the greatest need. CCH will provide housing financial assistance and other support services to those affected by the Maui fires. Funding will provide 4-6 months assistance to Maui residents displaced statewide, covering expenses including rent, utility, security deposits, moving expenses, furniture, replace or repair necessary personal property, travel, transportation, other basic needs, and more. CCH will also provide support services such as financial literacy, case management, and counseling to work towards healing and sustainability.

Family Life Center (8/15/23) - $250,000
Family Life Center (FLC) is providing shelter services at its facility on Kāne Street, Kahului, and is at capacity. To expand sheltering options to displaced families, FLC has partnered with Maui County and King’s Cathedral to set up a temporary shelter on a 10-acre property in Kahului owned by the church. The site will be home to shelter units that will be assembled for at least 30 more families. This work is planned as a semi-permanent housing solution until residents are able to return to Lahaina.

HomeAid Hawai‘i (9/22/23) - $250,000
HomeAid Hawai‘i, a nonprofit developer known for development of kauhale villages, has the tools to immediately support government with displaced residents in need of dignified short- and long-term housing solutions until their communities can be rebuilt. HomeAid Hawai‘i is acting in coordination with government agencies to catalyze immediate development of short- to long-term homes for displaced residents. HomeAid needs the additional human resources to fulfill their support role in recovery, which necessitates the current funding that will be used to support a business operations manager and staff to facilitate partnerships, logistics, community voice in building designs, and more.

Host Housing Support Program (10/3/23) - $250,000
The Host Housing Support Program administered by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA), in partnership with the County of Maui and American Red Cross, offers financial support to households providing shelter to individuals and families displaced by the Maui wildfires. Eligible host households can receive a monthly stipend of up to $1,500 for up to six months, with a maximum of $375 for individuals under the $1,500 cap. Financial assistance provided through the program can be used to cover additional costs incurred by host families, including rent, utilities, groceries, household improvements, and other necessities. Funds from the Maui Strong Fund will be used to support program operations.

In His House of Restoration Church - $15,000
Awarded 8/14/23 - $5,000
Awarded 8/25/23 - $10,000
In His House of Restoration Church (IHH) is a registered distribution site for the Maui Food Bank in Maui Lani Village Center, Kahului. In this first week of the disaster response, it has housed 40 to 50 displaced people, both locals and visitors. It is also providing each person supplies, including clothing, blankets, water, and non-perishable food. IHH has also taken supplies into Honokōwai and distributed them to affected families there. Grant funds will go toward the purchase of additional supplies. In addition, the church is installing a commercial grade ice machine to serve demands for ice, primarily across West Maui but also meeting needs in Kahului, Wailuku, Kīhei and Kula. Transportation of ice will be ensured through partnerships in the community.

Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center (8/11/23) - $250,000
Ka Hale A Ke Ola is nonprofit organization that serves the houseless. It had a 48-unit homeless shelter and 30 rental units in Lahaina that were all destroyed in the fire, displacing 140 people (50 households). The organization is working actively in rapid-response mode to find housing for its displaced families.

King’s Cathedral and Chapels (8/11/23) - $250,000
King’s Cathedral and Chapels has been sheltering 200 individuals since the beginning of the crisis, and anticipates serving 200 to 400 more at its primary campus in Kahului. The organization is providing daily living essentials to families who have been displaced by the fires, including clothing, meals, showers, first aid, nurses administering medication, shuttles to the airport and immediate shelter. King’s Cathedral will also use funds to purchase cots and bedding to open more comfortable sleeping accommodations in the church building.

Maui Economic Opportunity - $3,500,000
Awarded 8/14/23 - $250,000
Awarded 8/25/23 - $3,250,000
Maui Economic Opportunity Inc. (MEO) is providing support to individuals and families affected by the Maui fires by securing transitional housing for 6 to 12 months. It will pay rental deposits and provide rental assistance until the individual or family stabilizes. MEO will also assist with job searches and providing essentials not provided through other relief organizations. It is also using its existing transportation network to provide transportation for those in need.

