It has been nearly two years since the August 8 wildfires swept across the island of Maui.
In a span of less than 24 hours, the fires took 102 human lives, destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, and charred more than 3,200 acres of land. The historic town of Lahaina was reduced to ashes and its community left traumatized in the wake of unimaginable loss.
The response to the tragedy was swift. Within hours after the fires began, county, state, and federal emergency declarations were signed authorizing the use of available disaster resources, and shelters opened for evacuees even as firefighters struggled to contain the fire.
Funds were quickly created to support wildfire survivors and millions of dollars poured in from thousands of organizations and individuals from throughout the pae ʻāina and around the world. Donations of food, clothing, bedding and other necessities were so plentiful that they were rerouted to a warehouse on Oʻahu to be sorted and stored.
Over the past 21 months, thousands of workers and volunteers representing government organizations, community nonprofits, churches and more have labored to help the community recover. In February, debris removal from the wildfires was completed and some people have begun to rebuild – but recovery is a long, complicated, expensive, and emotional process.
As support from short-term disaster recovery organizations like FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and the Red Cross wind down, most wildfire survivors remain adrift, still living in temporary homes and still healing from their physical, emotional and spiritual trauma.
In this void, a grassroots organization has formed to provide ongoing support to survivors as Maui’s wildfire disaster recovery effort transitions from “short-term” to “long-term.”
Maui’s Long-Term Recovery Group
Rhonda Alexander-Monkres is the executive director of Hoʻōla iā Mauiakama Disaster Long-Term Recovery Group (Hoʻōla). Initially formed as a volunteer organization, Hoʻōla has evolved into a nonprofit and this past January, Alexander-Monkres, who served as the group’s board vice chair, was hired as its full-time executive director.
“LTRGs are typically formed by community members following disasters,” she explained. “Eventually FEMA goes, Red Cross goes. So we’re in the long-term recovery phase, and our goal and mission is to help individuals with their recovery plans – and that happens through bringing together community people and community organizations to assist.”
Hoʻōla offers survivors individual case management, trauma-informed spiritual and emotional wellness resources, and general contracting – and has formed partnerships with some 30 local and national disaster organizations, functioning somewhat like a clearinghouse to help survivors access the resources they need – whatever those might be.
Kaipo Kekona, a kupa of Lahaina, is Hoʻōla’s chair and board executive committee member. He emphasized that Hoʻōla is rooted in the values of kuleana and laulima and is “bringing the community together to support recovery in a way that honors our traditions and collective spirit.
“As we move forward, it’s crucial to focus on sustained support for families and inividuals as they continue to navigate the challenges of loss and rebuilding,” Kekona said. “This journey is far from over, and our commitment to the community remains strong to ensure that the healing process continues for as long as it takes.”
To this end, Hoʻōla has intentionally partnered with three other organizations – Hawaiʻi Community Lending, Lahaina Community Land Trust, and Habitat for Humanity – to form what they call a “rebuild coalition” specifically focused on helping wildfire survivors rebuild their homes. Working together, these organizations are providing survivors with wrap-around services using a single intake process.
“When I look back at the disaster — and this is often the case — people enter the recovery space with huge hearts and the best intentions,” Alexander-Monkres said. “They identify community needs and set up programs to address them.
“But too often, efforts happen in silos, with groups focused on their own recovery agendas — which can be good. The problem is survivors are left navigating dozens of applications and repeatedly verifying the same information. Our coalition found power in coming together.”
Leveraging Strengths
With their respective roles clearly identified, the coalition uses a kind of funnel process to move ʻohana through the rebuilding journey from start to finish.
First up is Hawaiʻi Community Lending which handles application intake for ʻohana needing kōkua to rebuild. They collect all the necessary financial data and provide a financial assessment.
The application then goes to the Lahaina Community Land Trust (Land Trust). Their team reviews the financial assessment to identify the various funding options available to that ʻohana. The goal is to make sure that when they are pau, the family’s mortgage will not exceed 30% of their monthly income.
Next is the rebuild analysis, which is Hoʻōla’s kuleana. Their team reaches out to the family to schedule a site visit to their property. There, they look at lot condition, placement, easements, and so forth, determine whether the family has a contractor or house plans, and use that information to put together a budget for the rebuild.
From there, the estimated budget is sent back to the Land Trust which checks the home’s pre-fire value and performs a “rebuild calculator analysis” to determine where the funding gaps are and what opportunities exist to fill those gaps.
At that point, the coalition meets. “We figure out how we can repackage their rebuild costs by finding gap programs, donations, or reductions in rebuild materials – all to get them into a completed home,” said Alexander- Monkres.
Habitat’s contribution to the coalition is primarily financial. They offer construction grants of up to $200,000 that are forgivable over time.
Listening to the Community
“People would tell us things like, ʻI’m trying to apply for a building permit, and now I have to pay $3,000 for a site survey. Then I have to pay my architect $6,000. After that, they said I need a structural engineer — that’s another $6,000. Now I have to upgrade my septic system. And then they found iwi on my lot, and suddenly I’m facing a $50,000 bill,’” Alexander-Monkres recalled.
The frustration and confusion around navigating the rebuild process inspired Brandy Cajudoy, Hoʻōla board member and chair of its construction committee, to create the “A-Z Rebuild Checklist” which is posted on Hoʻōla’s website.
“Listening to the community, hearing their struggles, and trying to be part of the solution is how the checklist evolved,” said Alexander-Monkres. “All that ʻike was in Brandy’s brain. And every time she heard of a new grant or resource or change in any of the steps, she would update the website. It’s like a one-stop-shop. Everything you need is right there.”
Cajudoy, a former kumu at Kamehameha Schools Maui is a general contractor and her rebuild checklist is an innovation in disaster recovery that has garnered the attention of the National VOAD (voluntary organizations active in disaster).
“One of the things I’m most proud of with the rebuild coalition is how far we’ve come with our services and providing this opportunity to anyone who lost a single-family home and needs help rebuilding,” said Alexander-Monkres.
The Resources Roundtable
“To fill the gap needed to rebuild a house, our coalition might piece together a package that includes 8-10 different combinations of grants, loans, and in-kind donations,” she noted. “Putting that all together takes quite a bit of analysis, brainpower and effort.”
Because funding gaps can range from $100,000 to $500,000, Alexander-Monkres said that the coalition tries to solve for the big numbers. But when they fall short, that is where resource roundtables can help.
“LTRGs are expected to set up an unmet needs roundtable. We call ours a resources roundtable,” she said. “It’s a gathering of people and organizations – anyone who is able to donate money, manpower, or muscle to help with someone’s recovery.”
Funders at the rebuild coalition’s roundtable have included Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, Maui United Way, the Salvation Army, and various churches. At the roundtable, disaster case managers – without disclosing names – present a summary of need for clients who have exhausted all other funding resources. “The unmet needs roundtable is the final stop for connecting survivors with resources that haven’t been met elsewhere,” Alexander-Monkres said.
When funders at the roundtable agree to allocate funds for specific clients, payments are made directly to the vendors involved in the rebuild instead of to the family.
A Community-Centered Strategy
Once a package is put together for the ʻohana, a contract detailing the gap funding is put together for them to review.
If they decide that they want to accept the financial solution package, a key requirement is that they agree to place their property into the Lahaina Community Land Trust – essentially a deed restriction that prevents future resale of the finished home to a non-resident.
Although this is a new concept to most people, land trusts have been around since 1969. It’s an old idea gaining new traction as communities struggle with affordability and gentrification. It is a community-centered strategy designed to ensure a supply of affordable housing and prevent displacement of residents. It does not affect ownership or inheritance.
“I’m a believer in the movement,” said Alexander-Monkres. “This is the first time I’ve found something that is helping people to afford where they live, to have balance in their lives, and to gain family strength – and that helps our community overall.”
“That is what makes our work unique,” Kekona added. “It’s not just about rebuilding structures – it’s about restoring lives, nurturing connections, and fostering long-term resilience.”
A Brave New World
Three months after the wildfires, Alexander-Monkres accepted a position with the Red Cross as their deputy director for Maui’s long-term recovery and in December she flew to the continent to meet with the LTRG in Paradise, California – site of the 2018 wildfire considered the deadliest and most destructive in California history.
The visit filled Alexander-Monkres with hope. “I could see a path forward for us to be able to get beyond the devastation and loss.”
She was introduced to VOAD – the voluntary organizations active in disasters – a national network that includes hundreds of organizations and thousands of individuals represented in 56 VOAD “territories” – including a Hawaiʻi VOAD chapter headed by Matt Glei.
One of Alexander-Monkres’ most impactful connections during this time was with Carlene Anders, executive director of the national nonprofit Disaster Leadership Team (DLT), whose mostly volunteer staff travel across America – wherever disasters occur – to help survivors with their recovery process.
In fact, Anders was instrumental in helping Maui organizers establish their community-led LTRG for wildfire survivors. She worked with Keoni Kuoha then with Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, and Nick Winfrey then with Maui United Way, to compile a diverse list of people on Maui who were good community connectors – and then put out a kāhea for volunteers.
Alexander-Monkres submitted her name and ended up as vice chair of the board of the newly formed Hoʻōla iā Mauiakama Disaster Long-Term Recovery Group. “I worried about the time commitment while also working full-time at the Red Cross, but it ended up being what I love.”
Through this work, Alexander-Monkres was introduced to an entire network of disaster recovery experts, volunteers and resources that she had no idea existed. “It’s unbelievable. Most of them are faith-based organizations, but so many have the skills, talent, knowledge and funding to show up and help.”
Help from Unexpected Places
“We never go into a community unless we’re invited,” said Anders, who lives in Eastern Washington. “That is VOAD protocol. But as soon as the [Maui] disaster happened, we received quite a few calls.”
