Hawaii‘i Life Charitable Fund Is Now Accepting Donations For Hawai‘i Island Relief Efforts

Please help us by donating today to support the more than 1,700 Hawai‘i Island residents who have been evacuated and displaced from their homes, and in many cases, from their livelihood, as well. The HLCF will match the first $20,000 in contributions received. 

By now you’ve seen the dramatic news footage of the recent eruption of Kīlauea, in the Puna area of Hawai‘i Island. As a result of this powerful natural phenomenon, many Hawai‘i Island residents are now facing tremendous uncertainty. Our hearts go out to the many Hawai’i Island residents who continue to be impacted by these events. 

The Hawai‘i Life Charitable Fund (HLCF) was established with a mission to work to preserve Hawai‘i’s beauty and culture by supporting its people. It is supported through generous donations throughout the year from our agents, brokers and clients. Today, the HLCF Board of Directors, led by Board Chair Mealoha Kraus, decided to launch a fundraising campaign to assist those touched by these events.

To be clear, the affected area spans approximately ten square miles of Hawai‘i Island, and is not impacting the highly popular tourism, resort, and development areas of the island. None of the other Hawaiian Islands are affected, either.  Rather, the volcanic activity is focused in the southeastern portion of Hawai‘i Island, which is largely residential or undeveloped land,  due to the lava fields caused by previous volcanic activity. 

A neighborhood street being swallowed by lava flows, Hawai‘i Island. All photos courtersy of : Db Photo at Primary Focus

As lava flows encroach upon these neighborhoods, these families can only stand by and watch on the news, helpless to save their homes. Most insurers have a lava exclusion in their policies, which means that in all likelihood, their losses are irretrievable. “I met many people who are frightened and deeply concerned about losing everything they’ve worked for all their lives,” Governor David Ige recently said in a news report.

As of this writing, at least 26 homes have been destroyed by the lava flows, and two new fissures have opened in the Leilani Estates subdivision, the community most affected to date. Continued volcanic activity is expected, with no clear indication when the activity will end. The surrounding communities will see both short- and long-term impacts from this recent eruption.

We are awaiting the expert guidance of our partners at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, who manage the HLCF, to determine where best to apply the funds raised in this initiative. Your donations will help these hard-working families who don’t yet know when they’ll be able to return to their community.

Volcanic activity at night in Leilani Estates, Hawai‘i Island. Photo Credit: Db Photo at Primary Focus

The HLCF recently leveraged our network to raise a total of $137,000 for disaster relief efforts following the flooding on Kaua‘i and O‘ahu. As a statewide organization, our team of nearly 300 employees and their families live in virtually every corner of the state. As a result, we as a community feel the effects of these events.

These generous contributions were forwarded to the Red Cross, Mālama Kaua‘i, and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Kaua‘i Relief and Recovery Fund. We wish to thank you for your aloha and generosity in helping to support local families in thier time of need.

Please help us to support these Hawai‘i Island families by making a contribution today. Your kind donation can be made online at give.hawaiilife.com or by check made payable to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, with the words “Hawai‘i Life Charitable Fund – Hawai‘i Island” in the memo line, to ensure your donation is earmarked for this initiative. Checks can be mailed to:

Hawai‘i Community Foundation
827 Fort Street Mall
Honolulu, HI 96813-4317

Mahalo nui loa!

Lava explodes out of a residential street in the Lower Puna area of Hawai‘i Island. Photo Credit: Db Photo at Primary Focus