Starbucks supports Maui community with $24,000 in Neighborhood Grants to nonprofits

Following the devastating wildfires in Lahaina, Starbucks baristas nominated nine local Maui nonprofits to receive Starbucks Neighborhood Grants totaling $24,000, with four focused on Lahaina rebuilding and recovery. 

The August 2023 wildfires resulted in the closure of two Starbucks locations. The business provided six months of catastrophe pay for partners at closed store until they began to reopen in January.

In the months that followed, partners like Maui store manager Michelle and barista Tatiana Aipa used their time to volunteer with the Red Cross emergency relief efforts and other local organizations to rebuild their communities or serve free coffee at local community pop-up events.  

“Giving back to the community to me means showing your aloha to the community. To know that somebody is being impacted helps me know that our community is working together to get to a better place [after the fires],” said Aipa, shift supervisor and 2024 Maui Barista Champion.

Both were at the event to honor grant recipient Hale Kau Kau, an organization they nominated that provides free meals to community members. For months after the fires, Michelle and Tatiana would personally deliver leftover food from stores to Hale Kau Kau when staff no longer had capacity to pick up donations.  

“It was a big surprise when we found out we were receiving the grant. We were very, very grateful. The grant will be used to support our program, purchasing food and supplies needed to continue feeding the hungry,” said Shawn Michelle Wallen, Program Director at Hale Kau Kau.

A Neighborhood Grants celebration event was held Thursday at the Starbucks Store in Maui Marketplace to recognize the heroes within these organizations.

“Today we had a chance to come together. Starbucks partners shared why we nominated the nonprofits and we heard from the nonprofits about their impact in the community and how they will use the grants to help more people,” said Romeo Marzon, store manager and Maui community lead at Starbucks.

The nine local Maui recipients included:

• Habitat for Humanity Maui ($6,000)
• Hale Kau Kau ($6,000)
• Hospice Maui ($2,000)
• Maui Food Bank ($1,000)
• Maui United Way Inc. ($1,000)
• MODO For The People ($1,000)
• Nā ʻAikane O Maui ($5,000)
• Regenerative Education Centers ($1,000)
• Women Helping Women ($1,000)

“This grant is such an honor and we feel so much gratitude. We have services that we’ve expanded – not only in the rural areas [of Maui] like Hāna, but also to Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi. Now with the ongoing grief and trauma from what has taken place in Maui, we are offering free grief and trauma workshops for [care] professionals, anyone who is in need of support or help in training in working alongside those who have been affected by fires,” said Anna Hill, Outreach Program Coordinator, Hospice Maui

Hospice Maui recently extended its reach to Molokai and the organization is hosting several community workshops over the coming months.

Starbucks Support for the Maui Community Following the Wildfires  

• In addition to the generosity of local Starbucks partners, The Starbucks Foundation also took swift action following the wildfires, ensuring the safety of partners, and committing an initial $150,000 donation to nonprofit organizations providing support to those in need.  
• The Starbucks Foundation also customers to donate to the Red Cross directly through point-of-sale at nearly 9,000 US locations US to assist the Red Cross, which resulted in over $230,000 from 11,500 customers and 63,000 cups of comfort.  
• To further assist partners and communities, Starbucks supported partners in taking action to respond to this disaster by matching partner donations to nonprofits supporting the Hawai’i wildfires community response and relief efforts.