# [#]Aloha Friend,

Over the past week, Governor Josh Green announced that President Biden approved an amendment to the Major Disaster Declaration for the Maui fires originally signed on August 10, 2023.

This amendment means that federal funds will now pay for 100% of debris removal and emergency protective measures in the disaster areas for 180 days and 90 days, respectively.

To support victims of the Maui fires, please give to the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund, which will ensure your donation goes to those in need. [[link removed]]

[link removed] [[link removed]]For more updates and information on resources available to those affected by the fires, go to the Maui Strong Resource Hub. [[link removed]]

“President Biden has been a rock solid partner throughout our entire response and recovery effort,” Governor Green said. “I have been in frequent contact with the President working on our recovery, as well as with our Congressional delegation."

Governor Green also announced plans for a new temporary campus for King Kamehameha III Elementary School which was damaged beyond repair in the Lahaina fires.

The state will lease privately owned land north of Lahaina town where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will construct modular classrooms and additional buildings to serve displaced West Maui students and educators.

“We know that parents want stability and normalcy for their keiki and we are working to bring that quality of life back to them as soon as we possibly can,” Governor Green said.

This week Governor Green also provided updates efforts to transition survivors from hotels to longer-term housing.

"We are beginning the process of transitioning survivors out of hotels and into longer-term housing which hopefully will begin to feel at least a little bit more normal for families who have been so deeply affected,” Governor Green said. “We are very grateful to our hospitality industry leaders on Maui, including so many hotels, who have extended their aloha to survivors by immediately providing safe accommodations. We also thank the vacation rentals for housing more than 1,400 displaced residents, in addition to the thousands in hotel rooms and hundreds in HHFDC units."

A coalition of state and federal agencies, including FEMA and the American Red Cross, along with private-sector partners, has successfully housed nearly 8,000 survivors and hotel employees in more than 2,400 units across some 40 properties.

FEMA has received 15,931 registrations for services and will support more than 18 months of rental assistance for survivors.

The response and recovery effort under Governor Green was able to move all survivors from congregate shelters to non-congregate shelters within two weeks of the disaster, which the American Red Cross says has never before been accomplished.

In addition to housing, the state Department of Human Services is offering financial assistance to survivors through federally funded programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

The American Red Cross has been on the ground from the beginning stages of the disaster, caring for survivors first in mass shelters and now in hotels and other locations, distributing more than $10 million in direct financial assistance to more than 4,100 households of survivors.

By September 29, the Red Cross will have eligibility data needed to help find solutions for all survivors in its care, and the October 8 reopening of West Maui to visitors will have no effect on Red Cross sheltering services.

Thank you again for supporting the survivors of the Maui fires and Governor Green’s efforts to help them safely recover.

We will continue to keep you updated on the Governor's further actions in the coming weeks.

Mahalo,

Team Green



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