Dozens of volunteers are helping to prepare meals at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College for shelters and first responders, after wildfires devastated Lahaina and other Maui neighborhoods. Under lead chefs Sheldon Simeon, a UH Maui College alumnus, and Lee Anne Wong, 4,000 meals were prepared on August 10, and 6,000 were planned for August 11.
“Our mission is to be of service to the community,” said UH Maui College Chancellor Lui Hokoana. “When we are in crisis, we can support the community by using our intellectual and physical resources.”
Volunteers included UH Maui College culinary instructors and students, and others from The Salvation Army, Maui United Way, Maui Rapid Response, Maui County and Common Ground Collective.
- You can help! Feeding Maui fund supports UH Maui College’s efforts to prepare meals for displaced residents
More on how to help Maui ʻohana and the Maui wildfires.UH Maui College Culinary Program Coordinator Craig Omori is helping to coordinate volunteers for the effort. He said the college always looks for ways to serve the community and has cooked for The Salvation Army’s Thanksgiving celebration for several years.
Omori said, “When we saw a crisis happening and a lot of people in need, our program was eager to jump in to help.”
Waste will be inventoried at shelters and other feeding sites over the next day to determine the future needs for food and volunteers.