Building Financial Stability and Strength
Our Financial Security Pillar empowers Maui County residents to build stability and long-term resilience. We support emergency financial assistance, housing and homeownership programs, and transportation support that help families meet essential needs. By investing in workforce development, job training, and nonprofit capacity building, we strengthen both individuals and the organizations that serve them. Together, we’re creating a foundation of financial well-being that allows our entire community to move forward with confidence.
Emergency Financial Assistance for Adults in the Impacted Fire Zones: Just 10 days after the deadly fires in Lahaina, Maui United Way launched a one-time $1,000 financial assistance payment program for adult fire survivors living in the impacted fire zones in Lahaina and Kula, limited to $5,000 per household. To date, $7.8 million has been paid to over 7,800 fire survivors as the program nears completion.
Giving families the ability to choose what they purchase is empowering. Because Maui is one of the most culturally diverse places in the country, comfort food means different things to different people.
Maui United Way, with support from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, distributed $240,000 in gas cards to wildfire survivors commuting between Lahaina and other parts of Maui for work and school. Administered by the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset Foundation and supported by community partners, the program provided monthly $100 gas cards over six months to 500 displaced families. This initiative helped ease transportation burdens during a critical time of recovery and reflects Maui United Way’s ongoing commitment to long-term support for wildfire-impacted communities.
Maui United Way awarded a $100,000 grant to Roots Reborn to provide critical relief and wraparound services to COFA migrants and undocumented immigrants impacted by the wildfires. This funding supports direct cash assistance, financial literacy workshops, access to banking, and culturally responsive mental health support—ensuring vulnerable communities receive the resources and care they need to recover and rebuild.
Maui United Way is supporting language access for disaster recovery planning by funding $2,500 in interpretation services for the County of Maui’s CDBG-DR Action Plan community meetings. Interpretation in ASL, Ilocano, Spanish, and Tagalog will be provided to ensure equitable participation as the County outlines strategies for housing, public services, and hazard mitigation following the 2023 wildfires.