Aloha,
I am sure you share my care and concern for our Maui neighbors and the devastation their community is experiencing from the wildfires. We want everyone in our university ‘ohana who is being impacted to know we are thinking of you and are ready to help as best we can.
On our local campus level, I have asked members of our campus community to please kōkua those who have ʻohana affected, and exercise patience with students who may be arriving late from Maui or distracted by events.
The Division of Student Affairs is working with their counterparts across the UH System to support students. At UH Hilo, the following people are ready to provide assistance:
- General care triage: Interim Dean of Students Tim Moore
- Financial/emergency funding: Financial Aid (Kolby Santiago or Shana Kaneshiro) or Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Chris Holland
- Counseling: Frank Kuo, Ekat Kapoustina, Andrew Polloi
- Housing: Sherri Akau
- Registration: Chelsea Kay-Wong, Malia Callo
- Advising: Comfort Sumida
- Basic needs: Hualani Loo, Malu Dudoit, Ho‘o Ioane, Ui Amantiad
I encourage those of you who have the will and ability to donate, to consider these options (there are others as well):
- Maui Food Bank
- Hawai‘i Community Foundation: Maui Strong Fund
- Kākoʻo Maui
The County of Hawaiʻi administration is assembling a task force to see what UH Hilo can do to help, not only for short term needs, but also with mid- to long-term recovery. I will share information about what kind of role the university might play in these efforts once I learn more. If you have ideas along these lines, please feel free to share them with me.
Be well,
Bonnie D. Irwin
Chancellor
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo