Donate online:
Reputable and high-impact organizations accepting online donations are listed below.
- Maui Strong Fund by the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation: www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org. There is a credit card processing fee, but HCF will not take an administrative fee — 100% of the money will be given to the service provider. Organizations seeking funding can email a request to mauistrong@hcf-hawaii.org. (Full disclosure: HCF is an underwriter of HPR.)
- Maui United Way: mauiunitedway.org/donate
- Kākoʻo Maui Fund led by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement: hawaiiancouncil.org/helpmaui/kakoomauifund
- American Red Cross: redcross.org/donate
How to avoid scams
Attorney General Anne Lopez urges residents to exercise caution when choosing where to send their money and donations.
“I know that the people of Hawaiʻi will come to the aid of our families, neighbors and communities,” Lopez said. “In moments of crisis, we all must be extra vigilant against bad actors who try to take advantage of people's goodwill.”
Only donate to trusted, well-known charities. If someone is fundraising on behalf of a familiar charity, the best practice is to donate directly to that charity.
Any charity soliciting donations in Hawaiʻi is required to register with the Department of the Attorney General.
You can verify a charity’s legitimacy here. The attorney general also suggests using the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search, Charity Navigator and DCCA Business Search.
Stay away from suspicious donation requests and be aware of scammers who:
- Rush you into making a donation
- Ask you to make a donation using cash or gift card — most legitimate charities will accept credit card and check donations
- Use names that sound similar to the names of real charities
- Make vague and sentimental claims without giving any specifics about how your donation will be used
For updates on the Maui fires, see below:
