Donating to families in Maui? Make sure it gets to the right people

As survivors in Hawaii start the long process of getting back on their feet, more and more people are inclined to donate and help them recover sooner. If you’re thinking about sending them money, you should be careful to make sure it doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.

Go to Chris’ Ono Grinds Island Grill in North Park on any given weekday at about noon and you’ll see a steady stream of customers going in and out to pick up their favorite Hawaiian dish.

Although everyone is served with a smile, there is a heavy heart at the restaurant brought on by the wildfires that ravished the island of Maui.

“I was just kind of in shock when my buddy told me about it. I thought only a couple of buildings burned down and then I saw the news, and yeah, it was just a shock,” said Chris Wriston, owner of the restaurant.

He donated 25% of all sales on Sunday after hearing the news of the wildfires and encouraged his customers to donate what they could. He’s happy with the feedback he's been getting.

“Some of them are from Hawaii, but most of them have been to Hawaii, like they went on their honeymoon or vacation,” he said.

If you’re compelled to send a monetary donation, you should know there are well-intentioned fundraisers out there that may not know how to make sure your money doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. What’s worse, there may be fake fundraisers that only aim to keep your money.

Another way to make sure your donation is going to the right place is to check in with your neighbors with ties to Hawaii. In fact, you might even be able to join them in their efforts and together make sure the help gets to the right place.

Here is a list of organizations that could help you get your donation to families in need of help.

• The Maui Strong Fund, run by the Hawai’i Community Foundation, is accepting donations for necessities like food, clothing and shelter for families who have lost their homes.
• The American Red Cross of Hawaii has 220 trained responders on the ground in Maui helping with search and rescue operations. Donations to the Red Cross are also providing shelter, food and emotional support. You can also donate to the Red Cross by calling 1-800-HELP NOW (1-800-435-7669).
• Aloha United Way, a non-profit organization based in Honolulu, has set up a dedicated fund for victims of the Maui wildfire.
• The Maui Food Bank is accepting donations that will pay for meals provided to displaced residents in Maui.
• The Maui Humane Society is seeking contributions to fund care for pets displaced by the wildfire.

You should also -

• Double and even triple-check fundraisers that pop up on social media

• Keep an eye out for organizations you never heard of before, or have similar spelling to the ones you know

• Make sure that the charity is allowed to solicit donations for disaster relief in Hawaii by checking whether it’s registered with the Department of the Attorney General, which provides a look-up tool on its website.

Wriston said he raised more than $2,000 and is happy to see San Diego really stepping up to help our fellow Americans in Maui.