Through generous donations to Mohala Hou Foundation’s Maui wildfire relief fundraising initiative and the frontline efforts of Keola and Moana Beamer, MHF was able to provide nearly $90,000 of support directly to severely impacted families in Lahaina. Thank you to all who made this much needed helping hand possible.
Keola Beamer prepared the following message of thanks and background on the Lahaina families we helped:
“I get a little emotional remembering the night of the fires as we (Lahaina Residents) all struggled to comprehend the loss we had suffered. Moana and I still have our home, but many of our neighbors LOST EVERYTHING. Many had lost their vehicles so all they had left was the clothing on their backs.
“These are the families we helped. People who suffered a total loss and barely got away with their lives.
“We discovered that trying to distribute the donations can be tricky. Most survivors lost their ID’s, bank account info, insurance papers, etc., plus Lahaina banks burned down, so no help there. We assisted the grantees by inviting them over to our house to fill out grant forms and upload their applications, which were then processed by MHF’s awesome administrator, Claudia Goddard.
“Since Moanalani and I are located in ground zero and are in direct contact with fire survivors, we selected six impacted families and Mohala Hou Foundation is currently sending them aid. Each family receives a check in the amount of $1,200 per month for a year’s time period. We thought this amount could help pay for essentials as they figured out a way forward and reimagined the future of our community.
“Like my old friend Uncle Ray Kāne used to say, ‘Words cannot express.’ Words cannot express our gratitude for the generosity of our donors and the aloha they shared with our community. Mahalo also to the Mohala Hou Foundation, its staff, and Board of Directors.
Me ka ha’aha’a,
Keola Beamer
MHF continued to direct all donations through December 31, 2023 to our Maui wildfire relief efforts.