Thanks to Our Donors, Maui United Way’s Fire Response Is Making a Difference for Impacted Families
When devastating wildfires displaced Maui residents from their homes and disrupted their lives, Maui United Way immediately mobilized into 24/7 disaster response. Drawing on over 75 years of service to the Maui community, our team worked tirelessly to address urgent needs.
Through our trusted network of local nonprofits and the overwhelming generosity of local kamaʻāina and supporters worldwide, the Maui Fire Disaster Relief Fund has enabled us to deliver critical, fast-tracked assistance to those impacted by the August 2023 fires. To date, we have allocated over $12.5 million to support fire-affected individuals and organizations across Maui County.
Your generosity has been the driving force behind this work, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude for your compassion and trust. Your support has made a profound difference, and we invite you to continue partnering with us as we focus on long-term recovery.
In close collaboration with state and county leaders, nonprofit partners, and community members, Maui United Way is identifying and addressing unmet needs. With equity at the core of our mission, we are committed to ensuring that everyone in our community has the opportunity and resources to rebuild their lives.
Our areas of focus moving forward include:
- ʻOhana Wellness and Resiliency: Prioritizing mental health and overall well-being for families and individuals.
- Education and Workforce Development: Supporting educational resources and workforce opportunities to empower our community.
- Stable Housing: Helping families secure safe, long-term housing solutions.
Together, we can continue to heal, rebuild, and strengthen our community. Mahalo for being part of this journey.
Maui United Way’s local providers help to feed thousands of survivors with fresh produce and proteins from local growers and suppliers. With support from us and other organizations, Common Ground Collective has been providing between 8,000 to 10,000 meals daily, and Salvation Army-Maui Corps is working with partners to prepare more than 2,000 meals per day.
After losing their homeless shelter in Lahaina, Maui United Way funds are helping Ka Hale A Ke Ola to shelter 70 adults and 38 children with clothing, household necessities, food, bus passes and more.
Maui Family Support Services’ Early Head Start building was destroyed in the fires, and MFSS is now using Maui United Way funds to relocate students and to provide tuition for children to learn at a new location. Additionally, they are providing gas cards to provide transportation between school and work, and to provide household essentials.
Na Keiki O Emalia is helping grieving children by providing services, books, toys and a child-friendly drop-in space, and will provide education and resources on helping children with grief. Pacific Birth Collective is providing Lomi & La’au Lapa'au services offered by cultural practitioners in Honokowai, which has become a hub for women, babies, and families affected by the fire.
The human toll of the wildfires is almost unimaginable. Survivors need help with the trauma they’ve endured, and our partners are providing crisis counseling for survivors as well as first responders. The J Walter Cameron Center is hosting a group of therapists and counselors at a central location to assist in this need. Spirit Horse Ranch is making Trauma Informed Equine Therapy available in addition to other services.
Our island is diverse, and trust is an essential part of healing. Our fund supports Hui No Ke Ola Pono’s Native Hawaiian practitioners as they provide medical outreach, supplies, medicine, radios, batteries, and other essentials to impacted families who need medical assistance.
Some of Maui’s residents with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities live in group homes and were evacuated during the fires. We’re supporting ARC of Maui County’s 24/7 work to house disabled residents in a safe and clean environment and provide meals until they can return to their Lahaina group home.
The fires have left hundreds of cats, dogs, rabbits, horses and other pets and livestock injured or displaced. Our partners at the Hawaii Animal Rescue Foundation are providing food, medical supplies, veterinary care, and housing for these impacted animals.
Na Hoaloha-Maui Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers, is using your donation to provide transportation to essential services such as dialysis, chemotherapy, other doctors’ visits, grocery shopping and pharmacy pick-up for fire survivors who lost their vehicles, as well as checking in on older adults who don’t have transportation of their own.
Hale Mahaolu is helping those who have lost their homes, navigate complex insurance and mortgage payment forbearance processes. Habitat for Humanity Maui is assisting fire survivors who have lost their homes and are being charged late fees on their mortgages on homes that have been lost in the fires.
Survivors need identification in order to prove eligibility and access the housing, health care, child care, and other services intended for them. Our partners, including Maui Economic Opportunity, are helping families replace documents lost during the fires such as IDs, drivers’ licenses and passports.
Emergency Financial Assistance for Adults in the Impacted Fire Zones: Just 10 days after the deadly fires in Lahaina, Maui United Way launched a one-time $1,000 financial assistance payment program for adult fire survivors living in the impacted fire zones in Lahaina and Kula, limited to $5,000 per household. To date, $7.8 million has been paid to over 7,800 fire survivors as the program nears completion.
Giving families the ability to choose what they purchase is empowering. Because Maui is one of the most culturally diverse places in the country, comfort food means different things to different people.
