Maui Charity Walk Remains a Fundraising Force in Hawaiʻi

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‘Maui No Ka ʻOi’ is no joke, especially when it comes to the Visitor Industry Charity Walk, an annual 5K  that had more than 3,000 walkers pounding the pavement last year!

The Charity Walk is one of the largest single-day fundraising events in Hawaiʻi. Statewide, the events raised more than $2.2 million on Oʻahu, Kauai, the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, Maui, Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi in 2015. But Maui continues to raise more dollars per capita than any other island, for six years running.

In 2015, the walks in Maui County collected $863,268, and have raised a cumulative total of $9 million since the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association started hosting the event in 1980. All of the funds raised in Maui County remains here to benefit the local community & its residents, through hundreds of non-profit organizations on Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi.

“This event just touches my heart so much every year; we just keep raising more and more funds,” explains Lisa Paulson, executive director of the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association. “So that we can support more and more nonprofits that are so important to this community.

This year, the 38th annual Charity Walk will happen Saturday, May 14 on Maui, and Saturday May 7 on Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi. Maui’s event starts at War Memorial soccer field with a fun-filled morning of warm-ups, food, prizes and entertainment.

Kick-off events are held throughout the islands to allow participants a chance to learn more about the event, how it works and to pick-up their packets, which include information on the Charity Walk, walker forms, posters, shells, flyers and other materials to promote & collect funds for the Charity Walk. There are a few kick-off events left in Maui County:

– Monday, Feb. 29 at 10 a.m.: Wailea Marriott
– Wednesday, March 2 at 11 a.m.: Molokaʻi – Hotel Molokaʻi
– Wednesday, March 2 at 11 a.m.: Lānaʻi – The Lodge at Koʻele

A RSVP is requested at either info@mauihla.org, or 244-8625. Charity Walk participation forms can be found by clicking here.

The annual Charity Walk is the Visitor Industry’s way of giving back to the community. Many MHLA property & business members work year round to raise funds for this worthy endeavor to help provide significant and valuable funding to over 100 worthy Maui County organizations:

ʻAoʻao O Na Loko I`a O Maui
Academy of Hospitality & Tourism
Ainsley’s Angels of America
Akakū – Maui County Community Television
Akaʻula School
Aloha House
Aloha Independent Living
Alu Like Inc.
American Red Cross
ARC of Maui
Assistance for Dogs of HI
Baldwin High School – AOHT basketballMaui
Best Buddies Hawaii
Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Maui
Catholic Charities Hawaii
Central Maui Hawaiian Civic Club
Child & Family Service
Christ the King Church
East Maui Animal Refuge
East Maui Watershed Partnership
Easter Seals Hawaii
Family Life Center
Feed my Sheep
Festivals of Aloha, Maui Nui Style
Frank DeLima’s Student Enrichment Program
Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of Maui
Girl Scouts of Hawaii
H.P. Baldwin High School Foundation
Habitat for Humanity – Maui
Hale Kau Kau
Hale Makua Health Services
Haliʻimaile Community Garden
Hawaii Animal Rescue Foundation
Hoʻokakoo Corporation
Horizon’s Academy
Hospice Hawaii Lānaʻi
Hospice Hawaii Molokai
Hospice Maui
Ierusalema Hou Church Youth Group
Ignite A Life
Imua Family Services
Ka Hale a Ke Ola
Ka Lima O Maui
Keiki Cupboard
Kiffman TaeKwondo
King’s Chapel Molokai
Lahaina Arts Association Lahainaluna High – AOHT
Lānaʻi Academy of Performing Arts
Lānaʻi Animal Rescue
Lānaʻi Art Center
Lānaʻi Community Health Center
Lānaʻi High & Elementary School Foundation
Leusoga Samoa of Maui Association
Malama Family Recovery Center
Maui Academy of Performing Arts
Maui Adult Day Care Centers
Maui Aids Foundation
Maui Crime Stoppers
Maui Economic Opportunity
Maui Economic Opportunity – Lānaʻi Maui Economic Opportunity – Molokai Maui Family Support Services
Maui Family YMCA
Maui Farm
Maui Food Bank
Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project Maui High School – AOF/DECA
Maui High School – AOHT
Maui High School – Band Boosters Maui High School Foundation
Maui Humane Society
Maui Memorial Medical Center Foundation
Maui Waena Band Booster
Maui Youth & Family Services
Mental Health Kokua
Molokaʻi Cancer Fund
Molokaʻi Filipino Community Council
Molokaʻi Island Foundation
Montessori Hale o Keiki
Na HoalohaMaui Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers
Na Puuwai – Lānaʻi Cancer Fund
Napili Bay & Beach Foundation
National Kidney Foundation
Pacific Cancer Foundation
PACT – Parents And Children Together
PATCH – People Attentive To Children
Ronald McDonald Charities of Hawaii
Roselani Place
Salvation Army
SPCA – Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Special Olympics Lānaʻi
Special Olympics Maui
Special Olympics Molokaʻi
St. Anthony Jr., Sr. High School
St. Rita’s Church/St. Joseph Church
Teens On Call
Theatre Theatre Maui
Westside Hoops
Women Helping Women

The Maui Hotel & Lodging Association is a nonprofit that also benefits the community through events like the Excellence in Education golf tournament and Kupuna Dinner. It provides educational opportunities via the Academy of Hospitality & Tourism and scholarships for UH Maui College students.