Local businesses and community groups rally to fundraise for wildfire-impacted Lāhainā residents
Nearly three weeks after the devastating wildfires on Maui, the ripple effects of the tragedy are still moving across the Portland metro.
Businesses, community groups and individuals continue rallying to support the island and solicit donations for those affected. Thousands of Portlanders have connections to Maui and Hawai‘i — some of whom are now grappling with losses in their own families.
Since the Maui fires, many Portland-area businesses and community groups organized fundraisers and benefits to send aid directly to the island. From baby formula to propane cans, truckloads of donated goods are leaving Portland bound for Maui, with plenty of opportunities left for Portlanders to contribute.
DONATE:
Kiane Brighter family fundraiser
GoFundMe Verified Fundraisers for Maui
Maui United Way
Ka ‘Aha Lahui O ‘Olekona
'Āina Momona
Maui Strong Fund
Ka Hale A Ke Ola (KHAKO)
Maui Humane Society
The deadly fires caused unprecedented destruction and claimed at least 115 lives, with hundreds still missing. Multiple wildfires burned across the island of Maui on Aug. 8. High winds generated by Hurricane Dorothy, passing several hundred miles south of the remote island chain, whipped flames into an inferno.
The fire burned much of the historic town of Lāhainā, the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom and a cultural epicenter for Kānaka Maoli on Maui, to the ground. The fast-moving blaze sent people fleeing from their homes into gridlock traffic, with many forced to jump into the ocean to avoid the flames.
Much of Lāhainā is in ashes as cadaver dogs comb through the debris.
In the early days after the wildfire, amid a slow response to distribute federal and state aid to affected residents, Maui community members stepped in to supply support and aid, setting up distribution hubs and transporting goods by boat and helicopter.
Close to home
In Portland and across the mainland, people with roots in and connections to Hawai‘i stepped up to fundraise and organize donation drives to Maui.
It’s no coincidence Portland showed up strong to support Maui — Hawai‘i residents move to Oregon more than any other state besides California. Tens of thousands of Pacific Islanders call the Beaver State home and are now some of the loudest voices calling to support Maui.
Kiane Brighter is a front-of-house employee at 808 Grinds, a Hawaiian restaurant in Southwest Portland. Brighter, originally from Oahu, said the Maui fires directly impacted her family.
Multiple members of Brighter’s family, who live in Lāhainā, lost their homes and all of their belongings in the inferno. They are currently displaced.
Brighter said she’s grateful for the outpouring of support from Portlanders so far.
“Seeing the Portland area rise up in support of Maui has been absolutely incredible,” Brighter said. “There have been so many people in Portland coming into 808 Grinds asking of ways they can help the people affected and displaced and I’m just so grateful that people understand the severity of what’s just occurred and have the desire to help.
“Kānaka Maoli are a resilient people and I envision the people of Lāhainā returning to their ancestral lands but they will need the funds in order to sustain themselves while they fend off land grabs.”
Like many families who lost their homes, Brighter’s family is fundraising on GoFundMe for living expenses and their recovery. Brighter’s employer, 808 Grinds, also accepts donations for Maui United Way and the Salvation Army.
Power of Aloha
Indigenous-led community groups are organizing massive donation drives to benefit fire survivors.
Ka 'Aha Lahui O 'Olekona is the Portland and Vancouver chapter of the Hawaiian Civic Club. Since the fires broke out on Maui, members hosted several fundraisers and events to provide support, including organizing donations of a wide variety of items Maui residents need, from baby formula to propane gas canisters and clothing.
The group packed and sent off its first of four truckloads of donated goods collected for Maui on Aug. 22. Nicole Taglicud, interim program manager at Ka 'Aha Lahui O 'Olekona, said the group was “overwhelmed” by the amount of physical donations it received, including more than $13,000 in gift cards and cash and more than $50,000 worth of donated supplies from across Oregon.
The group still accepts donations, but only in the form of Target, Costco and Walmart gift cards, which will go directly to Maui firefighters.
In addition to the donation drive, on Sept. 6, Ka 'Aha Lahui O 'Olekona will host “Kako’o Maui,” a benefit event to fundraise for 'Āina Momona, an Indigenous-led group providing emergency aid to Maui families and first responders directly impacted by the fires.