Funded 22 local Nonprofits Focusing Relief Efforts on Unmet Needs
After conducting a needs assessment, Maui United Way awarded grants in four critical focus areas: 1) Keiki and young adults, 2) Mental health, 3) Stable housing, and 4) Job training, education, and employment.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Maui, Keiki Hub - $10,000.00
The mission at Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawai‘i is to build and support one-to-one relationships for Hawaii’s youth. The Keiki Hub was established by BBBSM to provide a safe place and meaningful experiences for youth residing at Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center (KHAKO). BBBSM staff, interns and volunteers meet with youth at the Keiki Hub to provide consistency and be positive role models. The mentoring friendships will help them to become the best versions of themselves and embrace higher aspirations and hope for the future.
Hui No'eau, Maui Fire Relief - $10,000.00
Hui No‘eau’s programs support the creative growth and well-being of over 20,000 people, including more than 6,000 keiki annually. Hui No‘eau’s Art with Heart Program provides uplifting arts enrichment activities for children ages 0-18 who were directly impacted by the fires.
Lahaina Arts Guild, We Make Art Happen! - $10,000.00
Lahaina Arts Guild's 'We Make Art Happen!' program is comprised of indoor art instruction, outdoor PaintOut painting, and two Summer Camps for the children. Painting, drawing, and other mediums are all taught by their experienced teachers, usually with the home room teacher present so lessons can be folded into other classroom cultural and scientific projects. They integrate Hawaiian history and cultural talk story whenever possible.
Maui Prepatory Academy, Maui Prep Disaster Relief - $10,000.00
Maui Prep has welcomed over 140 displaced students from the affected Lahaina schools into their school. Their goal is to keep Lahaina students in Lahaina. Allowing a child to attend Maui Prep gives them the opportunity to choose the course of their development, attend the college of their choice, and give back to their community.
Na Keiki O Emalia, Keiki Care and Grief Relief - $10,000.00
Na Keiki O Emalia offers grief support to keiki who have experienced the death of someone important to them and offers training and support to parents who are accompanying their keiki on their grief journey. Through the grant from Maui United Way, Na Keiki O Emalia will open a space on the Westside to conduct community grief support groups for children and their families who are grieving from the wildfire disaster.
Pacific Birth Collective, Maui Fire Relief for Mothers, Babies, and 'Ohana - $10,000.00
The "Maui Fire Relief for Mothers, Babies & `Ohana" program is a vital response to the Maui wildfires' impact on pregnant and postpartum individuals, families, and households. This program aims to enhance maternal and infant health outcomes through comprehensive prenatal and postpartum education, as well as access to essential supplies. By promoting birth equity, it ensures that all affected individuals have access to maternal and family support services, contributing to community resilience and well-being in the wildfire's aftermath.
Pacific Whale Foundation, Support for Keiki after the devastating fires in August - $10,000.00
Pacific Whale Foundation’s Ocean Camp provides an immersive study experience focused on the marine ecosystem, and gives children a moment of reprieve and relief from the stresses caused by the fires. Ocean Camp, which brings campers “eye to fin” with marine animals, is led by in-house education experts, and offers ocean-based experiences on ecotour vessels through PacWhale Eco Adventures.
The Lahaina Dojo of the HONOLULU KI SOCIETY, Lahaina Ki Aikido Replacement Equipment and Supplies - $10,000.00
The Lahaina Ki Aikido was started in the late 1950s in the Lahaina Hongwanji Mission and is open to everyone in Lahaina. Prior to the August 8th fire, keiki made up over 90% of our students. The Lahaina Hongwanji Mission was lost in the fire, including the Lahaina Ki Aikido training space and all of their equipment. Through training, they work with students to develop strong character and good habits in every aspect of their lives.
Underdog Foundation, Gorilla Athletes - $10,000.00
Gorilla Athletes is a beacon of hope and stability for youth aged 8-18 affected by the Lahaina and Kula wildfires, providing a secure environment to regain normalcy through quality athletic training and peer interaction. Led by Jojo Dickson, a former NFL player with extensive experience in strength and conditioning, the program focuses on holistic development, enhancing athletic performance, fostering community, and facilitating educational advancement.
Vernon Patao Mission, Maui Wildfire support for youth athletes - $10,000.00
This program provides access to strength and agility training to the keiki affected by the disastrous wildfires in Lahaina. By funding this program, they can offer them the opportunity to engage in a positive and empowering activity that promotes their physical and mental well-being.
Village of Hope Maui, Fire Relief Journey Bags - $10,000.00
Village of Hope Maui is providing every displaced person, regardless of age, gender, and ethnicity, a Journey Bag full of essential goods to aid and encourage them in the aftermath of the Maui Wildfires.
Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of Maui, Mental Health - $10,000.00
Friends focuses on the lack of specialized therapeutic resources available to the children suffering from trauma. The Friends addresses the most urgent needs of our children, including consistency of therapeutic care.
Haku Baldwin Center, Equine Resilience Program for Maui First Responders - $10,000.00
Haku Baldwin Center is a nonprofit organization operating from Maui's premier equestrian facility, providing equine-assisted services to fire impacted families and individuals, first responders, and military veterans. Current programming includes therapeutic/adaptive riding, equine-assisted learning, and equine-assisted psychotherapy. The benefits are countless, with survey data showing remarkable improvements in the physical, cognitive and/or emotional health and well-being of program participants.
Mental Health Kokua (Maui), Residential and Psycho-social Rehabilitation Services - $10,000.00
Mental Health Kokua offers homeless stabilization housing for adults diagnosed with serious mental illness, adding four psychiatric stabilization beds in Wailuku for homeless adults while triaging supportive housing.
Parents And Children Together, Maui - $10,000.00
PACT offers comprehensive wellness checks and support to those affected by the devastating fires in Maui. They prioritize families directly impacted by the fires, with special attention to caregivers with children, single-parent households, low-income families, children with health challenges, and those with limited support networks, offering custom tailored solutions to meet mental and physical health needs.
Players Philanthropy Fund, The Spirit Horse Ranch - $10,000.00
Spirit Horse Ranch 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 150 people, including first responders and others impacted by the fires.
Habitat For Humanity Maui, Inc., Staff preparation/Onboarding/Technology - $10,000.00
The "Habitat Maui Disaster Preparedness and Rebuilding Initiative" is a program that not only addresses critical disaster response needs but also highlights its unique focus on underserved populations. Funds will significantly increase staff capacity, enhance technical infrastructure, and prioritize safety training.
Hale Mahaolu, Homeownership & Housing Counseling Program - $10,000.00
Hale Mahaolu's mission is to create and manage vibrant, quality, affordable rental communities and provide supportive programs and services for seniors, families and individuals. They provide self-paced and virtual homebuyer education classes and individualized counseling sessions focusing on foreclosure, pre/post-purchase, non-delinquency, and financial literacy.
Na Hale O Maui, Stable Housing for Lahaina families - $10,000.00
The Maui United Way grant may be modest in size, especially when divided between 15 families, & represents a beacon of hope for the affected families as they work to rebuild their lives and homes. The community’s commitment to providing emergency assistance, including temporary housing and essential supplies, is crucial in helping our families get back on their feet. Collaboration with other nonprofit organizations, for-profit entities, and government agencies is the smart & effective way to addressing the diverse needs of the community. By working together, we will leverage resources, expertise, and networks to provide comprehensive support to the Maui 'ohana and facilitate a faster recovery process. It's reassuring to witness the commitment to our families that can make a real difference in their lives. The heartfelt outpouring of community support & resilience is both tested and strengthened in times of adversity when organizations and individuals come together to support one another. We truly appreciate the efforts and support of Maui United Way to help these families rebuild their lives & thrive once again.
J WALTER CAMERON CENTER, Cameron Center Laptop Relief Program - $10,000.00
The Maui Laptop Relief Program is dedicated to bridging the digital divide for disaster survivors. This program focuses on providing refurbished laptops to individuals and families who have been displaced or affected by the wildfires. The Maui Laptop Relief Program represents a critical response to a community in need, striving to empower survivors, promote economic stability, and reduce the digital divide created by the wildfires.
KA LIMA O MAUI LTD, Employment services - $10,000.00
Ka Lima O Maui funds will provide services to persons with disabilities in Maui County, which include career education, supported employment, job placement in the community, personal development training, recreation, and community integration. Ka Lima O Maui programs have a profound positive impact on clients’ lives daily, providing an opportunity for adults with a disability to earn income. Additionally, disabled workers whom are employed tend to need far fewer community services than those who are not, freeing up funds to meet other needs.
Maui Family Support Services, Inc., Quality Care for Hawaiian Keiki - $10,000.00
Maui Family Support Services supports parents in seeking and maintaining employment, job training, or education by providing childcare subsidy assistance for parents. Subsidy assistance will be used to cover childcare tuition costs in full or in part at licensed childcare providers for children ages zero to five years old.
Maui United Way announced the seven Maui nonprofits who are recipients of their new ʻOhana Mental Health Grant — an effort to meet the ongoing mental health needs in the aftermath of the wildfires.
Awardees included:
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui: $100,000
- Imua Family Services: $100,000
- Maui Arts and Cultural Center: $100,000
- Maui Youth and Family Services: $100,000
- Nohona Health: $99,504
- Pacific Birth Collective: $100,000
- The Spirit Horse Ranch: $50,000
While the original plan was to award $500,000 in grants, Maui United Way’s Partnership Committee and Board of Directors were so impressed with the breadth and depth of the proposals, they increased the amount by nearly $150,000, the organization announced on Wednesday.