Anders explained that VOAD comes alongside the local folks working on the ground after a disaster and helps them see what can be done, how things can work, and then helps them through that process.
“Our LTRG in Eastern Washington has done three major disaster recoveries, and so we have been living it. We understand the trauma that happens there,” said Anders, who is herself a wildfire survivor.
In 2014, her community was ravaged by the largest fire in Washington State history. Some 256,000 acres burned, including part of the city of Pateros. Anders was with the volunteer fire department at the time, and her family home was among the more than 350 homes destroyed by the fire.
Drawing from those experiences, Anders has provided guidance to Hoʻōla since its inception. Today, she is an advisor for the group.
“The hours that this team has put in is incredible,” she said. “Getting your 501(c)(3), getting your staff, really springboards the recovery abilities for this type and size of disaster. They are going to be in it for the long haul and they had to establish for that.
“When these things happen, people rise to the surface in an amazing way. They tap into so many skills they’ve spent their whole life developing – and that helps the whole community to recover.”
The Mennonite Disaster Service
When she attended the 2024 VOAD conference, Alexander-Monkres was introduced to members of the faith-based Mennonite Disaster Service. In the subsequent months, the group stayed in touch with her, continually offering their assistance. She checked them out online and became increasingly familiar with their work.
“Carlene explained that this is what happens in disasters. We needed to embrace bringing in outsiders, we needed to embrace the help,” Alexander-Monkres said.
The rebuild coalition went through the data and eventually concluded that they could not rely exclusively on local contractors to help survivors rebuild. “That was eye opening,” reflected Alexander-Monkres. “Local contractors have capacity to build about 100 houses per year. So, if 1,400 homes were destroyed, it would take 14 years to rebuild. That’s what sold us on accepting outside help.”
Once they decided to accept help from the Mennonites, their next challenge was finding a place to house the crew. “We were desperate because if we couldn’t find housing, they couldn’t come,” Alexander-Monkres said. “That’s why we’re starting so late on the rebuilds – we couldn’t find a place for them to stay.”
As if by divine intervention, Alexander-Monkres received a surprise call from the Maui Catholic Diocese. “They heard we were looking for housing and said they could help.”
On the campus of Sacred Heart School in Lahaina, two classrooms were still standing after the wildfires – although the rest of the campus had burned down. The Diocese offered the classrooms to house the Mennonites.
Three days later the Mennonite team flew in, visited the site, and started putting together plans to convert the classrooms into bunk rooms and build an outdoor kitchen and shower facility for their crew of 40 people.
At least initially, the rebuild coalition will work exclusively with the Mennonites. “There’s no one else like them,” Alexander-Monkres explained. “They come in as a self-contained construction and project management unit that builds all their own houses from start to finish and donate all their labor. They have dozens of free house plans on their website – we chose five – and a crew of retirees in Kansas who build kitchen cabinets that are also available for free.”
In addition to donating their labor, the Mennonites are shipping in kitchen cabinets and roofing materials for the rebuild coalition’s first five homes – set to begin construction in October.
“With the Mennonites, we remove labor costs for everything but electrical and plumbing. They walk by faith, they’re incredibly kind, and they’re deeply committed to the mission of helping people recover,” Alexander-Monkres said.
Looking ahead
In Lahaina, 1,355 single-family homes were destroyed by the fires, 813 of which were owner-occupied. Of these, about 537 homeowners (66%) do not have the cash to rebuild. The rebuild coalition exists to support these families.
So far, about 320 households have submitted applications to the rebuild coalition, and just under 100 have submitted all their documentation. With the first five homes to begin construction in October, the coalition is currently in the process of selecting the next 10.
“It takes anywhere from 4-6 months to build a house, so the rebuild coalition’s first five will be the test – and then we’ll get a rhythm and grow to hopefully 15-20 Mennonite-built houses per year,” Alexander-Monkres said.
She hopes to keep Hoʻōla active for at least five years – more if necessary – but as with everything in this world, funding is key. Staff salaries are funded through the end of the year, as are their operating expenses, and she just hired a grant writer. For now, Hoʻōla and the rebuild coalition are committed to walking this long-term recovery journey with the island’s wildfire survivors by faith.
“Disaster recovery is chaotic. It’s the most intensive thing I have ever done – and one of the most rewarding things,” Anders reflected. “When the system works it’s amazing. People get homes. They start to recover. They feel like they can truly survive. Even though its two years in, there is still more hurt to come and you’ve got to have people there to help with that – to lift people up and to be available.”
“As we approach the anniversary of the wildfire it’s important to remember that recovery is not just a phase – it’s an ongoing commitment to our community and our future,” Kekona said.
“While the early days brought overwhelming support and media attention, now is the time to keep that spirit alive. The work continues and we need our community to stay engaged, stay resilient and continue to support one another whether through volunteering, donating or simply being present for those still healing – every effort counts. Together, we honor those we’ve lost by building a stronger, more unified Maui for generations to come.”
For more information visit mauilongtermrecovery.org
