On Maui’s West side, Nāpili Park has become a drop-in site for displaced residents and those still without internet access after the Maui wildfires. They call it Nāpili Noho.
Volunteers have organized clothing, serve up hot food and offer childcare and tutoring.
West Maui Councilmember Tamara Paltin lives down the street. On Saturday, she said these community hubs allow for more real-time communication, and a place to connect.
"The first four days after the fire, I would say was really chaotic, with no kind of communication really with outside, no communication in real time," Paltin said. "I know some people that live in the valley that are completely off grid, so they were kind of continuing life as normal because they're used to not having services from the government or anything like that."
Paltin said Starlink internet connections have been a help throughout West Maui. But it is also offering a place where kids can be kids. One tent had toys, and a bounce house offered a space for fun.
"A lot of our teachers lost their housing, and a lot of the students lost their housing in the fire," Paltin said. "We're trying to figure it out. Not everyone has the option of driving to the other side to send their kids ... we kind of want to keep our kids together here on the west side."
Jill Norris is with the nonprofit Red Lightning. She's been stationed up at the park offering assistants to those in need.
"Nāpili Noho has been really beautiful; I haven't quite seen anything quite organized and put together in other disaster responses," Norris said. "It really does have a sense of family and ʻohana, for sure. Everyone here is giving their surplus, they're giving their talents, their abilities."
The site also offers medical services, with Walgreens pharmacists there Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., daily. More up-to-date information can be found here.
