BLUE ASH, Ohio — Devastating wildfires have killed nearly 100 people in Maui, as of Monday night. Public officials have said the death toll is likely to rise as search efforts continue.
Many in Cincinnati have watched the tragedy unfold from thousands of miles away, desperate to help.
“There are people just like you and I that are in need, that are hurting,” said Ben Williams, director of disaster relief at Matthew 25: Ministries. “We’re so far away, but we can help.”
Matthew 25: Ministries in Blue Ash has been collecting donations to ship to the island, including personal care items, first aid kits, flashlights and more. Williams said the organization has already seen an uptick in donated items and money, as well as individuals calling to inquire about how they can assist.
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“We know that the Greater Cincinnati community, and those well beyond there as well, they always step up anytime something like this happens,” he said.
Matthew 25 will deploy a team to the island later this week, including Williams and five other staff members. It’s nothing new to the organization, which has responded to disasters all across the world already this year — from flooding in Fort Lauderdale to earthquakes in Syria and Turkey.
The team will focus on distributing supplies, providing services and working with partners to identify long-term needs.
“We are waiting until later this week, weekend, to just kind of see when our teams can get in safely,” Williams said. “And do so without impacting the operations of the first responders specifically.”
The Hawaii Tourism Authority has advised touriststo avoid West Maui.
“I would not hold off going to Hawaii, I would hold off going to Maui,” said Dan Howell, who owns the travel agency Dan Howell Travel. “It would have a big effect if people stopped going to Hawaii.”
Tourism is a substantial piece of the state’s economy.
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“All the devastation and hurricanes, tornadoes that we've seen in this business over the years, we've never seen anything this devastating,” Howell said.
For travelers who have already planned a trip to Maui in the near future, Howell recommends contacting the hotel and tour operators.
“All the hotels and tour operators understand the gravity of the situation and are now being very generous,” he said.
A spokesperson for AAA said AAA’s travel advisors have also been working with travelers who have upcoming trips, but limited communication with the island has complicated efforts. The spokesperson said tour operator contact centers are experiencing extremely high call volumes and hold times.
As many people rebuild from the ashes, questions remain on how long recovery could take.
Matthew 25’s team is not sure yet how long they’ll be on the island.
“It'll just depend on what the needs are from our partners there,” Williams said. “It could be 10 days, two weeks, even beyond that.”
Either way, their goal remains the same.
“Let them know that there are people that really care about them and their recovery process and that we're going to be here alongside them as long as they need us.”
Find a list of the items Matthew 25 is requesting here. Donations can be dropped off at the organization's Blue Ash location. You can make a monetary donation here.
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