Last week’s devastating wildfires in Maui decimated the town of Lahaina, with reports stating that nearly 100 people are dead and many more are missing. Pacific American Lumber, located in Honolulu, Hawaii, has started a donation drive to assist those in need.
“The town of Lahaina does not exist anymore, with few exceptions of some buildings still standing … It is heartbreaking, to say the least,” says Chris Nied of Pacific American Lumber. “People come together and rise up to help. In Hawaii, we have the word ‘ohana,’ which means ‘family’ and is all-encompassing. It includes not just your kin but your neighbor down the street or, in our case, our ohana on Maui. They are family.”
Pacific American Lumber’s customers on Maui have said they need everything from basic toiletries, canned goods, clothing, cots, sleeping bags, blankets, and generators. Nied says they also are focusing on things for children, like games and coloring books, to help keep their minds off of the tragedy around them.
Those in the Honolulu area who wish to drop off items at Pacific American Lumber may do so this week. From elsewhere, online purchases may be shipped directly to Pacific American Lumber. The address is 142 Mokauea St., Honolulu, HI 96819. To donate funds, contact Pacific American Lumber at 808.845.8700 or nied@pacamlumber.com.
The American Red Cross also is taking donations for the Maui Disaster Fund at kokuaformaui.com.