In Maui, where wildfires devastated the island nearly two weeks ago, crews are still trying to locate the dead and bring in much-needed relief to those who survived. At least 114 people have been confirmed dead, and officials estimate say hundreds more are unaccounted for.
"I can’t reiterate enough, that what you’re seeing on the news, multiply it by five hundred, a thousand. Your worst, worst nightmare, multiply it -- the severity is much much more," said Ashley Meredith of the wildfires. Meredith grew up in the Bay Area and now lives in Central Maui with her husband, who works with Maui Police.
Meredith and her husband are housing two families displaced by the fires, and they know many others who have lost their homes.
In an effort to get supplies to impacted families on Maui quickly, Meredith's family back in Sunol is rallying community support. They've established a donation drop-off center at Bosco's Bones and Brews in Sunol at 11922 Main St. The effort is sponsored by the Greater Bay Area Council BSA and the Sunol Business Guild.
The supplies they are collecting in Sunol include: new clothing and undergarments, fire extinguishers, generators, backup batteries, N100 masks, P100 masks, N95 masks, rubber gloves, trash bags, headlamps, flashlights, batteries, backpacks, duffel bags, blankets, school supplies, toiletries, and solar lights. Gift cards to Target, Home Depot, Walmart, Safeway, Costco, and Whole Foods are also accepted.
You can contact 510-299-3368 for assistance in donating.
Meredith's family plans to ship the supplies to Maui once all the donations have been gathered. In the meantime, Meredith has been flying to the Bay Area to bring needed items like protective face masks back to Maui. The face masks, she explains, are important for first responders and anyone around the ash and debris. Meredith noted that there are only a few big-box stores on Maui, and store shelves are running thin.
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"In Lahaina, there’s a lot of donation hubs, but a lot of those donations are sitting idle," Meredith said. She explained that many independent groups and community members have started distributing urgently needed supplies.
"And for our friends and our local business owners and ourselves who are able to get into Lahaina, we’re distributing those needs to people who don’t have the means or access to get to those donation hubs, or also who are just scared to leave their house," she continued.
On Sunday, she traveled back to Maui from the Bay Area, stocked with checked bags full of supplies that displaced families have asked for.
She encourages Bay Area residents to continue supporting Maui residents and businesses. For those who can't afford to donate, Meredith asks them to keep Maui in their prayers.
"Right now, we just have to remember to show each other compassion. There’s really no simple answer for everything that's going on," she said.
This weekend, firefighters in the Bay Area held a fundraiser for the Hawaiian Fire Foundation, and Molloy's Tavern in Colma hosted a fundraiser and donation drop-off for Lahaina.
