County of Maui distribution sites will be transitioning locations, times, days, focus

County of Maui-facilitated distribution sites will be transitioning locations, times, days and focus, according to an announcement released on Tuesday evening. The sites offer food, water and supplies to people impacted by Maui wildfires. 

County officials say the shifts come because electricity and Internet connectivity continue to be restored in fire-affected areas, and community-organized efforts are pivoting to long-term aid.

Moving ahead, sites will focus on food and water. The schedule for the remainder of this week is:

WEST MAUI

• Nāpili Plaza closed as of Tuesday evening, Aug. 22.
• Lahaina Gateway, 325 Keawe St., Lahaina: is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday

CENTRAL MAUI

• Queen Kaʻahumanu Center donation drop-off site, parking lot fronting Kaʻahumanu Avenue and Kane Street: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday. Non-perishable food, water and paper supplies sought; no clothing donations, please. While pick-ups have been available, the focus will move to drop-offs.

FEED MY SHEEP MOBILE FOOD DISTRIBUTION SITES

• Kahului: 150 South Puʻunēnē Ave., 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday
• Wailuku: Parking lot next to Living Way Church at the corner of Market and Mokuhau streets in Happy Valley, 10 to 11:30 a.m. Friday
• Lahaina: The Lahaina distribution site for Feed My Sheep is pending, while the Lahaina Gateway food distribution site is open during distribution site hours and days, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday

County of Maui has partnered with volunteer group West Maui Community Aid to offer support to grass-roots sites, also known as Family Helping Family sites, in discussing long-term aid to the community.

As a result of these efforts, some Family Helping Family sites have chosen to combine with county efforts, and some have chosen to continue efforts on their own. Sites opting to continue on their own confirmed they will remain self-sufficient; they will re-evaluate need in the next two weeks.

West Maui Community Aid and the county are working together to transition from short-term emergency response that utilized multiple sites—to long term, sustainable sites for families impacted by the fires. County officials say, “support will be available as long as the community needs it.”