Click here to download a PDF Version of this Press Release
Ten-thousand Kits on Way to Island
Brunswick, GA, August 15, 2023 – In the aftermath of the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over 100 years, MAP International, a global health nonprofit organization based in Georgia, is mobilizing prepositioned disaster relief supplies to support humanitarian aid efforts in Hawaii.
With the death toll expected to rise, and more survivors are located by rescue teams, MAP International is collaborating with partners to rush disaster relief to the evacuees. MAP is responding by sending more than 10,000 Disaster Health Kits (DHKs) to aid survivors.
“We are grieved to hear the news of so many lives lost to the Maui wildfires,” says Steve Stirling, MAP International’s President and CEO. “We are working with our partners to rush aid to survivors and are praying continuously for those who are mourning the loss of both homes and loved ones.”
MAP’s signature DHKs are packed with basic health care and hygiene items to help prevent the spread of disease following a natural disaster. These kits contain items like soap, antiseptic wipes, first aid kits, and over-the-counter medicines, and are designed to support one person living in a shelter for an entire week.
The fires, which began as small brush fires the evening of August 8, quickly turned deadly on the island of Maui, the death toll is increasing each day with many more still missing.
Because of the rapid spread of the blaze, officials and residents were caught off guard, and at least 11,000 residents and tourists were forced to evacuate the island at a mere moment’s notice. Unlike tourists, the residents of Maui who fled are now displaced, with no homes to return to.
The historic resort town of Lahaina suffered the worst destruction. Lahaina, formerly the Hawaiian Kingdom’s capital, draws 2 million tourists a year. After the fire swept through, however, the town has been reduced to rubble. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimates it will take years and cost $5.5 billion to rebuild the town.
Hawaii’s fires are not only the deadliest U.S. wildfire since the Minnesota Cloquet Fire in 1918, but it is also the most lethal disaster to affect the islands since the tsunami that claimed 61 lives in 1960.
If you would like to donate to MAP’s Disaster Relief Fund and help rush care to those who have been displaced by the Maui blaze, visit map.org.
About MAP International
MAP International is a leading global non-profit humanitarian organization whose goal is to provide medicine for all people. With a strong legacy of humanitarian service spanning over 70 years, MAP continues to evolve and innovate in its mission to make the world a better place for everyone across the globe. Visit MAP.org for more.