How to Help Those Devastated by the Maui Wildfires

The August 2023 wildfires on the island of Maui took scores of lives and left many residents homeless. People from Hawaii and worldwide want to help the victims of these devastating fires.

The fire's aftermath has deeply moved people from Hawaii and beyond. However, not every fundraising campaign helps the people of Maui effectively, and other donation links may be fraudulent.

Determining which charities can most effectively help the Maui community recover from these tragic events can be difficult. We have provided a guide to local and national charities that use your donations to impact Maui residents directly.

• American Red Cross of Hawaii: The Red Cross welcomes monetary donations to support their efforts to feed, house, and supply the residents of Lahaina and surrounding areas who have experienced the impacts of the wildfires. They also accept volunteers.
• Hawaii Salvation Army: This organization feeds and shelters thousands of wildfire survivors.
• 'Aina Momona: This local organization focuses on targeted campaigns for the Hawai'i Community Foundation, Maui County Firefighter Relief, and local families.
• Maui Nui Strong: This local organization accepts donations and seeks volunteer support from the community.
• Kākoʻo Maui Fund: This local fund helps to provide efficient aid to community organizations and residents.
• Donate at Foodland Stores: Customers of Foodland can donate at the grocery checkout or contribute their Maika'i points to the relief effort.
• Aloha United Way: This organization supports many wildfire relief efforts in Maui, including feeding and housing evacuees and providing financial support to organizations.
• Maui Food Bank: The food bank lists the most urgently needed items on its website, including canned meals, baby food, and formula. Residents and those outside the area can also donate funds to the food bank and hold virtual food drives.
• World Central Kitchen: This worldwide organization feeds many evacuated families daily with help from local chefs and restaurants.
• Verified GoFundMe Pages: GoFundMe has vetted a list of fundraising accounts that will help individual families and community efforts.

In addition to the resources listed above, we recommend that you always double-check with Charity Navigator before committing to a donation. Charity Navigator can confirm whether an organization is legitimate and how much funds go directly to relief efforts.

Helping With the Recovery Effort

The Hawaiian islands' powerful community spirit has helped bring people together and ensure that the most vulnerable have what they need. The need for volunteers and donations will continue as the weeks and months pass, even as the news coverage begins to fade. As we move forward, please keep the people of Maui in your thoughts and continue supporting their efforts to recover as a community.

Contact Queen’s Crown Dental

We understand that many of our valued patients may be personally affected by the fires in Maui through friends and family. Please accept our deepest sympathies. Please call our Honolulu office at 808-526-2800 to discover how we are helping the local community.