Donations, Fundraisers & Volunteerism

Maui United Way stepped in today to provide emergency stop-gap funding to a hui of organizations led by Common Ground Collective dedicated to feeding vulnerable fire-impacted families on Maui’s West Side while also providing a boost to local farmers.

Reyn Spooner raised more than $15,000 for the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund on Lahaina Sailor Day on April 7, 2024. This recent effort brings the total contributions from the aloha wear company and its dedicated customers to more than $120,000 for disaster relief and recovery following the devastating wildfires in Maui.

Fresh Help Maui and Maui Eat Local Magazine gathered 100+ food and drink recipes from West Maui’s most loved chefs and restaurants to pay homage through a new project, “The Lahaina Cookbook.”

In 2023, Matson contributed $6 million in cash, services and equipment support to organizations in Hawaiʻi, Guam/Micronesia and the South Pacific, with the largest concentration of giving in Maui disaster relief and community support at $1.7 million.

Maui Preparatory Academy has announced an upcoming financial aid benefit, “Fly Pueo, Fly,” scheduled for 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 27.

On Monday night, Kamalei Kawaʻa’s journey on NBC’s “The Voice” came to a close. The singer, originally from Paukūkalo, reached the Playoffs last week, securing a spot in the top 20 after a journey that began in early March.

The president of solar energy company Independent Energy, Desta Rudolph, has donated $50,000 to Project Empower, a nonprofit that has focused on helping Maui recover from deadly wildfires that destroyed the historic town of Lahaina, displacing thousands of residents. The donation will bolster the collective efforts of a number of organizations to build 88 units of emergency housing at the 10-acre ʻOhana Hope Village.

Kamehameha Schools Children’s Chorus hosted a free community concert Friday night at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. The concert, He Leo Aloha No Maui, drew nearly a thousand people to “share the gift of mele to bring healing and hope to the people of Maui,” according to the organizers. Children from the Children’s Chorus sang “O Lahaina, E Hoi Ka Nani” during the event.

On Friday, the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association fulfilled another year of caring for senior citizens of Maui County through the 2024 Spring Nā Kūpuna Appreciation Event.

When Maui was hit by a devastating fire last August, the nation collectively grieved. For singer and songwriter Lily Meola, who was born and raised on Maui, the heartbreak ran deep. So, she did what she does best—poured her pain and feelings into song. Initially revealed in a rare live performance on her Instagram account, “Hope in the Ashes,” is now available everywhere you get your music with all proceeds from the song being donated to the Maui Food Bank.

ACE Scholarships, a nonprofit that works to expand access to K-12 education opportunities, is providing a $105,000 grant to help Sacred Hearts School in Lahaina to offset tuition costs for displaced families while they rebuild in the wake of the devastating Maui wildfires. 

With its latest donation of $25,000, received late last month, the total donated to “Feeding Maui” by Lions Clubs Maui Region VI Zone 1 (the name of the international fund) is more than $66,000.

Maui United Way announced on Wednesday a new ʻOhana Mental Health Grant opportunity, offering 5 to 10 mental health grants of $50,000 to $100,000 each, for eligible nonprofits. The grants are aimed at supporting local nonprofits working to meet the ongoing mental health needs in the aftermath of the wildfires.

A newly opened bicycle shop in Lahaina is giving away over 100 bicycles on a first-come, first-served basis to Maui residents who have been displaced by wildfires. Two events will be held to distribute the bicycles, on Saturday, April 20 and Saturday, April 27 at Krank Cycles’ Lahaina location.

In a significant boost to aid Lahaina homeowners affected by last year’s wildfires, American Savings Bank (ASB) and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB Des Moines) have announced an allocation of $400,000 to Hawaiʻi Community Lending through the FHLB Member Impact Fund.

Today, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) announced the award of $104,491 to three nonprofit partners focused on providing assistance to Maui families with children who have been affected by the Maui fires in August 2023: the Alexander Academy Performing Company, Maui Junior Golf Association, and Unda Kava 808. In total, the Maui Strong Fund has now distributed $2.4 million in grants in the “Children and Family” sector.

Inspired by the devastation of the Aug. 8 Maui wildfires, Makawao artist and gallery owner Jordanne Perkins picked up her brushes and painted her Lahaina Strong Series — 45 paintings in 52 days to honor Lahaina residents and memories of their historic town.

Hawaiʻi-based muralist and artist Kamea Hadar partnered with the makers of the SPAM brand team to develop a special, limited-edition Hawaiʻi Collector’s Edition Spam can, announced the SPAM brand team on Monday.

On Sunday, April 7, 2024, Hawaiʻi apparel company Reyn Spooner will donate 100% of the net proceeds from its iconic Lahaina Sailor collection to the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund.

A list of local artists have been added to the lineup for the upcoming “98 Degrees & Friends: Restoration of the Heart of Maui Fundraising Concert,” taking place Saturday, April 6, 2024 at 6 p.m. the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu.