Maui Wildfire Response: One Year Later

One year ago, devastating wildfires ravaged the town of Lahaina, destroying hundreds of structures and tragically claiming at least one hundred lives.

The recovery process is ongoing, with many residents still residing in temporary housing and receiving medical care at health facilities operating in temporary or mobile settings.

Since the fires ignited on August 8, 2023, Direct Relief has provided more than $5 million in aid to support 33 local organizations involved in recovery efforts on the island. That includes $3 million in financial aid to organizations serving the Maui community and $2 million in requested medicines and medical supplies like vaccines, insulin, inhalers, emergency medical backpacks for first responders, and personal protective equipment for individuals returning to burn areas–totaling 26 tons.

Direct Relief’s main objective in any large-scale disaster response is to deliver emergency medical resources safely and securely – specifically requested and appropriate for the circumstances – where they are most needed, as rapidly and efficiently as possible.

Direct Relief began working with local organizations to determine needs and requests for aid. Direct Relief leaned into its existing relationships with organizations that have long worked in Hawaiʻi and have trusted relationships with the communities they serve.

Just hours after the fires began, midwives from Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaiʻi arrived in the burn zone via jet ski and began treating patients.

Direct Relief provided the group with field medic packs, containing first aid essentials, and also additional requested medicines for patient care.

As needs became clearer, Direct Relief began to channel aid via ongoing shipments to Maui, including specifically requested antibiotics, respiratory medications, vitamins for children and adults, personal protective equipment for people returning to their properties to begin clean-up, hygiene items for people displaced from their homes, and other needed medical products.

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As of Aug. 8, 2024, Direct Relief’s Maui Wildfire response efforts have resulted in financial support totaling $3,055,000 and more than 26 tons of medical aid, valued at $2.4 million wholesale, to support the work of health workers and local organizations in the aftermath of the wildfires.

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Healthcare facilities and organizations that have received medicines and/or supplies include:

Direct Relief also coordinated the distribution of vaccines including protection against Covid-19, influenza, RSV, and pneumococcal infections with the state Department of Health’s immunization branch to these additional healthcare facilities:

Direct Relief was able to supply a large array of medical material support without the expenditure of donor funds due to the in-kind donations from healthcare manufacturers and distributors, many of which Direct Relief works with on an ongoing basis.

Healthcare company donors responded expansively to requests for their participation, including the following:

FedEx also provided funding for many of the emergency medical backpacks sent by Direct Relief.

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Thanks to the outpouring of financial support from donors, Direct Relief continues providing cash assistance to help facilities and organizations effectively respond to the ongoing needs of people impacted by Maui wildfires.

To date, Direct Relief has identified, vetted, and committed emergency financial support totaling $3,055,000 for groups responding to community needs related to the wildfires.

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Direct Relief received contributions from 13,520 donors totaling $5,507,260 from individuals, foundations, businesses, and organizations located in all 50 U.S. states and twenty-two countries.

Of the total amount of Maui wildfire-designated contributions —

Among the companies and campaigns that supported Direct Relief’s response are the following:

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Of the total Maui wildfire response-designated cash contributions received to date, Direct Relief has expended or committed $4.486 million to improve the health and lives of people affected by the disaster.

This includes:

• $3,055,005 on financial assistance to organizations supporting emergency response
• $136,263 on transportation (paid and pending)
• $513,949 on emergency personnel costs and other organizational response management expenses
• $781,556 on procurement of medical supplies and products, field medic packs, and other supplies

Consistent with Direct Relief’s Donation Policy, 100 percent of funds received for specific emergency events are devoted entirely to those events, and none of the funds donated for Maui wildfire response have been used for fundraising.

(As explained here, all Direct Relief’s fundraising expenses are paid by the Direct Relief Foundation, which uses earnings on previously received bequests to the organization for this purpose and other non-programmatic costs.)

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As long-term recovery continues, Direct Relief remains able to provide support because of its existing strong relationships with local groups that were already receiving ongoing support from Direct Relief through medical material aid and/or grant funding, and new relationships formed following the fire.

Each of these groups has an unwavering commitment to their communities – before, during, and in the recovery phase of the wildfires – and Direct Relief will support their work as Maui continues to recover.

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