Read crowdfunding requests from those who lost homes, classrooms
Updated: December 9, 2023
For those who’d like to help, the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association is sharing donation pages of teachers, current and retired, affected by the Maui wildfires. Mahalo for your generosity during these difficult times.
HSTA fire relief donations
If you prefer to donate electronically:
More than 100 active and retired Maui educators have either lost their homes entirely in the fires or their homes suffered damage to the extent that they have to temporarily relocate. The HSTA has issued relief checks to those educators and plans a second round of payments in late December 2023.
Individual teacher donation links
For those wishing to donate directly to affected educators, please consider the list below. All are verified as active HSTA or HSTA-Retired members.
GoFundMe
Diane Ige-Pasion
Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary teacher
“The fire destroyed the home my late father built for him and my mom. I grew up there and raised my two children there, as well. I also care for my 89-year-old mom who is a retired teacher. Funds raised will go toward rebuilding our home and our lives.”
Katrina Ahia
Lāhaināluna High teacher
Katrina and her family lost their home, and her husband lost his place of employment. Donations will help them replace lost belongings, wages, and housing.
Alejandro Nunez
Lāhaināluna High science and ELL teacher
Alejandro lost his home, his belongings, and his storage unit in the wildfires. “Your contributions will go towards helping us get through the devastation and lack of basic human needs.”
Kimberly Camacho
Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary teacher
Kimberly and her partner Robert lost everything, including their beloved kitty. “Our phones were out and the police didn’t come until it (the fire) was 1 block away. All we took was a pillow, blanket, and 1 set of clothes. Everything else is gone.” Funds needed to help replenish savings and find permanent housing.
Teva Medeiros
Lāhaināluna High teacher
Teva belongs to a family of 16, spanning four generations across four households, in Lāhainā that lost everything and needs to rebuild.
Cara Nishijima
King Kamehameha III Elementary teacher
“Our family lost everything, including our truck and my car. We were able to get MOMO, my 99-year-old mother-in-law out as well as us and our three pets. We are all safe and that is what is important. Any help we receive through GoFundMe will be used to rebuild the inside of our home as we did not have insurance on any of the contents. Bless everyone who is helping those who lost so much in those fires.”
Jennifer Rikert
Baldwin-Kekaulike-Kūlanihākoʻi Maui Complex District Office resource teacher
“I am sponsoring and boarding 19 cats and three giant Sulcata tortoises while their owners try to secure adequate housing, and more cats are coming this week. My roof was damaged by the same high winds that fueled the Kula fire, and it is hard to support these pets with my current roof needs.”
Catherine Aure
King Kamehameha III Elementary teacher
“My classroom was like my second home. I moved back to Maui for the 2022–2023 school year and brought over from California all of my teaching materials, manipulatives, arts and crafts supplies, and personal items. I would like to replace my classroom materials and supplies so that I can continue to be an effective teacher.”
Dorisa Pelletier-Yamasaki
King Kamehameha III Elementary teacher
“My classroom where I taught for 17 years burnt down along with the rest of our beloved, precious, King Kamehameha III School. All sentimental memoirs, possessions, lesson plans/manipulatives, and personal property burnt down along with it.” Her family is displaced and is in need of money for food, shelter, and bills.
Jesse Joseph
Kalama Intermediate counselor
Jesse and her family lost their family home in Kula due to wildfires. Jesse, her husband, and 18-month-old baby fled leaving all belongings behind. They are looking for donations to help buy household items, clothing and shower supplies, basic supplies for their baby Indigo, food and kitchenware, and other essentials.
Jackie Ellis
Lāhaināluna High biology and marine science teacher
Her home is now uninhabitable due to the wildfires and she is looking for funds to help her pay for mortgage and HOA fees while searching for rental housing while she rebuilds.
Peachie Garcia
King Kamehameha III Elementary teacher
Peachie lost her apartment and classroom at King Kamehameha III Elementary in the fire. Her son, who also works at King Kamehameha III Elementary lost his apartment too. Please donate to help the family rebuild their lives.
Cindy Koyama
Lāhainā Intermediate teacher
Cindy, her husband, a retired police officer, and two sons escaped with what they could throw in their car. Their house was destroyed. Money will cover the cost of food, shelter, and immediate living expenses.
Monica Wilfong
Lāhainā Intermediate teacher
“My house burned down. My husband, 5-year-old daughter, and I got out with the clothes on our backs, our cars, and our lives.” They are accepting donations on GoFundMe and through her husband’s Venmo account @Justin-Wilfong-2.
Shane Cunanan
Lāhainā Intermediate teacher
Lost his entire home and all his belongings. Looking for funds for basic needs of food, clothing, household items, money for temporary housing as well as rebuilding their home.
Michelle DeBaldo
King Kamehameha III Elementary special education teacher
Lost her home and all of her possessions in the fire. Funds needed to help rebuild her life.
Dianne Lagbas
King Kamehameha III Elementary teacher
Lost her home and all of her possessions in the fire. Funds needed to help rebuild her life.
Cassie Ann Jacinto
Lāhaināluna High student activities coordinator
Lost her home and all of her belongings in the fire. Funds needed to help rebuild her life.
