Standing with Lahaina. Serving Maui.
In August 2023, the island of Maui was forever changed.
From August 8–11, the deadliest wildfires in modern U.S. history devastated Lahaina — a historic and beloved community reduced to ash. Thousands of families lost everything: their homes, vehicles, clothing, livelihoods, memories, and in many cases, their loved ones.
Lahaina was not just a town.
It was Ohana.
And Ohana means family.
During those days, our family was in West Maui, just outside Lahaina.
We were surrounded by fire.
There was no power.
No internet.
Very little cell service.
Helicopters filled the sky. Sirens echoed without pause. Gas stations and propane tanks exploded in the distance. Entire neighborhoods disappeared.
Our children believed they might not make it home to hug their sisters one.more.time.
We prepared, if necessary, to enter the ocean to survive.
That week left a permanent mark on our family.
But our fear was small compared to what so many Lahaina families endured. Friends escaped through walls of fire as their vehicles melted around them. Many fled with only the clothes on their backs. Some never made it out.
The devastation was unimaginable.
In response, Stuff the Sleigh launched the Maui Strong Initiative to provide tangible, immediate support — beginning with clothing for displaced families.
In partnership with Bullpen Marketing, we created official Maui Strong apparel. One hundred percent of net proceeds from shirt sales went directly toward clothing families impacted by the Lahaina wildfires.
Because when someone loses everything, clothing is not just fabric — it is dignity. It is warmth. It is stability during chaos.
Thanks to the generosity of donors and supporters, we were able to help clothe families who had lost nearly all they owned.
The emotional impact of disaster is especially heavy on children.
That is why Stuff the Sleigh partnered with the Christina & Rod Batson Foundation and Under Armour to provide clothing, football equipment, and baseball gear to youth sports teams in Lahaina.
Youth sports became more than recreation.
They became:
When so much had been lost, the field became a place where hope could return.
The Maui Strong Initiative demonstrated what happens when a community mobilizes quickly.
Through apparel fundraising, corporate partnerships, and direct support efforts, we helped provide essential clothing and youth equipment to families rebuilding in area code 808.
The initiative reinforced what we believe at our core:
The Maui Strong Initiative was a chapter in our story — one rooted in urgency, compassion, and action.
For the families of Lahaina, we stood with you.
For our donors and partners, your generosity made measurable impact possible.
And for Maui — you remain Ohana.