While media attention quickly wanes following natural disasters, the work of many Veatch grantees active in these communities continues unabated. Organizing Resilience, a Veatch grantee, continues to advance a community-led effort to rebuild in Maui following the devastating fires that took place there last year —the most devastating in the fire to occur in the United States in more than a century.
“Climate disasters devastate communities in hours,” wrote Ginny Goldman, the Lead Strategist at Organizing Resilience, in a recent update sent to supporters. “Mere weeks pass before the TV cameras move on and the world turns its attention to the next crisis. But the grinding, crucial process of recovery goes on for years – and the survivors must organize for justice.”
The situation on the ground in Maui, Goldman wrote, continues to be serious. Thousands of survivors, many of whom have been living in hotel rooms paid for by FEMA, are still struggling to find places to live because of a shortage of affordable rental housing. According to the American Red Cross, which is overseeing the hotel program, only a third of the households who sought emergency shelter in the immediate aftermath of the unprecedented fire have so far moved into homes—all while tourism has once again been allowed to resume on the island.
Native Hawaiians, Goldman continues to face a “long struggle to ensure that their history is honored in the rebuilding process”. She provided a link to a New York Times article with details on the rebuilding effort. Along with the 98 lives lost in the disaster, according to the article, entire museums that told the island’s centuries-old story were destroyed—along with artifacts, like the flag that was lowered after the Hawaiian kingdom was overthrown in 1893.
In response to the Maui wildfires, Organizing Resilience launched the Maui Just Recovery Fund to provide immediate relief and long-term support to affected communities. So far, the group has raised over $1.4 million. These funds have been instrumental in supporting initiatives tailored to support Maui’s immigrant populations, for instance, and provide direct aid to impacted families via a partnership with GoFundMe.org.
“Climate disasters expose and accelerate the systemic problems that existed well before the crisis,” Goldman wrote in her update. “It will take long-term focus and constant vigilance to deliver justice and relief for survivors and to push for long-term solutions.”