Pukalani Church of Nazarene (8/15/23) - $10,000
Pukalani Church of Nazarene (PCN) is supporting rapid and ongoing relief to individuals and families directly impacted by the Maui fires. PCN is providing housing, food, and other basic necessities in partnership with a network of providers to house 38 individuals, including a family of 13, who are all currently living in the church. The church’s medium-term housing strategy includes working with partnership networks to build four tiny homes on property to support medium-term housing for those who lost their homes and have no place to live until they are back on their feet.

back to top

Mental Health and Grief Counseling

Association for Infant Mental Health (8/21/23) - $10,000
The Association for Infant Mental Health in Hawai‘i (AIMH-HI) is part of a community collaborative called Kākou for Keiki (K4K) comprised of early-childhood serving organizations, primarily based on Maui. K4K core partners and family leaders are unanimous in stating their need for space and time to process what is happening around them, but they do not have a place to turn to for those needs. AIMH-HI is helping to lead listening and support sessions to meet the immediate need for processing what has happened, and to co-design a pathway to properly support mental health needs of Maui families who are pregnant or raising young children. The sessions will take place at the J. Walter Cameron Center in Wailuku in the Maui Economic Opportunity Family Center Classroom. Core partners include: Maui Economic Opportunity (Head Start), Maui Family Support Services (Early Head Start, Early Identification), Imua Family Services (Early Intervention), Keiki O Ka ‘Āina (Home Visiting), Hawai‘i Association for Infant Mental Health (AIMH HI), Kalauokekahuli, and the Hawai‘i Department of Health - Maui Office.

Hospice Hawai‘i Inc dba Navian Hawai‘i (9/22/23) - $8,500
Funding will provide 500 Comfort Kits developed by pediatric-trained specialists to address the psychosocial, emotional, and physical needs of children experiencing grief. Kits include a variety of items like coping strategy cards, stress relievers, creative outlets to express emotions, items for distraction, and ways to memorialize and capture the memories of what they have lost, offering immediate relief and comfort as well as help building lasting coping skills. Navian Hawai‘i is partnering with Nā Keiki o Emalia (NKOE) to immediately distribute Comfort Kits at NKOE’s events and other distribution hubs that typically see 60-80 children and teens each day.

Hospice Maui (8/14/23) - $95,000
Hospice Maui is currently assisting West Maui with medical relief and support for those most severely affected. This includes transporting medicine and medical supplies while offering support to families in the neighborhoods that are sheltering in place or stranded. Hospice Maui is coordinating with local authorities and organizations. In addition to this work, Hospice Maui staff are already providing trauma and grief counseling and medical care in the shelters in Wailuku and Kahului, and will establish phone support and support groups over the next few weeks and months. Its current partners are HMSA, Kaiser, Legacy Hospices in Hawai‘i, and the Governor’s Office on Wellness and Resilience.

Maui Community Theatre dba Maui OnStage (9/22/23) - $5,000
Maui Community Theatre, dba Maui OnStage, is a 92-year-old community theatre with a robust education and youth program held at the Iao Theatre in Wailuku, Maui. Maui OnStage will offer free tuition to youth and families impacted by the fires. Through theater, youth will learn about themselves, work as a team, and have a safe, welcoming space to explore their emotions. This program will support the well-being of participants and provide access to theatre for youth and families that face barriers to participating in the arts. It is currently providing free tuition for five youth and funding will expand this program.

Mental Health America of Hawai‘i (9/22/23) - $75,000
Mental Health America of Hawai‘i (MHAH) is using funding to implement a 12-month expansion of its Mental Health Resilience, Prevention, and Support Program. The program will help build a resilient community, prioritizing those directly impacted by the fires, as well as their families. MHAH utilizes a statewide approach essential to reach the hundreds, if not thousands, of Lahaina residents forced to relocate to other islands, as well as residents in other counties experiencing indirect trauma.

Nā Keiki O Emalia (8/11/23) - $5,000
Nā Keiki o Emalia provides grief support for children, teens, and their families to help them heal after the death of someone they love. Its Maui wildfire recovery and response efforts are focused on families with children who are experiencing grief. It plans to support families with both direct grief support services and immediate resources including food, water, coffee, toys, and art activities through a drop-in space at its office. The organization also plans to collect needed items for families through drives, for distribution at shelters and schools.

NAMI Hawaiʻi (8/18/23) - $5,000
The National Alliance on Mental Illness Hawaiʻi (NAMI) already operates the NAMI Connection Recovery (CR) support groups on Maui and on Zoom for people who need support for mental health. This existing program has 17 state-certified facilitators running five CR support groups and will now offer CR support groups in-person to service any Maui resident who needs mental-health and trauma support as a result of the fires. It has already started a Maui Strong Support Group online and will have in-person sessions every Saturday with certified facilitators starting September 2. NAMI is partnering with Mental Health America of Hawaiʻi as well as its other affiliates, and has booked the Cameron Center as its facility to deliver sessions. Funds will support transportation, food, meeting supplies, and facility rental fees for one month.

