Aug 8, 2023, will forever be a date that Hawaiʻi and the world will remember.
Lahaina is not just any community and Maui is not just any Island. This is where generations of Hawaiians, Japanese, Puerto Ricans, Filipinos, and many others came together to live in a thriving and harmonious community that had once served as the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom. It is the people, that lost so much, who have transformed this story from one of disaster and devastation to one of strength and resilience.
Today, Maui faces the monumental task of not only supporting thousands of individuals and families but also rebuilding the community to withstand future disasters.
At the Ama OluKai Foundation, we are at the forefront of these efforts and are humbled that you continue to put trust in us to have our finger on the pulse of the community's needs. Since 2006, no other Foundation in Hawaii has taken such a deep and broad approach to investing in the local communities at the grassroots level as we have. The Ama OluKai Foundation is steadfast in our commitment to Maui and her people, and I wanted to take the opportunity to provide you with some insights into our actions on the 1-year anniversary of the fires.
Our initial wave of support went immediately and directly to the most fundamental needs - food and families. We supported hundreds of families with direct donations and brought hot meals made with love and local ingredients to thousands more thanks to Chef Hui.
Our secondary focus is community healing, funds have been aimed at grassroots organizations that appeared in the aftermath, some of whom came to Maui with years of relief experience and others that grew from the ashes to support their community.
Here are the five most recent beneficiaries that we are making meaningful contributions, thanks to your support.
• Teachers Need Us, is an organization that is focused on relieving the financial burden from teachers and families at Sacred Hearts School in Lahaina as they create a positive learning environment for local students.
• The Maui Hero Project is an experiential-based, trauma-informed, clinical counseling program that serves youth survivors of the Maui Wildfires.
• Kahākūkahi, is another exciting organization that cultivates a learning experience for Lahaina youth around ocean sports stewardship and the importance of nurturing a harmonious relationship with the Kai (Ocean) and the Aina (Land).
• Treecovery is a non-profit that keeps the surviving trees within the burn zone of Lahaina and Kula alive, maintaining the historic Banyan and ulu trees. They also provide free trees for affected families in this region, replacing what was lost or supporting their dreams of rebuilding yards. The positive impacts of trees are overwhelming: food, shade, fresh air, greenery, soil stabilization, mental healing, tools, treehouses, avian habitat, windbreak, and fire prevention.
• Kaiāulu Initiatives replaces the abandoned fallow lands above Lahaina that is currently overrun by invasive plants that fuel wildfires with native species. Their aim is to recreate a traditional watershed for the Lahaina community to serve as a natural fire break. To expand their planting initiative, by way of a Greenhouse, they plan to cultivate native plants to serve the local community, for cultural use, community distribution, and mental health issues.
We will continue to support Maui for the long run in partnership with community leaders, like ninth-generation Lahaina resident Archie Kalepa.
Our support has never wavered. Moving forward, we are constantly seeking impactful projects with non-profit organizations on Maui that can make a difference. There is a long road ahead, but we feel very optimistic about the progress that is being made. We have chosen to be at ground zero in the heart of the community and at the grassroots level, where informed and impactful decisions are being made.
Thank you for your trust and ongoing support! IMUA Maui.
Together We Go.
Dan McInerny
Executive Director
Ama OluKai Foundation
