OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS OUTLINE COORDINATED DISTRIBUTION EFFORT FOR MAUI FIRE DONATIONS

KAHULUI, MAUI -Today, county, state,and federal officials along with community partners announced a coordinated effort to distribute donations for Maui fire victims. The announcement was held at a state-owned warehouse near Kahului International Airport, the site for a new donation storage and sorting center. Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke, who has been tasked by Governor Josh Green to help facilitate essential relief for Maui residents, outlined a plan to intake and deploy Maui fire donations and supplies.

The coordinated effort will utilize assistance from the publicand communitypartners to manage, maintain, re-sort, and distribute donations and supplies to the right places, at the right time. Communitypartners include Mahi Pono, Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc.,and Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, among others.

On Maui, the County'sdonation site at the War Memorial Stadium will close and a new donation site will open at the Sears parking lotin Queen Kaʻahumanu Center from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mon. to Sat. beginning tomorrow, Aug. 15.

Storage and sorting distribution centers are being stood up on Oʻahu. In the meantime, individuals and groups outside of Maui collecting their own donations are asked to sort their items and coordinate a receiver on Maui, whether a family member, friend,or non-profit organization running a donation drive.

High priority supplies include non-perishable food items, water, hand washing stations, water totes, outdoor sinks, portable charging devices and stations, batteries, wheelchairs, and semi-permanent or permanent tents. At this time, clothes are not a high priority need.

The volume of donations receivedthus far has been tremendous. Lieutenant Governor Luke said, "There has been such an outpour of support, not just from the people of Maui, not just from around the state - but around the world. We felt the federal, the state, the county needed a coordinated effort to take in all the goods and inventory that have been donated. We don't want to turn anything away."

In addition to the outlined plan, AT&T loaner phones are en route to Maui to deploy to key areas and non-profits to help people connect with their loved ones and seek relief resources.

Volunteers will be needed on Oʻahu and Maui to assist with donation sorting. Individuals or entities interested in volunteering, donating, orare inneedofsupplies should visit www.mauinuistrong.info.

A full recording of the press conference can be found here.

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Media Contact:
Shari Nishijima
Communications Director
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
Cell: (808) 978-0867
Email: [email protected]

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