The Spirit Horse Ranch with fiscal sponsor Players Philanthropy Fund (9/6/23) - $65,000
The Spirit Horse Ranch is a nonprofit organization that provides trauma-informed care through equine therapy services. Since August 11, the organization has provided free equine therapy sessions with its 15 horses to more than 100 people, including first responders and others impacted by the fires. The organization is working with volunteers to organize transportation in south and central Maui. Its current partners include Maui Youth and Family Services, Friends of the Children’s Justice Center, Maui United Way, Hale Pono, the Department of Education, and the Maui Police Department juvenile program. Funds will cover staffing and feed costs for a few months of services.

back to top

Workforce Development

Children of the Rainbow Preschool (9/27/23) - $40,000
Located in the heart of Lahaina, Children of the Rainbow Preschool’s facility was severely damaged in the fires, but its staff of five intend to return to work at the site when it is re-opened. The organization has opened a temporary classroom space to continue working with children and families, and grant funds will be used to support child care stabilization, an essential service to families on Maui, through staff re-training and certificate maintenance for all staff members. Staff will complete at least 40 hours per month of training or hands-on experience to stay current in the early childhood field. Funds will cover six months of training for five employees and some materials and costs for the temporary classroom.

The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (9/8/23) - $100,000
The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement is launching a workforce development program on Maui to provide Maui residents with training to become certified to handle hazardous waste removal, clean-up, and rebuilding. These certifications are required to be able to work for employers that are contracting with FEMA and other government and private organizations engaged in the recovery work in areas destroyed by the wildfires. Training will cover two required certifications: OSHA-30 and Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER)-40. Funds will cover fees for instructors, training facilities, materials and equipment, certification fees for 400 individuals, travel, and other administrative costs.

Hawai‘i Land Trust (9/11/23) - $1,135,200
The mission of Hawai‘i Land Trust (HLT) is to protect and steward the lands that sustain Hawai‘i, and to perpetuate Hawaiian values by connecting people with ‘āina. Funding will support green jobs and new skills for 48 individuals from Lahaina who are out of work due to the wildfires, providing full-time employment for six months doing restoration work in Waihe‘e and Nu‘u Refuge.

KUPU (9/11/23) - $900,000
KUPU’s mission is to empower youth to serve their communities through character-building, service-learning, and environmental stewardship opportunities that encourage pono (integrity) with ke akua (God), self, and others. To combat nearly 8,000 reported unemployment cases among Maui residents, funding supports workforce development host sites on Maui, which provide employment with benefits, education awards, and support services through Kupu’s Conservation Leadership Development Program in partnership with AmeriCorps.

PIKO (9/22/23) - $145,000
PIKO works to expedite the reemployment process, enabling individuals to remain on Maui rather than seeking job opportunities elsewhere. It specializes in providing workforce development training for remote roles such as marketing coordinators, bookkeepers, administrative services, and data analysts. Funding supports at least 20 people who have lost jobs due to the wildfires and need to work to cover living expenses, and more people can be helped if placements occur before the full 90-day training.

back to top

Multi-Faceted 

‘Āina Momona (8/30/23) - $225,000
‘Āina Momona (AM) is representing a network of local nonprofits partnering on Maui recovery efforts with a collective fund known as the Maui Just Recovery Fund. This network is building a coordinated island-wide volunteer, respite, and support program to ensure volunteers and survivors are taken care of for the long haul of recovery. In addition, this program supports collaboration and fosters relationships between all the relief hubs established on Maui with the coordinated development of an infrastructure plan for mid- to long-term recovery needs. The core of the program is matching survivor needs with resources in the community. This program seeks to build centralized coordination, data, and digital communications infrastructure for long-term volunteer resilience and community building for sustainable relief. It is estimated that 5,000-10,000 community members will be served by mid- to long-term recovery efforts. AM is starting with 27 core volunteers, of which 70 percent are Lahaina or West Maui-based, and it seeks to expand to 200 core volunteers after six months. Funds will support volunteers, trainings, coordination meetings among hubs, technology needs, software, and administrative costs.

ClimbHI (8/30/23) - $17,000
ClimbHI operates a Career and Technical Education program for the Hawai‘i Department of Education (HIDOES) and will fund Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) certification for Maui residents. CERT-trained individuals are currently being sourced from O‘ahu to assist with Maui relief efforts. ClimbHI works with all the Maui public high schools and Maui College, and its students are eager to meet the need for CERT staff on island by becoming CERT-trained themselves. CERT-trained individuals are entered into the FEMA database and will deploy as needed to support emergencies by assisting with logistics, organizing volunteers, providing shelter support, and offering other skills needed to respond to disaster. ClimbHI is working with Maui's HIDOE staff and Maui College Chancellor to make this in-person training available to students and teachers on a first-come, first-served basis.

