- Kristy Ford
- Mar 12
- 3 min read
Those of us on Maui understand there remains a long road to recovery for Lāhainā after the August 2023 fires. We’ve done our best to contribute to the cause of cleanup and rebuilding in the most effective ways we can.
Debris Removal at the Harbor & Home Sites
Through our sister business PB Sullivan Construction, we’ve assisted in debris removal on both land and sea. With the help of Global Diving and Salvage and American Marine, we used excavators to pull up material from the ocean floor at Lāhainā Harbor and haul it out. We’ve also helped remove debris from properties, and brought in inert materials to reinforce home sites and shore-up foundations.
Ikena Emergency Housing Placement
We were also honored to help with the Ikena Emergency Housing building project, approved by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, putting 32 temporary homes into place on two separate sites for people displaced by the 2023 fires. This project was a true team effort. HPM provided the homes, T-Sniffen & Sons helped with hauling, Pacific Pile & Crane placed the homes and South Maui Gardens provided the landscaping.
Nonprofit Helps with Removal & Recycling
We also wanted to share the story of a nonprofit that’s continuing to make an impact. In Lahaina, many fire-affected properties that were cleared still have what's known as "ineligible debris" remaining, like concrete slabs, paths and masonry walls. Removal would typically cost thousands of dollars, however All Hands and Hearts has stepped in to help for free, providing community-inspired, volunteer-powered disaster relief.
"We operate with the philosophy of 'Let Lāhainā lead.' We recognize that this is their recovery and it's important that we are here to listen first and support where we're needed and wanted," says Annie Alvelais, Hawai'i Wildfire Relief Program Director with All Hands and Hearts. "We've coordinated just under 38,5000 volunteer hours to directly support 20,558 people. Our goal is to arrive early and stay late, working alongside communities in their recovery process."
How Hawai‘i Materials Recycling Plays a Role In Lahaina Clean Up
So far, volunteers have removed more than 389,000 pounds of debris. Of that, 62,000 pounds have been donated/repurposed and more than 268,000 pounds have been recycled!
It's been our honor to help through Hawai‘i Materials Recycling, providing a significant discount on their concrete recycling and making the process fast and easy for them.
"Aside from the generous discount that has allowed us to save over $2,500, if we had gone directly through the landfill, we would have spent over $14,000 to dispose of the debris," Annie explains. "Every dollar that we save is greatly appreciated, as we can reallocate it to directly support the community. Everyone that we've interacted with has been helpful and at HMR, Avery specifically named Jenny and Mark, the attendant who works at the window, to always be a joy to work with."
All Hands and Hearts is looking for more volunteers if you're interested. Annie adds that they consider it a massive privilege and honor to be part of this community's recovery.
"We recognize the cultural, historical significance that the town of Lāhainā holds for the people of Maui and Hawai'i as a whole, and there's not a day that we take being here for granted," she says. "We know that this recovery will be a long one, and we are grateful to be welcomed not only into this space but onto people's properties."
