Last summer, communities in Maui were instantly transformed as deadly wildfires swept across the Hawaiian island, killing more than 100 people and devastating local businesses.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, the blaze — which started Aug. 8 and was fueled further by "flash drought" conditions and the winds of nearby Hurricane Dora — was the deadliest in the United States in more than 100 years.
"Within one day, everything changed," Jeff Robertson, who owns Maui Sunriders Bike Company with his wife Crystal, shared in a phone conversation with The Cool Down.
A little over a year later, the island is still on the mend. Yet more than $60 million in GoFundMe donations have played a crucial role in keeping local businesses afloat, hundreds of which were forced to shutter after the wildfires — ripping at the fabric of the community.
By November 2023, as many as 600 had already closed. Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center director Wayne Wong said limited recovery grants were available for residents outside of burn areas, according to Hawaii News Now.
"You're not going to have a local community if you don't have the business coming in," Jeff shared with The Cool Down, explaining how the fires and subsequent closures can create a domino effect beyond the immediate impact.
Bikers, for example, will often stop at restaurants and retail shops as they explore the island. After a recent fire led to canceled tours and rentals this August, though, Jeff said some owners he has a relationship with reported a 60-70% decrease in business.
Yet even those with businesses in areas devastated by the August 2023 fires have struggled or seen a delay in receiving funds.
Jeff is an experienced cyclist with a deep passion for the sport, and he opened three shops on Maui after listening to feedback from locals who expressed a strong desire for more specialized bike shops on the island.
One of those shops was the flagship store in Lahaina, the historic former capital of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi that was destroyed by the 2023 wildfires.
The recently remodeled Maui Sunriders flagship contained not only precious memorabilia but also the bikes of community members, some of whom lost their homes and businesses in the fires. The location was also an inviting community space, attracting locals and tourists alike, and a popular hangout for kids after school.
However, a combination of issues after the fires pushed Maui Sunriders to the brink. First, the company was underinsured after following the standard recommendations for new shops from its previous broker. Generally, a more conservative approach saves companies from needing to pay out large sums of cash to the insurer if they exceed their forecast sales expectations.
"At the end of the year … say you [insured] for $250,000 but you really did $400,000 in sales, well, you're going to owe the insurance company quite a chunk of money," Jeff explained, adding that the company has since amended its insurance policy in case of future issues.
The team also experienced delays in obtaining its qualified insurance claims due to the level of destruction and had to provide as much as $80,000 in refunds for canceled vacations.
"To be perfectly honest, if it wasn't for our GoFundMe, we would have been bankrupt and not been able to pay our employee wages," Crystal said in a statement provided by GoFundMe.
"With the GoFundMe money and some other small grants we were able to receive, we were able to keep pretty much all of our employees on staff," Jeff told The Cool Down, sharing that some partners in the bike industry also assisted.
Beyond that, the support empowered Maui Sunriders to give back to a still-healing community, with the business donating around $80,000 to $90,000 in bikes and other services.
"We were able to get those bikes out to the community so people had transportation," Jeff told The Cool Down. "People were able to do an activity to try to help them mentally, physically, after the fire. And especially for the kids. We were able to get kids back out on bikes."
"It made a tremendous difference [in our healing process] being able to help out and give back, even though we had gone through so much loss," he added, noting that Maui Sunriders has recently signed a lease to reopen its third location elsewhere on the island.
Other local businesses that are part of the beating heart of Maui are also on the road to recovery thanks to donations from GoFundMe.
Maui Surfer Girls, Inc. is using the funds to support staff members who lost their homes and provide surfing camp scholarships to Lahaina women and teens. Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice has given hundreds of dollars in Visa gift cards to fire victims.
"We have dispersed $261,502, the majority over the first four months when the need was blaring and have continually given $200-$500 in Visa gift cards and cash on a monthly/bi-monthly basis," owner David Yamashiro said in a statement provided by GoFundMe.
Donations have also made a difference for Baya Bowls, VigiLatte Coffee, and Lahaina Printsellers, all of which are reopening or on the path to resuming operations.
GoFundMe.org's Wildfire Relief Fund has been another significant source of support, with the $1.3 million raised making it possible to issue 2,000 "immediate relief grants" to people directly impacted by the Maui wildfires, according to an email from the company.
Ultimately, Jeff has faith that Maui will not only recover but also begin to thrive in new ways.
"One of the things I've seen living out here over the last five years is the resiliency and passion everyone has out here on Maui, and there's no doubt in my mind that we'll come back and we'll come back stronger," he told The Cool Down. "We'll come back even better."
Yet he highlighted the need for continued support for the rebuilding island, also expressing compassion for other communities impacted by extreme weather events, from wildfires to hurricanes, which have become more intense as global temperatures have risen.
As Jeff noted, recovery can take years. However, once the news cycle moves on, attention can be drawn away even though people are still picking up the pieces.
"You see it every year, in some cases," Jeff told The Cool Down. "... You see it through hurricanes. People are there to help for six months, maybe a year, and then all of sudden, you know, that help leaves. But the work isn't done."
"I hope the message still gets out to everybody that we have a long way to go," Jeff told The Cool Down. "... We need to support each other."
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