Goodwill Hawai‘i (9/1/23) - $250,000
Goodwill Hawai‘i (GH) has set up emergency response centers at five of its program offices statewide, including Kahului (Maui), Hilo and Kona (Hawai‘i Island), as well as Kapolei and Beretania (O‘ahu), to support those impacted with applications for resources and aid, including unemployment benefits, FEMA disaster assistance, food stamps, and emergency housing relief. GH has also offered access to its core employment services, including free job training, education, and placement support. The organization is also distributing emergency vouchers for impacted residents to redeem for clothing and household goods at any Goodwill Store in Hawai'i. These vouchers will be distributed to affected individuals through outreach at the organization's emergency response centers on Maui, O‘ahu, and Hawai‘i Island. Funds will be a match to contributions from Goodwill Hawai‘i to support Maui's residents in need.

Grace Bible Church Maui (8/18/23) - $50,000
Grace Bible Church and Preschool is located in Kahului (Central Maui). During the first week of response, the organization was serving as a shelter and preparing 200 to 400 meals per night while also organizing resources and volunteers to those affected by the fires. Currently, the organization is preparing 230 meals, three times a day, to families housed with church members and first responders. With about 3,000 Lahaina students set to attend Central Maui schools, Grace Bible Church will help to meet student needs being reported by teachers who attend the church. Grace Bible Church will help to purchase school and athletic uniforms as well as school supplies for students transitioning to new schools that need the support.

Haku Baldwin Center (9/8/23) - $12,000
Haku Baldwin Center provides equine-assisted services to those in need on Maui, including youth with diverse needs and military veterans. Its Maui wildfire recovery and response efforts will initially focus on direct support for local first responders and their families through free equine-assisted programs that address overall mental health and wellness concerns. Funds will be used to cover program costs, provide on-site respite day activities, and further outreach efforts to reassess and support the future needs of this population. The goal is to provide free services with a fully funded program.

Hale Mākua Health Services (8/14/23) - $500,000
Awarded 8/14/23 - $250,000
Awarded 9/22/23 - $250,000
Hale Mākua (HM) is working in Lahaina and out through Nāpili, in addition to its work in Kīhei and Kula, focusing on temporary and long-term housing solutions, donation gathering, transportation coordination, care navigation, behavioral health support and social work services. It is addressing technological needs and working on a mobile resource center. HM plans to serve at least 1,000 individuals through these ongoing, coordinated efforts. It is partnering with state agencies, the county of Maui, local and national pharmacies, FEMA/MEMA, and other nonprofits.

Hawai‘i People’s Fund (8/23/23) - $100,000
The Hawai‘i People's Fund (HPF) recently established the Maui Aloha Urgent Action (MAUA) process, which provides direct grant funding to community and grantee partners mobilizing in the Relief and Response phase. Nine organizations have been identified and supported, but more are being funded each week. HPF's work is deeply aligned with grassroots community efforts that are meeting needs on the ground, as requested by Maui community voices. HPF is actively receiving gifts from individuals and foundations, is engaged in webinar briefings related to the crisis, and is experiencing an influx of activity related to the recovery efforts on Maui while its usual operations are being diverted. Funds are being used for strategic temporary hires, increasing HPF's capacity to award grants to the community in a timely and efficient manner and to connect with the communities it is serving in a meaningful way.

Hawaiʻi Community Lending (9/6/23) - $250,000
Hawaiʻi Community Lending (HCL) is establishing a Kānaka Anti-Displacement Fund (KADF) to prevent displacement of Native Hawaiian homeowners from Maui impacted by natural and human-made disasters. The KADF will support homeowners who are referred for loss mitigation services, HUD housing counseling for crisis budgeting, FEMA application assistance, and access to a public insurance adjuster to review homeowner policies. Requested funds will go toward operations, outreach, and Maui-based staff. It will work with the Leialiʻi Homestead in Phase 1 and other Native Hawaiian homeowners in Phase 2.

Ka ʻIke Mau Loa O Ke Kai Hohonu (9/8/23) - $168,000
Ka ʻIke Mau Loa O Ke Kai Hohonu is an O'ahu-based nonprofit with employees and volunteers that grew up and still live in Kula, Maui. The group has been supporting green waste removal and fuel load reduction in Kula following the fires, by helping residents who are unable to remove the debris on their own. The organization is also supporting the Kula Hub to ensure that supplies, educational materials, and other resources remain available for Kula residents - especially while the water is not yet cleared for drinking or cooking. With funding, the organization will focus on its green waste removal efforts and operating the Kula Hub with local staffing support and key partner, Upcountry Strong.

