Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc. (NYSE: MLP) joined Maui County officials and West Maui residents at the old Kapalua ball field behind Fleming Beach on December 19, 2023 for a lūʻau to mahalo Samaritan’s Purse volunteers for their time spent supporting Maui families following the devastating wildfires. More than 100 people attended, including 80 Samaritan’s Purse volunteers who were treated to traditional Hawaiian food, live music by Nuff Sedd lead singer Josh Kahula, and ti leaf lei handmade and donated by a group of community members. They received a blessing from Pōmaika‘i Kaniaupio-Crozier when they arrived on island and another one during the event to show gratitude for their work on Maui.
Left photo (from left to right): Pōmaika‘i Kaniaupio-Crozier, Conservation Manager for Pu’u Kukui Watershed; Race Randle, CEO of Maui Land & Pineapple Company; three members of Samaritan’s Purse; Gabe Johnson, Councilmember for Maui County; Leo Caires, Chief of Staff for the Maui County Mayor; and Dean Frampton, VP of Land & Natural Resources for Maui Land & Pineapple Company.
As part of its efforts to assist residents, Maui Land & Pineapple Company made space available for Samaritan’s Purse to establish a temporary facility in the Kapalua community.
“We extend our deepest thanks to Samaritan’s Purse for answering the call for kōkua (help) in Maui’s time of need,” said Race Randle, CEO of Maui Land & Pineapple Company. “Maui Land & Pineapple Company is committed to continuing work alongside groups like Samaritan’s Purse to support ongoing critical needs in hopes to restore stability for West Maui families.”
Samaritan’s Purse, a national disaster relief organization, was one of several volunteer groups to mobilize and assist survivors in the days following the fires. So far, over 700 Samaritan’s Purse volunteers have helped more than 900 Lāhainā and Upcountry residents retrieve personal items from fire-damaged areas and clear debris from their properties. Since August 2023, the nonprofit has spent almost 40,000 volunteer hours supporting the Maui community. While the organization only scheduled volunteers through December 20, 2023, they hope to continue assisting Maui families and residents throughout their recovery.