Many residents are staying put near their burned-out homes and away from official relief centers set up on the other side of the island.
WAILEA, Hawaii — One week after wildfires roared across Maui and devoured their property, residents who have called this island home for generations were watching over the ashes.and fearful of outsiders' swooping in to take their ancestral homes, they were organizing their own relief efforts to get food and supplies to people who are unwilling or unable to venture far from their destroyed properties.
Kekoa Lansford, who lost his Lahaina home and soon found himself using his truck to ferry fleeing neighbors to safety, said the federal government has historically treated native Hawaiians as"second-class citizens." to be on the lookout for scammers who won’t"hesitate to take advantage of the challenging times to commit fraud and other crimes."
"Our community is the one stepping up," he said."If you look at all of the different relief aid stops and centers, you’ll see there is a native Hawaiian in charge of every single one. Native Hawaiians have shouldered the relief effort because they do not expect help from the local or federal government. It comes from the belief that if we don’t do something, we’re going to die. They’re not coming to help us.
In contrast, the distribution hubs established by native Hawaiians and other residents are much closer to the hardest-hit people, she said.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Maui Officials Clarify Reports Oprah Winfrey Denied Entry into Maui ShelterOprah Winfrey was reportedly denied entry into a Maui shelter where wildfire survivors were seeking refuge ... but officials on the island are looking to clear it all up.
Read more »
Matthew McConaughey is sponsoring a flight with supplies for Maui fire survivorsMcConaughey shared on social media Tuesday that their family would be sponsoring a flight of emergency supplies requested by Hawaiian relief organizations.
Read more »
'No time to grieve': Maui death count could skyrocket, leaving many survivors traumatizedAt least 96 people have been killed by the wildfire but only two have been officially identified using DNA, authorities said. Estimates suggest over 1,000 people are still missing. Maui death count could skyrocket, leaving many survivors traumatized:
Read more »
Oprah Winfrey provides support, aid to Maui wildfire survivorsOprah Winfrey, a long-time resident of Maui, has spent the past several days offering support and aid to people impacted by the Maui wildfires.
Read more »
Maui Fires Disaster Relief: How To Help Victims of Devastating FiresExperts tell Rolling Stone the island of Maui will need aid, even after the cameras leave
Read more »
Governor lifts disaster relief spending capLATEST: Hawaii Gov. Josh Green issues emergency proclamation, lifting a cap on disaster relief spending and putting in place additional assistance measures.
Read more »