The Hawai‘i Farmers Union Foundation’s (HFUF) Hawaiʻi Flood Response Fund is nearly to goal as of Monday, with about $192,000 raised since its April 7 launch to help Hawai‘i’s farmers and rural communities recover from the recent severe flooding.
Aloha State Daily secured a donor for the fund who will match gifts up to $100,000, doubling impact toward ongoing needs including crop loss, repairs and other needs, per the GoFundMe page.
“I am excited to let everyone know that we are 96% to our goal,” HFUF CFO Christian Zuckerman told ASD by email. “Great work team and we are almost across the finish line!”
In March, communities across the Islands were devastated by Kona Low storms that brought heavy rains and high winds. According to the Hawai‘i Farmers Union (HFU), more than 380 farmers statewide initially reported a total of $23 million in damage.
On Friday, HFUF posted guidelines on social media about the grant applications, which will open this week. Need to report damage? Click here. Further questions can be directed to hfuu@hfuu.org.
Zuckerman, who also serves as HFU vice president, previously told ASD that the fund will support long-term recovery of Hawaiʻi’s local food systems.
For 16 years, the member-driven nonprofit HFU has advocated “for the sovereign rights of family farmers, ranchers and fishers to create regenerative and sustainable agricultural communities that benefit the people of Hawaiʻi through education, cooperation and legislation.” Meanwhile, HFUF, its sister organization, provides charitable and educational outreach.
HFU Molokai Chapter members Naiʻke’s Kine, owned by Nani and Mike Kahinu, told the nonprofit that during the second Kona Low, the culverts near their home filled with mud and debris, which resulted in flooding and loss of outdoor appliances estimated to cost more than $5,000.
“[That’s] not even factoring the garage roof damage nor the car deductibles we need to pay to get it cleaned,” the Kahinus stated. “I am hoping there is funding to help replace our lost appliances.”
For Hāna Topicals on Maui, Kirsten Fischer shared with HFU that the wind on March 13 “knocked down three huge banyan trees at the front of the farm with one landing on my house.”
“I was so lucky to be able to crawl out the side of the wreckage and find all of my animals that were in there with me at a time. Our fields have been devastated by the wind and other fallen trees throughout the farm,” she continued. “We are so grateful for the support of our community, farmers union, market team and loved ones here in Hāna.”
Kim and Jack Johnson’sKokua Hawai’i Foundation in Haleʻiwa recently contributed $13,000 — part of a $500,000 total commitment to assist those affected by the storms – to the Hawaiʻi Flood Response Fund, alongside anonymous donors and individuals.
Click here to donate to HFUF’s Hawaiʻi Flood Response Fund.
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Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.
