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Councilwomen to hold wildfire relief informational meeting for religious leaders

By Staff | Oct 20, 2023

WAILUKU — Maui County Council Vice Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura (Upcountry Residency District) and Presiding Officer Pro Tempore Tasha Kama (Kahului Residency District) will host a wildfire relief “Resources for Religious Leaders” informational meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 24, from 9 a.m. to noon at the University of Hawaii Maui College Pilina Building Events Center.

The meeting is designed to provide information and answer questions on urgent community needs, including interim housing for residents displaced by the recent fires, financial help for residents and small businesses, and other types of assistance available.

Representatives will be attending from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, American Red Cross, Catholic Charities Hawaii, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Maui United Way, Maui Economic Opportunity Inc., U.S. Small Business Administration and the Salvation Army.

Presentations will be followed by a Q&A session. Pastors, priests, rabbis and other religious leaders from all faiths are invited to attend. To register, call (808) 270-5501 or e-mail Davideane.kama-sickels@mauicounty.us.

“Community outreach in the aftermath of the August wildfires has been vital,” said Sugimura. “Our faith-based community has taken on an important role in keeping our residents informed and connected during this very difficult time, and we are grateful for their leadership.”

Kama noted that “as a pastor, I have had many conversations and shared prayer with people who poured out their heart with overwhelming grief and loss. This is indeed the most difficult situation our community has faced in our lifetime, yet it is one that we are facing together. Our spiritual leaders are at the core of efforts to care for our community, and we hope to provide them with the information, resources and personal agency connections they need.”

The Pilina Building Events Center is located upstairs above the fitness center; an elevator and ramp are available for accessibility. American Sign Language interpretation will be available. If other language assistance is needed, please RSVP with the language(s) requested.

For more information, call (808) 270-5501.