J. Walter Cameron Center (8/14/23) - $50,000
The J. Walter Cameron Center is a crucial hub for coordinating, distributing, and providing essential aid during these challenging times. The demand for services has been substantial, with a surge in requests for essential supplies, counseling, information, and volunteer opportunities. The Center has become a central point of contact for individuals seeking assistance and those wanting to contribute their time and resources. It currently offers coordination between agencies and organizations, resource distribution, counseling services, information center, volunteer mobilization, donation management, and, in the future, long-term recovery support.

Live Like Tre' Foundation with fiscal sponsor Aunty Jan's House of Blessings (8/30/23) - $150,000
The Live Like Tre’ Foundation (LLTF), a Maui-based organization, is partnering with Aunty Jan’s House of Blessings to provide direct support to firefighters who have lost their homes and face financial hardships due to the loss of work. LLTF honors the life of Tre’ Evans Dumaran, a Maui firefighter that passed in early 2023. The organization is focusing its initial efforts on the 17 firefighters who lost their homes and face other financial instability due to family members losing their jobs. The initiative offers financial and emotional support to this first-responder community and is working to include other first responders in these efforts in the future. With these funds, LLTF is employing a volunteer case management approach to ensure families are supported with necessary services and resources unique to their needs, including housing, healthcare, education, mental health services, and more.

Maui Family YMCA (8/30/23) - $66,000
Maui Family YMCA (YMCA) is located in Kahului and has been an active site for displaced individuals and families since immediately after the fires. The YMCA notes that there is a continuous need to provide basic necessities in tandem with the emerging long-term needs of housing, education, child care, and employment for those affected. With this support, YMCA will expand its facility hours to offer free, essential services like showers, internet access, child care, health and wellness programs, and access to the entire YMCA facility, free of charge to residents in need. Extended hours will be in effect seven days a week from 10 am to 6 pm. Funding will cover additional staffing costs for new hires, maintenance and utilities, supplies, and expanded cleaning services.

Mediation Services of Maui, dba Maui Mediation Services (8/24/23) - $50,000
Mediation Services of Maui (MSM) sees a critical need for more mediators as increased demand for legislation about housing and other issues comes in the wake of the fires. MSM's coverage area includes Lahaina, Kīhei, and Kula. During the recent landlord/tenant eviction moratorium during the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 1,000 cases were referred to MSM and 70 percent of the cases mediated reached an agreement. With these funds, it will facilitate mediation training to ensure qualified mediators from Maui Nui are ready to support those affected by the fires.

Regenerative Education Centers (8/11/23) - $100,000
Regenerative Education Centers (REC) has 25 acres of farmland on the edge of Lahaina that was spared from the fires. It is preparing its space to be used for two sites providing resources and support to those who lost their homes or are in need of direct support. The organization is working with FEMA to potentially use one or both site for its services, including staging relief efforts, coordinating volunteers, and providing food from the farm. The goal is to have a space available for long-term use that includes food, internet, showers, shelter, and electricity for 200 displaced residents.

Valley Global (8/23/23) - $24,000
Valley Global is currently supporting approximately 100 individuals who have been directly affected by the wildfires, including some displaced and currently rehoused residents in the Haiku area. This additional funding increases capacity by 200 individuals, for a total of 300 people supported. It is working in collaboration with the Kumu Mala Foundation, George Kahumoku Family Farms, and Neuro Maui to provide services and support for members of the community affected by the disasters who are underserved and facing barriers to having their needs met. Funding will support emergency communications, medical aid and basic healthcare, emergency supplies and assistance, and food assistance programs.

Women Helping Women (8/22/23) - $125,000
The mission of Women Helping Women is to end domestic violence through advocacy, education and prevention, and to offer safety, support, and empowerment to women and children facing domestic violence. Funding supports security deposits, rental assistance, utilities, transportation, food, and hygiene and other needs for six months for an estimated 60-70 individuals affected by the wildfires who are survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

Youth with a Calling (8/14/23) - $3,500
Nonprofit Youth With a Calling is delivering food and supplies to Lahaina with its boat. The organization is purchasing tools for the recovery, and for when residents are allowed access to search their properties. The organization is leading a team of recovery focused staff that will assist residents searching their damaged properties. All volunteers are unpaid and will dedicate large portions of their time to support individual families in Lahaina. The organization will be collaborating with the Catastrophe Team from Allstate.

back to top