NOTE: Kelly has put together a FB page so anyone who donates can see what the money is being spent on! Kelly Gallego, thanks for being an example of civic virtue!
What can you do for those affected by the fires On Maui. Here is an email from one of our CEAS Cohort 1 Teachers. I always prefer to donate to someone I know or someone local. This is an opportunity to help teachers and their students and families.
Kelly Gallego
4:56 AM (4 hours ago)
Aloha Cheryl,
First off huge Mahalo to Carol for picking up communication and helping me out on her first day of school with the kiddos!!! I feel extremely blessed to have met and have this kind of support from both of you!
This is the first time I’ve had to look at my emails in the last 72hrs and of course it’s in the early am.
This afternoon we got photo and communication that Lahaina Intermediate School and Lahainaluna high school was saved! As well as a small section of the neighborhood below. This is fantastic news!
Lahaina is still ground zero, no power, no internet, barely any communications coming out. At this point most of our staff has been accounted for and are with family, coworkers, or hunkering down together somewhere on the westside of Maui. One of my social studies teachers is set to arrive at my one bedroom home tomorrow, indefinitely. But there are staff we are still looking for.
There has been a massive out pouring of support and in true Hawaii style, everyone is pitching in. But it is still complete chaos here.
About half our staff lost everything as well as many of our families. I can’t begin to imagine the needs our students and staff will have in the next year.
So far our school in closed at least until the 21st.
In terms of needs it is hard to say, I am looking forward to the future, when the nation has forgotten about us, or FEMA money doesn’t come through.
I opened a bank account and attached it to my Venmo account. I plan to use the money to directly benefit my staff, department, and students. If people would like to donate that would be amazing. In full transparency, I plan to create a Facebook group with all the donors and post what is happening with the money, were its going, etc.
It is totally fine to share my Venmo!