Fuel companies helping those affected by devastating Maui wildfires

Two of the state’s fuel companies are supporting relief efforts for Maui amid the devastating and deadly wildfires there.

Island Energy Services has created the Maui Strong Fund to help people affected by the wildfires.

The fuels logistics and marketing business headquartered in Kapolei on O‘ahu starting Aug. 11 will match customer gifts donated at participating Texaco locations statewide. Customers must make donations in the convenience store. Unfortunately, donations at the pump are not available at this time.

Customers can donate by selecting the denomination on the keypad or rounding up their purchase to the nearest dollar.

Island Energy Services will match the donations, dollar for dollar, up to $50,000 and 100% of the funds raised will go to support Maui relief efforts throughout the impacted areas.

“Our thoughts are with our employees and their families, our business partners and the Maui community, where lives have been impacted and families have suffered tremendous loss,” said Jon Mauer, president and CEO of Island Energy Services. “Island Energy Services’ top priority is to protect its employees, their families and communities when facing an emergency. This will be an extended recovery effort and we are committed to helping the communities through these very difficult times,”

Island Energy Services, in partnership with independent retailers and marketers throughout Hawai‘i, has a large retail presence in Maui County, supplying fuel to 11 service stations along with its fuel storage terminals and related infrastructure on Maui. Lāhainā Texaco, operated by Lāhainā Petroleum, was destroyed by the wildfire.

For more information about the Maui Strong Fund, click here.

Par Hawai‘i, another energy provider in the state, also donated $100,000 to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund.

“At times like this, we all need to do our part of lift each other up,” said Eric Wright, Par Hawai‘i president. “We know many Maui families are facing tremendous stress as a result of the wildfires and we want to do our part to help those living on the Valley Isle.”

In addition, 34 participating Hele stores on O‘ahu, Maui, and the Big Island, which are owned and operated by Par Hawai‘i, will begin a fundraising campaign inviting customers to contribute to the Maui Food Bank.

The fundraiser will begin next week and continue through Sept. 30.

“Thousands of customers come to our Hele stores to purchase fuel and other items,” said John Peyton, Par Hawai‘i vice president of Hawai‘i retail. “Convenience is important to our customers, and we‘re making it simple and convenient for them to donate to the Maui Food Bank.”