It is with a heavy heart that we are sending this message to you. Our beautiful town and our community are in mourning at the loss of life that we experienced on August 8. Many of us are still hurting and grieving for the beautiful souls that were lost and the destruction of our town and community. We are in awe at the support that we have received not only from our Maui community, but from Hawaii, the mainland, and the world. Distribution sites have been setup for people to receive supplies, food, and water and we are all working together to get through each day. Many of the sites are ‘grass roots;’ friends and family that stepped up to take charge and get supplies to those that needed it immediately. We are supporting each other and remain hopeful that our community will rebuild.
In the last two weeks, power has been restored to most areas of West Maui. Lahaina town, Launiupoko, and Olowalu areas are still without power. Cell phone companies have set up temporary towers so our cell phone service has improved with each day. The internet is still down, but we have wi-fi hubs throughout the community. Some StarLink hubs are provided by members of our community as well as Churches and organizations like the local Rotary Clubs. Slowly, our access to information has expanded.
Our Maui Luxury Real Estate Team member, Ann Williams and her family, is safe, however they lost their home and belongings to the fire. If you would like to help Ann with expenses and replacing lost items, you can donate to her GoFundMe.
If you would like to assist in the recovery efforts, here are some organizations to consider:
- Maui Food Bank
- Maui United Way, Maui Fire Disaster Relief
- Rotary District 5000 Foundation (Hawaii District), Maui Fires Relief Fund
- Hawaii Community Foundation, Maui Strong Fund
We appreciate that many of our friends, clients, colleagues, and vendors have reached out to check on us. We have a long road ahead of us to rebuild our spirits, our homes, and our businesses, but we are hopeful that together we are Lahaina Strong!
