Celebrating Maui’s
Community Heroes

After the wildfires of August 2023, many people in our community stepped up to help. Among them, the team at Papi’s ‘Ohana stood out for their strong commitment.

Since the fires, Papi’s ‘Ohana has offered food to those in need while creating a warm space where people find comfort during hard times. As one community member shared: “For 6 months I had the pleasure of meeting this couple weekly. During the fires, they brought immense joy to their community, generously giving daily offerings to those in need. Despite facing their own hardships, they always welcomed everyone with the warmest smiles, making the weight of the day feel lighter, even if just for a moment.”

Last Wednesday, we had the honor of hosting the Papi’s ʻOhana team for a special day on the water. These amazing people continue to provide food, comfort, and warm smiles to our community. Their cinnamon rolls have become a fan favorite. Their Pizzeria runs on donations, supporting their mission to rebuild the community after the Maui fire disaster.

Several local businesses including Honolulu Cookie Company, Aliʻi Kula Lavender, Ocean Vodka, and Tiffany’s Maui pitched in to make that day extra special. We’re thankful to say mahalo to these everyday heroes who show the true spirit of aloha.

The Maui Food Bank is vital for our island, working hard to make sure no one goes hungry. Since 1994, they have given out over 8 million pounds of safe and healthy food across Maui County.

On February 15, we welcomed the Maui Food Bank staff and volunteers for a whale watching trip aboard the Pride of Maui ‘Elua to show our thanks for their important work.

“Thank you so much to the Pride of Maui for making this opportunity happen for us,” said Chelsey Ham, Community Engagement Associate Director. “As we talk to every volunteer, they just enjoyed themselves so much. Over 759 volunteers make it all possible to do what we do for our community.”

The Maui Food Bank has grown a lot to meet bigger needs since last year’s wildfires. “We do over 200,000 lbs. of fresh produce which is locally sourced from our island of Maui. We work with local farmers, over 41 local farmers, ranchers, and fishermen. We also do over 700,000 lbs. of food every month,” shared Brandi Saragosa, Director of Operations.

“The way it works is we get so much donated food combined with the monetary donations when you put it together, we’re able to provide 4 meals with every $1,” explained Marlene Rice, Development Director. “And we’ve seen the need grow by about 60% since last year’s wildfires in Lahaina and Upcountry. We were sourcing between 8 to 12 containers of food from the mainland every year, now we’re doing over 54 containers,” added Saragosa.

They are the only group in the county with the setup to collect and share such large amounts of both fresh and packaged food for food insecurity. Their hard work shows the team spirit that makes our island special.

These recognition cruises reflect our belief that helping those who support our community creates a stronger Maui for everyone. The strength shown by groups like Papi’s ‘Ohana and the Maui Food Bank proves that our greatest power comes from working together.

We’re proud to be part of a community where so many people and groups contribute to making our island better. If you know other local heroes making a difference on Maui, we’d love to hear their stories.

Many people and groups have helped Maui recover. Today, we thank Papi’s ‘Ohana and Maui Food Bank. But we know they are just two of the many heroes in our community. We plan to share more stories about local heroes soon.