Historic Lahaina has been absolutely destroyed. Photo: GoFundMe
It’s been a devastating week on the Valley Isle. Maui has been pummeled by wildfire in a series of unfortunate events that included hot weather and trade winds fueled by a hurricane, all coming together to create a firestorm that has ravaged an island near and dear to the hearts of surfers and wind sports enthusiasts.
The historic town of Lahaina has been absolutely leveled. Some 36 people have died in the wildfire, making it the second deadliest fire this century trailing only California’s 2018 Camp Fire. The stories of evacuation are harrowing: people using boats and cars to escape the inferno. And some 50 people were reportedly picked up by the Coast Guard after jumping into the ocean to get out of harm’s way.
A state of emergency has been declared so help is on the way. Eighty percent of the fire has been contained but that doesn’t mean the devastation is over. Plenty is still needed and there are ways for you to get involved.
GoFundMe sent out a release today that it has placed all campaigns going to help victims of the Maui fire, as well as other entities and institutions aiding people, in one spot for those wishing to donate.
“GoFundMe has launched a centralized hub housing all verified fundraisers related to the Maui wildfires,” reads the release. “Our Trust & Safety team will continue to update the hub with more fundraisers as they are verified.”
According to local media, government entities are recommending donations go to the Hawaii Salvation Army and the Hawaii Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund. The Maui police are asking for non-perishable donations be dropped off at Maui’s War Memorial Complex Wednesday and Thursday (today) if you’re on island. It’s going to be a long road to recovery. Please add additional entities working to help Maui’s wildfire victims in the comments below and we’ll get links in this piece.
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