Governor Josh Green, M.D.

When disaster strikes, it’s likely that one will see a familiar symbol on the shirts of many of those responding to the emergency. A red shirt with a white cross represents the American Red Cross, whose primary mission is to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies.

When the tragic August 8 wildfires happened on Maui, the Red Cross and its partners immediately sprung into action
and thus far have provided 390,309 overnight shelter stays
for displaced residents.

As of October 19, more than 6,800 people and 156 pets were being cared for in 36 hotels, which represents just over 2,700 households. 

“As we continue to mark key milestones in this disaster response, we must remain mindful of this being a long-term effort to rebuild a community. It is a priority in the wake of this disaster to let Lāhainā lead,” said Director of American Red Cross Maui Relief Operations Dave Gutierrez. “Our Maui Temporary Disaster Employee program is an amazing opportunity to hire local community members and engage them to work in the Red Cross Non-Congregate Sheltering (NCS) Program. This program not only provides financial support but also an emotional investment, giving a chance for the community to heal with neighbors helping neighbors.”   

“We realize that the people of Maui have been traumatized by the wildfires, that they may not speak English, that they may have questions about trusting the government — so we’re offering our full support to help keep eligible kama‘āina in the NCS program,” the Governor said. “This lodging is a vital part of the safety net, and we’re pleased the Red Cross has made the extra effort to help all of those in our community who are eligible but had difficulties with the process.”

To date, the Red Cross has hired more than 100 temporary employees, and they will continue to grow this workforce with the understanding that recovering community members are best suited to understand the unique cultural and economic challenges of Maui.

In addition to hiring temporary employees to assist with recovery, the Red Cross has provided more than $11.3 million in immediate financial assistance to help more than 128,000 community members with immediate needs including ess­entials like food, medication, transportation, replacement of durable medical equipment like CPAP machines, housing needs, and clothing. 

It also recently launched the Bridge Financial Assistance Pro­gram, which offers a second round of financial assistance for individuals and families who were affected by the wildfires and who continue to experience roadblocks in their recovery. Bridge Assistance became available to eligible households on October 16. This program is the next step on the residents’ recovery journey, addressing unique needs following the conclusion of the Red Cross Immediate Financial Assistance Program.