Edwin Raymond Borja Quitugua, Herman Tudela, Liana Hofschneider and her husband Richard Hofschneider are holding a relief drive for the survivors of the Maui wildfire.
CALLING themselves “ordinary citizens,” Edwin Raymond Borja Quitugua, Herman Tudela, Liana Hofschneider and husband Richard Hofschneider are hosting a relief drive at the United Filipino Organization pavilion in Oleai for the victims of the Lahaina wildfire in Maui, Hawaii.
The donation drive started Monday last week and will continue until Aug. 26.
Quitugua said they are accepting donations except cash and perishables.
He is hoping that island residents will each donate one canned good so they could reach their target of 12,000 canned goods.
“I want to acknowledge the Filipino community because you guys really stepped up,” he told reporters Friday.
He said the Leo Lions Club was the first to donate by providing boxes of instant noodles.
The relief drive has nothing to do with politics or any agenda, Lianna Hofschneider said.
“We just want to help,” she added. “As a small community, I believe we went through a lot of our own challenges and natural disasters and we are a very fortunate people to have people coming from all over to help us rebuild as quickly as possible. I know we are very resilient. Our history has told us that, but this time we are not the beneficiaries. This time we have to be the givers.”
She is urging community members to “put our differences aside and put our hearts together. All of us have big hearts; that’s the beauty of our community. We’ve got to show the people in Maui and Lahaina that we’re…going to be there for them. They stood for us, and so [now] we have [to] stand for them.”
She said emergency supplies, baby diapers, solar lights, and batteries are among the most requested items.
“We really appreciate donors,” she added. “Please don’t be a stranger and drop by. Whatever item you’re donating, it’s all welcome.”
