Kokua Hawai'i Island drive a success following strong community response

County of Maui’s Kōkua Hawaiʻi Island Donation Drive, with support from ILWU, which paid for the shipping, was met with an outpouring of support from the Maui community, with hundreds of residents coming together over the weekend to donate essential supplies for communities on Hawaiʻi Island impacted by Hurricane Lala.

Held Sept. 5-6, 2026, at Queen Kaʻahumanu Center, the drive collected donations from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day with the goal of filling a 40-foot shipping container with food and essential supplies. 

“We are incredibly grateful to the people of Maui who showed up in such a big way to support our neighbors on Hawaiʻi Island,” said Mayor Richard Bissen. “The generosity we saw over these two days is a powerful reminder of how our community comes together when our neighbors need help. Mahalo to everyone who donated their time, resources and aloha to make this effort possible.”

During the two days:

• More than 200 vehicles came through the drive, with hundreds of community members contributing donations.
• More than 75 volunteers, including ILWU members, County employees and the community gave their time to support the effort. 
• More than 5,500 individual items were collected.
• More than 5,000 pounds of nonperishable food was collected.
• 273 cases of water were donated.
• 950 pounds of pet food was collected.

Donations included nonperishable food, bottled water, pet food and supplies, baby food and supplies, batteries, flashlights, gas cans, towels, feminine hygiene and personal hygiene supplies and cleaning supplies.

With Kauaʻi’s recent devastation from Hurricane Lowell, the County will be organizing support for the Kauaʻi community. Details will be announced soon. 

“Disasters can come at any time, and our island’s aloha for Kauaʻi isn’t made less by our recent giving to Hawaiʻi Island,” Mayor Bissen said. “We are grateful to our Maui residents and businesses who can pitch in now to kōkua Kauaʻi.”

For more information, contact [email protected] or call (808) 270-7855.

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