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Hawaiian Airlines Foundation makes big donation to Maui wildfire recovery efforts

Hawaiian Airlines awards grants for Maui wildfire recovery

By Mark Reif Feb 18, 2025 6:00 AM

Maui palm trees — Maui Neora Aylon via Unsplash

The Hawaiian Airlines Foundation made grants to three Maui organizations that are coordinating wildfire recovery efforts. The grants totaled $150,000, offering significant assistance from the August 2023 disaster. The Foundation’s mission is to support programs in Hawaii for environmental sustainability, educational advancement, and cultural preservation. The Foundation is now a part of the Alaska Air Group after the two airline’s recent merger. The grants were awarded during a reception ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua.

Three organizations received $50,000 each

Volunteers from Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines plant trees — Volunteers from Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines plant trees Hawaiian Airlines

Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Air Group, said: “Even though Alaska has served Hawai‘i for more than 17 years, we know that our responsibility to these islands will be much greater in the years ahead as we join with Hawaiian Airlines, which has been Hawai‘i’s airline for the past 95 years and counting. We feel this deeply and appreciate input from the community, and from all of you, to help us serve the people of Hawai‘i well for generations to come.”

Grant recipients included:

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• Pūnana Leo o Lahaina: A preschool focused on Hawaiian language immersion, founded in 2016. The organization seeks to preserve and revitalize the native Hawaiian language. The school was lost in the wildfires, and the grant will assist in rebuilding.

• Lahaina Public Library: Long a focal point of the community since opening on March 4, 1956, the library burned down during the wildfires. The grant will help open a temporary location by Summer 2025 and provide technology, furniture, and materials.

• Treecovery Hawai‘i: An environmental organization central to recovery efforts after wildfires took over 20,000 trees in Kula and Lahaina. Treecovery plants trees at no cost to affected businesses and families.

Mark Reif is a storyteller focused on the intersection of outdoor culture, travel, and design. From the peaks of Banff to the… Read Full Bio

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