Updated: Maui residents, businesses come to aid of communities suffering amid wildfire tragedies

This story was last updated at 4:44 p.m. Aug. 11.

Mā‘alaea Harbor was busy this afternoon as Maui residents gathered supplies and loaded them into boats to send to people still in Lāhainā following a wildfire that ripped through the old Hawaiian fishing village.

As of this afternoon, the Lāhainā fire is 80% contained. Maui fire crews continue to battle two additional fires in Pūlehu and Kula. The death toll has risen to 53.

With the two roads still closed going into West Maui — except to emergency responders and government officials — many residents aren’t leaving for basic necessities because they don’t know when they’ll be allowed back into their community.

West Maui has been without power and water since Tuesday, when the fire started. So other Maui residents are coming to the rescue.

Out of Kahului, commercial boat captain Layne Nakagawa and volunteers loaded his 31-foot vessel, Naomi-K, with a wide variety supplies including five stoves, propane gas, ice, water, food, batteries, phone chargers and radios.

“We’re putting as much as this boat can hold,” Nakagawa said.

Archie Kalepa, an employee for the apparel company Olukai, was among the volunteers loading Nakagawa’s boat. He said he was so grateful his house was one of those spared in Hawai‘i Homes Leiali‘i in Lāhainā.

Also at the harbor was Jamie Holtvedt, who was loading supplies and goods into a boat with help from two other women. The three women, teachers from Makawao, showed up at the harbor with a car full of donated items they were trying to have taken to Lāhainā by boat.

“I feel so helpless so I’m trying to do anything,” Holtvedt said.

The women collected diapers, peanut butter, towels, cereal and blankets. The teachers agreed that diapers were the most important item.

The University of Hawai‘i Maui College also is helping with relief efforts, serving as a central food preparation hub amid the wildfire tragedy.

Dozens of volunteers prepared 4,000 meals for shelters and first responders today, with another 6,000 planned Friday. Volunteers include the college’s culinary instructors and others from the Salvation Army, Maui United Way, Maui Rapid Response, Maui County and Common Ground Collective.

Lead chefs are UH-Maui College alumnus Sheldon Simeon and Leanne Wong. The college’s culinary program coordinator Craig Omori is serving as volunteer coordinator.

“Our mission is to be of service to the community. When we are in crisis, we can support the community by using our intellectual and physical resources,” said UH-Maui College Chancellor Lui Hokoana.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui on Thursday mobilized program staff who are able to work to help with relief efforts as well. The organization delivered youth programs and support all day at its Central Club location and Thursday afternoon at the War Memorial shelter.

Other staff continue to work behind the scenes and are standing by to provide aid, resources and comfort.

Kelly Maluo-Pearson, chief executive officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui, said the organization is monitoring the situation to determine when it will be safe to reopen all of its other club sites. The safety and health of its youth members and their families are top priority.

“We understand that these clubs are not just physical spaces, but also places of support, growth and friendship for our youth,” said Maluo-Pearson. “We believe that by coming together as a community, we can help one another endure these trying times. Please take care and be well.”

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation also are helping with relief, committing $400,000 to support organizations leading the effort. The Walmart store on the island also is working with local leaders to donate supplies.

“Our hearts are with our associates and communities on Maui,” the retailer said in an X (formerly Twitter) post Friday.

Dole Food Co., which traces its roots in Hawai‘i back to 1851, and its O‘ahu-based subsidiary Dole Fruit Hawai‘i also are donating $50,000 to the American Red Cross in Hawai‘i and $50,000 to the Maui Food Bank to help with relief and recovery efforts on Maui.

Dole encourages other companies with a Hawai‘i presence to participate in the relief effort.

First Hawaiian Bank also donated $250,000 to the Aloha for Maui campaign, organized by the Hawai‘i Bankers Association, which will be given to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund.

“The devastation caused by the Maui wildfires is a tragedy; our hearts go out to Maui residents and those impacted by the destruction,” said First Hawaiian Bank Chairman, President and CEO Bob Harrison. “As Hawai‘i’s largest statewide bank, including six branches on Maui, please join us in showing our ‘Aloha For Maui’ to help provide those in need with assistance and aloha in the wake of these unimaginable losses.”

First Hawaiian is accepting donations at any of its 51 branches statewide to provide assistance to the people, businesses and organizations impacted by the wildfires that have destroyed and continue to ravage Maui. Anyone who wants to donate is welcome to give at any branch. Online donations also can be made by clicking here.

AT&T also donated $100,000 to three organizations to aid recovery efforts for Maui residents and communities, including $50,000 to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, $30,000 to the Information Technology Disaster Resource Center and $20,000 to the American Red Cross.

The Mobile Giving Foundation activated a text-to-give campaign to assist with recovery efforts as well. Mobile subscribers can contribute by texting any of the following:

• HAWAII to 90999 for a one-time $10 donation to the American Red Cross; 100% of funds will go directly to immediate, emergency assistance and long-term community rebuilding efforts.
• WILDFIRES to 501501 for a one-time $10 donation to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation to support the community’s changing needs, including shelter, food, financial assistance and more.
• WILDFIRES to 52000 for a one-time $10 donation to the Salvation Army’s Hawaiian and Pacific Islands Division to raise funds to provide food, shelter and emotional and spiritual care.
• CONNECT to 20222 for a one-time $10 donation to the Information Technology Disaster Resource Center to help ensure survivors stay charged up and connected. Funds will help support the stabilization and rebuilding efforts.

AT&T’s Network Disaster Recovery team and FirstNet Response Operations Group have also worked with Maui public safety officials to deploy a portable cell site to provide Band 14 connectivity dedicated to public safety and service for residents, as network capacity allows.

Additional resources are on the way.

“Our thoughts are with those in Hawai‘i, and we will continue to work closely with elected officials, local leaders, public safety and other first responders to ensure we can deliver support where it’s needed most,” AT&T said in a press release.