Ann Marie Economy
Lāhaināluna High teacher
Lost her home and all of her belongings in the fire. Funds needed to help rebuild her and her family’s lives.
Tracy Brojakowski
Lāhaināluna High special education teacher
Lost her home and all of her belongings in the fire. Needs funds to help rebuild her life.
Tad (TC) Luckey
Lāhaināluna High CTE teacher
Lost home and all belongings in fire. Funds will be used for immediate needs like shelter, clothing, and basic needs.
Mari Finn
Lāhaināluna High technology coordinator
Lost her multigenerational home in the fire. Requesting support to rebuild her life.
Lisa Kuramata
King Kamehameha III Elementary counselor
Lisa’s home is badly damaged from the fire and her classroom is gone. Donations will help Lisa and her family get back on their feet.
Luz Tumpap
King Kamehameha III Elementary teacher
Luz lost her home and belongings and is looking for donations to help support her and her three children.
Michelle Abad
Lāhaināluna High teacher
Michelle and her family lost their home, all of their belongings, and Michelle’s car to the fire. Proceeds will go toward helping the family rebuild their lives.
Arica Lynn
Lāhaināluna High teacher
Her family lost their home in the fire and are looking for funds to purchase clothing, furniture, and kitchen supplies, and provide stability for their two children.
Anjanette Naganuma
Lāhaināluna High teacher
Her family lost their home in the fire. Looking for donations to purchase bedding, hygiene supplies, clothes, and gas for cars.
Liko Rogers
Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary Hawaiian language immersion teacher
His family lost three multi-generational homes to the wildfires. Funds are needed to provide immediate relief for essentials like clothing, food, and shelter.
Melissa Mills
Maui District deaf and hard of hearing itinerant teacher
Became a victim of the Maui fires and need funds to rebuild her life.
Venmo
Kailani Ross
Lāhaināluna High teacher
She is repairing and cleaning the parts of her home that were damaged by the fires and looking for financial support to help rebuild and help her buy a new vehicle.
Kaleka Manoha
Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary curriculum coordinator
“I lost my home due to the Lāhainā wildfires.”
Teva Medeiros
Lāhaināluna High teacher
Teva belongs to a family of 16, spanning four generations across four households, in Lāhainā that lost everything and needs to rebuild. The linked Venmo account belongs to his wife, Amber.
Mary Joy Cabading
Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary teacher
Mary and her family lost their home in the fire. They are staying with family but there is little to no space to sleep. The Venmo account to help Mary and her family was set up by Mary’s daughter. Please donate to help the family in need.
Joshua Blaha
King Kamehameha III Elementary teacher
“My wife, 2 1/2 year old, and I are displaced from the townhome we own because of the fires. I lost my second job as a property manager as the property was lost in the fire. My wife is unable to work at her job affecting us financially as well.”
Jonathan Silva
King Kamehameha III Elementary counselor
Looking for donations to help rebuild the King Kamehameha III Elementary counseling department. “Right now we need mental health resources more than anything. Any bit helps. There was easily over $40k of resources, some purchased with personal money, and stuff acquired over the decades. Any donation will be shared with my partner Lisa Kuramata.”
TJ Rickard
Lāhaināluna High teacher
Todd and his family lost 5 multigenerational homes to the Maui wildfires. Funds needed to help him rebuild.
Carla Hazlet
Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary teacher
Carla’s rental home along with all of her cherished belongings burned to dust. Any funds raised would help her and her children secure new housing and replace necessities lost in the fire.
Renee Vachow
King Kamehameha III Elementary School teacher
This teacher’s house and four cars burnt to the ground. She narrowly escaped with her husband, children, and dogs. Any donations are greatly appreciated so they can recover.
Kanoelani Steward
Lāhainā Intermediate teacher
This teacher at Ke Kula Kaiapuni ʻo Lāhainā, the Hawaiian language immersion school based at Lāhainā Intermediate, lost her home to fire, yet remains dedicated to supporting Lāhainā’s keiki and ʻohana Kaiapuni.
Jess Sill
King Kamehameha III Elementary teacher
Her home is now unlivable due to the fires and her classroom is reduced to ash. Looking for funds to rebuild.
Hailey Hannon
King Kamehameha III Elementary fourth grade teacher
She lost her home and was a first time homeowner, as well as all of her belongings. She also lost her classroom all of her school supplies inside. Looking for funds to help rebuild.
Erik Jennings
Lāhaināluna High special education teacher
He lost his house and truck and almost everything but a couple of outfits. The money will be used to replace clothes and other items lost in the fire. Venmo account is under his wife’s name.
Are you an HSTA member who suffered losses from the wildfires and need to rebuild your home or outfit your classroom? If you have a fundraising link, such as DonorsChoose, GoFundMe, Amazon, My Wishlist, Venmo, Zelle, etc., that you would like publicly shared, let us know!
- Go to our Contact page and submit an online form with the following:
- Under Topic, select “Maui wildfires” from the dropdown menu.
- Include your name, school, chapter, phone number, and personal email address.
- Under Question, briefly explain your current situation and include your fundraising link.
Anyone who wishes to help our educators can view our list of vetted members and their donation needs here.
General relief
Aloha United Way Maui Fire Relief Fund: Your tax-deductible donations will go directly to Maui United Way to support Maui victims.