Catholic Charities Hawaii chief operating officer Tina Andrade assists one of those impacted by the Maui fires at the Family Assistance Center in Kahului, Sept. 6. (Courtesy photo)
By Jennifer Rector
Hawaii Catholic Herald
At least 97 are confirmed dead and 31 remain unaccounted for after the Aug. 8 Lahaina fire that left behind a trail of destruction and heartbreak, becoming the fifth deadliest fire in U.S. history. The healing of survivors is underway. Many diocesan ministries are working to bring relief to those affected. Foremost among these is Catholic Charities Hawaii.
Catholic Charities has teamed up with the Diocese of Honolulu and Catholic Charities USA to secure and administer funding and deliver social services.
On the national level, Catholic Charities USA has collected $1 million toward Catholic Charities Hawaii Maui relief aid. This does not count the funds pouring in from other sources all over the world. The money will go toward temporary housing, financial assistance, counseling, everyday essential needs, and, in the future, rebuilding homes.
On Maui, the Catholic Charities Hawaii team has set up an operation to meet critical needs. At the Family Assistance Center in Kahului they are working at the call center. In West Maui, Catholic Charities has supplied food and essential supplies. There it has also partnered with AirBnB to provide housing for the displaced.
Rob Van Tassell, president and CEO of Catholic Charities Hawaii has been listening to countless stories of the survivors. He says it’s an honor to serve them.
“As I talk with people and hear their stories, I am humbled that they have placed their trust in us to meet their needs. We look forward to accompanying them in the days ahead,” said Van Tassell.
Giving special attention to the mental health of the people Catholic Charities serves is a vital part of its mission of caring for the whole person. Facing the trauma inflicted by the firestorm and achieving relief is going to take years of healing for many. That’s why Catholic Charities is providing counseling and case management services.
Catholic Charities staff are working alongside therapists from across the state. The therapists are meeting with survivors to help them deal with what they went through, and to process what happened. From there therapists can determine their specific needs and give them coping skills.
Long road ahead
There has already been a constant flow of relief efforts into Lahaina, but this is still only the beginning. Van Tassell says it will take years of recovery and that Catholic Charities is committed to it.
“We hold our Maui brothers and sisters in our hearts as we go about our long legacy of work on Maui,” he said. “Although there is so much still to be done, I want to thank all of our employees, community partners and volunteers for their countless hours of work coming together to restore and rebuild their community.”
The organization is in the beginning stages of distributing aid. As each day goes by, it is evaluating the needs of the victims and developing its services from there.
This is not the first time Catholic Charities Hawaii has come face-to-face with a major natural disaster. In the past it has offered relief services after hurricanes and flooding on Kauai, lava flows on the Big Island, storms on Oahu, and now fires on Maui.
Though they are not considered first responders, Catholic Charities is in it for the long haul, no matter how long it takes.
“We will continue to walk with the people on Maui,” said Van Tassell.
Truly Maui strong
Tina Andrade, Catholic Charities Hawaii’s chief operating officer, has a special place in her heart for Maui. For many years she lived on the island and served its community. Now she’s serving in a way she could never have imagined. She has been walking with survivors every step of the way.
As she accompanies the victims, she is prouder than ever of the strength she has witnessed come out of the island’s communities.
“The Maui community is amazing. When they say, ‘Maui Strong’ I see them working together in both formal settings and as a community,” said Andrade. “As a community they don’t wait, they help one another out. It takes a lot to be resilient, and they are. It’s inspiring. They are all about working together. Maui has always been that way.”
Andrade also said they have received nothing but gratitude from those they have helped.
“We have received hugs and thank yous from the people, sharing how thankful they are to Catholic Charities Hawaii,” she said.
Andrade is committed to doing everything she can to meet the needs of the community she loves.
To donate to Catholic Charities Hawaii Maui Relief fund visit www.catholiccharitieshawaii.org/maui-relief.
