Ways to Support Maui After the Wildfires

Wildfires driven by extreme weather have inflicted terrible losses in the Hawaiian islands. The most destructive fire swept through Maui’s town of Lahaina, becoming the deadliest fire in the United States in over a century. Climate change makes hurricanes, flooding, and wildfire emergencies like these more frequent and more extreme in Hawaiʻi and around the world. Despite its tropical climate, Maui is experiencing a drought, hotter average temperatures, and a long-term decline in average annual rainfall.

Earthjustice stands with our clients, partners, friends, and family in Hawaiʻi as emergency workers continue to search for survivors and assess the damage from this disaster. If you would like to help the communities in need of emergency supplies and shelter as they begin to rebuild, we recommend contributing to the following local organizations:

• Hawaiʻi People’s Fund
  This group has helped to support, build capacity, and amplify the impact of grassroots social change movements in Hawaiʻi since 1972. It is the only organization specifically addressing the needs of grassroots progressive movement building in Hawaiʻi. Hawaiʻi People’s Fund is mobilizing to help provide immediate relief to those directly impacted by the wildfires on Maui Island.
• Hawaiʻi Community Foundation
  Hawaiʻi Community Foundation serves as a resource, partner, funder, and advocate to community groups across Hawaiʻi. The Maui Strong Fund is providing financial resources that can be deployed quickly, with a focus on rapid response and recovery for the devastating wildfires on Maui.
• ʻĀina Momona
  ʻĀina Momona is a Native Hawaiian nonprofit and Earthjustice partner dedicated to achieving environmental health and sustainability through restoring social justice and de-occupying Hawaiian Islands. They aim to equip Native Hawaiian communities with the resources needed to be self-sufficient, sustainable, and resilient in the face of capitalism, colonialism, and the ongoing climate crisis.
• Maui United Way
  Maui United Way is working to address the inequities and persistent injustice of colonization on Maui.  Since 1945, they strived to bring together the right people and the right resources to meet Maui’s most vital needs. Their local board of directors includes trusted partners who have worked with Earthjustice to clean up and restore Maui’s precious water resources. Maui United Way is providing direct relief to families and organizations affected by the wildfires.
• Maui Food Bank
  The Maui Food Bank is the only entity on Maui that specializes in collecting, warehousing, and distributing mass quantities of perishable and nonperishable food. They are using their existing networks to deliver food directly to those displaced by the wildfires on Maui.