Kerry Alys Robinson, Catholic Charities USA president and CEO, said her two-day visit to Maui last week filled her with deep sorrow for what people lost in the disastrous August wildfires as well as gratitude for those helping with their recovery, and she promised to continue raising funds to aid the effort.

While she could read about Maui’s situation and talk to local leaders via Zoom, her visit March 10 and 11 was vitally important because “there is nothing like being present,” Robinson said, following an address to Catholic Charities Hawai‘i staff at its Makiki headquarters.

“How close to the surface the deep sorrow is on the part of everyone, whether they lost their home or livelihood or not, it’s the sense of this close-knit community that deeply cares about one another and is so generous to one another (that) really struck me.”

Robinson met with Maui’s Catholic Charities leadership and staff, and Mayor Richard Bissen; spoke at two Masses at Sacred Hearts Church in Kapalua; and visited the Kahului Lani affordable senior housing complex.

Rob Van Tassell, president and CEO of Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, said the national office gave the Hawaii agency more than $2 million in disaster aid in addition to assistance with critical national partners such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Airbnb, in short- and long-term relief efforts.

Since the wildfires, the Hawaii agency, with the help of the national office and donors, has served over 2,300 wildfire survivors; given $1.8 million in assistance via 845 debit cards; provided $2.9 million in housing-­related payments (utilities, past-due rent, mortgage payments, etc.); and donated $39,000 worth of gift cards to provide support for basic needs, according to catholiccharitiesusa.org.

Robinson said the USA headquarters mobilized immediately in response to 52 climate-related disasters in 2023 and has increased training of national and regional personnel in anticipation of future demand.

As other disasters compete for attention, Robinson gave reassurance that her office is in regular touch with Van Tassell and has many points of interaction throughout its network, in addition to a specific department devoted to disaster recovery.

“We have a presence in all of these local communities, so Catholic Charities Hawai‘i is here to stay and will be present for years to come in the recovery and rebuilding effort,” Robinson said. “And that’s also true in other disasters in other parts of the country. So we can mobilize at the national level to deploy resources to the local agencies who are already on the ground who are part of those communities. And in that way the focus of concern and care continues.”