How to help our neighbors on Maui

2:12 p.m. update on Thursday: The Hawai‘i Bankers Association launched Aloha for Maui, a program accepting donations at any of its member branches statewide to provide assistance to the people, businesses and organizations impacted by the Maui wildfires.

The bankers association is donating $25,000 to the fund.

Monies collected will be donated to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund, which is providing the resources necessary to aid with disaster response and recovery.

“The members of the Hawai‘i Bankers Association are deeply saddened by the devastation on Maui caused by the wildfires. Our employees, customers and families call these communities home, and we are committed to helping them recover and rebuild,” said Hawaii Bankers Association President Bryan Luke. “By bringing our network of branches together, we hope to make it easy for those wanting to help our neighbors on Maui by providing a secure option to donate.”

HBA member banks accepting tax-deductible donations at their branches include:

• American Savings Bank
• Bank of Hawai‘i
• Central Pacific Bank
• Finance Factors
• First Hawaiian Bank
• Hawai‘i National Bank
• HomeStreet Bank
• Territorial Savings Bank

Cash and check donations are being accepted at any of the Hawai‘i Bankers Association member branches. Checks should be made out to “Hawai‘i Community Foundation” with “Maui Strong” written in the note section. Online donations can also be made at www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org.

Original post: Hawaiʻi Community Foundation and Maui United Way are accepting online monetary donations to help Maui residents affected by fires and has left at least 53 people dead.

Maui fire crews continue to battle a wildfire in Lāhainā that burned West Maui community to the ground. Two additional fires are burning — one in Pūlehu that has traveled down to Kīhei; and one in Kula, which has burned more than 1,000 acres since it was first reported early Tuesday morning.

People trying to locate loved ones who may be impacted by the fires can call the American Red Cross hotline at 1-800-733-2767.

The Hawaiʻi Community Foundation started a Maui Strong Fund to support residents in the impacted areas. Donations can be made at www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strong.

Maui United Way is accepting donations to its Maui Fire and Disaster Relief fund at https://mauiunitedway.org/disasterrelief.

While the verified donation sites can be used to make monetary donations, donations of non-perishable food, bottled water, hygiene items and blankets are needed at the emergency shelters.

Donations are being accepted at the War Memorial Complex from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today. Donations of hot and perishable food cannot be accepted at the dropoff site.

Shelters remain open at War Memorial Gymnasium in Wailuku, Maui High School in Kahului and Hannibal Tavares Community Center in Pukalani.

Hawaiʻi County Mayor Mitch Roth is forming a Hawaiʻi County Task Force for Maui County Recovery Assistance in response to the devastating brush fires.

Hawai‘i County spokesman Cyrus Johnasen said the county has already had at least 30 individuals representing different organizations reach out, and he expects more will volunteers in the coming days.

Right now, Johnasen said the point of the task force is not to inundate Maui’s recovery and response team but to do an assessment on how people are willing to help and how best to execute that assistance.

Big Island organizations interested in participating can contact Johnasen via email at cyrus.johnasen@hawaiicounty.gov.