Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Commends Grassroots Relief Efforts Following Wildfires

Amidst the chaos of multiple wildfires in Upcountry Maui, Lāhainā and Kīhei — with only the latter being 100% contained as of Aug. 18 — watching residents come together to support and care for one another has instilled a sense of hope in the community.

At an Aug. 18 press conference, Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen commended these grassroots efforts from his constituents. “These folks out here on West Maui did not wait. They helped each other,” Bissen said of the fast-acting relief efforts. “I like to call it locally led and government supported.”

Bissen’s statement was made at Lahaina Gateway — one of two county-provided distribution centers on the West Side — where up to 150 volunteers have been helping to organize and distribute donations, offer hot meals and provide other disaster relief services.

The Lahaina Gateway distribution center is open from 10am to 4pm daily, but will be closed Sunday, Aug. 20 to give the staff a break. The other county-supported center on the West Side is located at Napili Plaza and is currently open 24/7.

An updated schedule for these hubs will be announced Aug. 20.

Bissen said that all West Side residents are welcome to stop at these sites to gather supplies and take them back to their neighborhoods.

As of 9am on Aug. 18, community-led distribution centers on the West Side are reported as being located at Honokowai Beach Park, Kahana Bay Boat Ramp, Napili Park, Pohaku Beach Park (aka S-Turns) and Walgreens in Lāhainā. (See below for a full list of distribution hubs across the island.)

“I just want to thank all the volunteers from these locations, and the ones that are community led,” Bissen said during the Aug. 18 press conference. “The point of this is everyone’s working together.”

Though the County of Maui sees these grassroots relief efforts as collaborative, many residents have criticized the speed at which the government came to Lāhainā’s aid. This, paired with numerous accounts of residents being blocked from delivering supplies to the West Side prior to Honoapiʻilani Highway reopening at Maʻalaea on Tuesday, Aug. 15, have caused anger and frustration among residents.

Some individuals and organizations even took to delivering supplies by boat when they weren’t able to access Lāhainā via the highway, or when supplies have not been easily transferable by land.

The latter has been the case for Tracy Edelhertz, secretary-treasurer and member of the board of directors for the Maʻalaea Boat & Fishing Club, whose organization partnered with Hungry Heroes Hawaiʻi to create a donation center at Maʻalaea Harbor.

“As far as the hui that we’ve created, our goal is just 100% to make sure that we are filling the pukas and being in support of Maui Rapid Response, being in support of Pacific Whale Foundation, being in support of the County of Maui, and in all the different organizations, however we can fill in and help,” Edelhertz said.

She described distributing donations to West Side residents in a way that was reminiscent of an “ice cream truck,” as their volunteers have driven through communities to deliver supplies to those who may not know about the distribution centers or have a way to access those sites.

“We want to bridge that disconnect between what the shelters have and what the needs are of the community for the people who are still at home,” Edelhertz said.

Edelhertz also commended the “amazing outpouring of love and support from the community.”

Various other local people and organizations have contributed to relief efforts, including Common Ground Collective, which has been cooking meals for the shelters; local musicians who are putting on fundraising events like the Wiwoʻole Maui benefit concert, which will be live-streamed from the Grand Wailea on Aug. 19; individuals who have put together comprehensive spreadsheets of missing persons and housing opportunities; plus much more.

Bissen’s press conference ended when members of the media began aggressively questioning Bissen on how many children were still missing following the Lahaina fire. Bissen said he did not know.

More than a thousand people are still unaccounted for, Governor Josh Green said early this week.

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Community-Led Donation & Distribution Hubs

Central Maui

• Aloha Response Team & Buzz’s Wharf: 159 Maʻalaea Boat Harbor Rd., Maʻalaea
  Daily, 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.

• Central Maui Boxing Club & Subliminal Tattoo: 1772 Wili Pa Loop, Wailuku
  Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

• In His House of Restoration Church & Maui Food Bank: 63 Laʻa St., Kahului
  Available 24/7

• Kahului Baptist Church: 309 S Puunene Ave., Kahului

• Kamaliʻi Park: E Aiai St., Kahului
  Daily, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

• King’s Cathedral: 777 Maui Veterans Hwy., Kahului
  Daily, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: 125 W Kamehameha Ave., Kahului

• Level Up Maui Fitness Center: 343 Hanamau St., Kahului
  Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

• Shaka Detailing & Sparky’s Food Co.: 40 Hobron Ave., Kahului
  Monday through Friday, 5-8 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

South Maui

• Hope Chapel: 300 E Welakahao Rd., Kīhei
  Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sunday, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Upcountry Maui

• Anytime Fitness Pukalani: 24 Kiopaa St., Pukalani
  Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. – noon

• Maui Rapid Response & Hokunui Maui: 186 Piiholo Rd., Makawao
  Daily, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

• Oskie Rice Arena: 1330 Olinda Rd., Makawao
  Free meals offered daily

• Pacific Birth Collective: 810 Haiku Rd., Suite 240, Haiku
  Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

• Pukalani Church of the Nazarene: 211 Hiwalani Loop, Pukalani