Grantees were selected by a group of Maui-based mental health professionals and community members.
Per Maui United Way, the grantees selected serve both those directly impacted by the fires as well as those indirectly impacted throughout the broader community; they also serve a diverse community from keiki to kūpuna, and special populations such as pregnant mothers. Together, the grantees offer a variety of approaches such as direct clinical services, prevention and intervention.
Organizations were granted a combined total of $649,504 with a year to perform their services from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.
“The Maui fires have had a profound mental health impact on individuals, families, and communities, resulting in trauma, grief, loss, and psychological distress,” said Makana Rosete, community impact coordinator for Maui United Way. “The aftermath of disasters often leads to a range of mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal ideation, and substance abuse. We know that many in our community were suffering long before the fires and have worked to respond in an impactful way to support our community.”
Stewarding the $1 million “Sentry Mālama Nā Keiki Initiative.” The purpose of this program is to help children who survived the fires. Teams of mental health professionals meet these children where they are and actively engage with keiki in their environments, whether in temporary housing, shelters, resorts, beaches, and other community locations. It builds on crisis counseling services deployed on the West Side and targets children and families who are currently experiencing houselessness due to being displaced by the fires.
$150,000 in stop-gap emergency food assistance. MUW has provided critical emergency food security funding to help feed over 2,000 fire survivors who had their food allotment reduced to just one meal a day before MUW stepped in with this funding. We are starting a second round of grants totaling $350,000 to meet this critical need.
Construction of the DOE playground, art supplies, and bicycle helmets at the temporary King Kamehameha III School in Lahaina. MUW was one of the first funders, providing $178,000 for playground construction to help keiki have a safe place to just be keiki. Because art can play such an important role in recovery from grief and trauma, we also funded over $10,000 in supplies for the Kamehameha III art room. In addition, Maui United Way provided bike helmets and helped with bicycle safety classes to students who received new bicycles.
Helping to fund and lead Hoʻōla Ia Mauiakama, the Long Term Recovery Group (LTRG)
The biggest concern after the big agencies like FEMA and Red Cross ramp down and ultimately leave a disaster zone is meeting unmet needs. This is one of the core strengths of an LTRG – to collect data and engage in case management work and to make sure our community of survivors do not fall through the cracks. While other nonprofits can tackle certain elements of needed relief, no other entity can provide this more holistic view, which is critical for the best and wisest use of resources. To date, Maui United Way has donated $250,000 to this effort, serves as fiscal sponsor, and has committed senior staff time to help get this group successfully launched.
Building capacity and expanding access to resources one grant workshop at a time. Maui United Way’s team of expert trainers has helped to host seven grant workshops with 286 individuals attending the meetings live with hundreds more accessing the resources afterward. The goal is to demystify the process and expand the pool of desperately needed grant writers and project managers for nonprofits, grassroots organizations and local businesses.
Maui United Way revamped its “Tools for Schools” program to provide $15,000 in gift cards for school supplies to teachers in the schools with the highest percentage of students who qualify for free and reduced lunch across Maui County. Not only does this help the keiki most in need across Maui County, it means less out of pocket costs for our beloved teachers.
Contribute to the operation and staffing of the 2-1-1 Information and Referral Helpline on Maui. This vital service continues to link residents affected by fires with knowledgeable Community Resource Specialists who offer live assistance and connect them to crucial services and information in multiple languages.
Pursuing “data for good.” We continue to assess where there is need for greatest impact and to ensure donor dollars are directed to meet the challenges and gaps experienced by not just fire-survivors but by all residents who are impacted by the wildfires. Assessments include data mapping of nonprofit roles and capacity to determine overlap and pukas, and surveys among the nonprofit community.
Maui United Way is a supporting partner in an extensive county-wide community needs assessment project led by Hawaii State Rural Health Association and funded by the CDC and Hawaii Department of Health. The findings tell a story of despair for many in Maui County. We learned that:
- Over three-quarters (78%) feel more worried than hopeful about their future in Hawaii.
- Six in 10 countywide and 71% of fire survivors are foregoing food because they can’t afford it. Nearly half (49%) of the county says they are worse off financially since the fires – a number that grows to 69% among fire survivors.
- Nearly two-thirds of fire-impacted individuals say their mental health is worse post-fire.
- Most (72%) of county residents say they have been directly (27%) or indirectly (45%) impacted by the fires.
- Due to the high cost of living, especially housing, having money in savings is elusive to many, as is stable housing. They worry about an uncertain future as they ponder moving off island.
- More broadly, we have a health care crisis, especially as it relates to a shortage of providers. A significant number of County residents report delays and inconsistency of care.