The benefit event at the Portland State University Viking Pavilion will include food, entertainment and a silent auction. Wehilei, an award-winning Kānaka Maoli singer, will perform. Ka 'Aha Lahui O 'Olekona is currently seeking food and craft vendors for the event.
The Den, a community event space in the Buckman neighborhood, is hosting a “burning man style” fundraiser called “Kokua: A Benefit Event for Maui” on Sept. 22. The 21 and up event will host two separate stages for house and bass music, food and other entertainment.
All donations from the event will benefit the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund for food, shelter, financial assistance and other services to fire victims.
Across the river, Vancouver businesses are stepping up to support Maui. Siope Kivaha, manager of 3 Monkeys Bar and Grill in Vancouver, is planning a fundraising event for Maui.
Oahu-born Kivaha said the love for his island of Hawai‘i inspired him to organize the fundraiser.
In an effort to “bring more aloha” into his bar, he and his wife Rita are hosting a “Pray for Maui” benefit concert Sept. 2.
The concert will raise money through its door cover charge and a silent auction. The event will also accept donations in the form of clothing, blankets, toiletries and non-perishable foods. The business is accepting donations now through the day of the fundraiser.
Kivaha, a well-known figure in the local Polynesian community for his past efforts organizing Pacific Islander festivals in Washington, said even if the event isn't a big money-maker, he hopes it signals aloha and support to Maui.
“(It) broke my heart to see how bad the fire got and to see lives lost as that fire kept going,” Kivaha said. “I don’t have much, but I know we can all get together and make a little something happen.”
Hawai‘i has one of the highest rates of homelessness in the nation, and after the Maui fires, many homeless residents are still missing.
John’s Marketplace, a local beverage shop with three locations in the Portland area, teamed up with several businesses, including Point Blank Distributing, a beverage distributor, and Maui Brewing, a Maui-based brewery, to fundraise for Ka Hale A Ke Ola (KHAKO) Homeless Resource Centers, Inc., a Lāhainā-based homeless services nonprofit.
Paul Petros, John’s Marketplace owner, highlighted the devastation of the Maui fires impacting homeless communities on the island.
“The challenges posed by homelessness and the displacement of individuals due to the fires add to the existing struggles faced by the people of Maui,” Petros said. “We on the West Coast understand the devastation caused by wildfires, and we share our sense of empathy and solidarity for communities facing similar challenges.”
Long-term help
Although many fundraisers are wrapping up, Portlanders still have plenty of opportunities to offer help to Maui.
Portland-area healthcare workers looking to assist West Maui directly can sign up to provide volunteer medical services with the County of Maui. The county is seeking medical doctors, physician assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners and behavioral health therapists.
Portlanders are helping non-human victims of the Maui wildfires, too — a flight of more than 100 dogs and cats from the Maui Humane Society landed in Portland on Aug. 17— the Maui shelter needed to make space for the many pets displaced by the wildfires.
The Portland-bound animals, which rode in the cabin on their flight across the Pacific, went up for adoption at the Oregon Humane Society, including 92 cats and kittens.
Laura Klink, media and communications manager for the Oregon Humane Society, said the community response is robust.
“It’s important to note that the pets who came to Oregon from Maui Humane Society were already in the shelter, looking for a home, before the wildfires,” Klink said. “By bringing them to Oregon, it helped free up space and resources so Maui Humane Society can help lost and injured pets and reunite them with their owners.”
Cats and kittens from Maui have a special note on Oregon Humane Society’s website noting they came from the island.
“Most of the pets who arrived on Friday from Maui have already been adopted,” Klink said. “It’s been great to see our community wanting to support the people and pets of Maui.”
Street Roots is an award-winning weekly investigative publication covering economic, environmental and social inequity. The newspaper is sold in Portland, Oregon, by people experiencing homelessness and/or extreme poverty as means of earning an income with dignity. Street Roots newspaper operates independently of Street Roots advocacy and is a part of the Street Roots organization. Learn more about Street Roots. Support your community newspaper by making a one-time or recurring gift today.
© 2023 Street Roots. All rights reserved. | To request permission to reuse content, email editor@streetroots.org or call 503-228-5657, ext. 404
