The cost of renting a place to stay has been prohibitively expensive for some who want to come help the island rebuild. Now, there’s a new option.

When wildfires devastated Maui in 2023, Elder John Toillion of Mililani Presbyterian Church on Oʻahu knew he wanted to contribute to the island’s recovery.

“But even pre-disaster, there was already a shortage of available housing,” he said. “And the expense of individually finding rooms to rent is enormous.”

Last week, Toillion was finally able to bring a small team of volunteers to the Valley Isle. They were the first to stay at Po‘okela Church in Makawao while volunteering to help Maui’s long-term recovery effort. Rev. Dr. Kimberly Fong invited the group to stay there at a very low cost, and they have been offering feedback that will help h

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