Maui No Ka Oi | After Action Report

July 21, 2023

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Aloha friends, family, and amazing, generous strangers who have unconditionally served, contributed, and poured into the beautiful People of Lahaina town, and the entire island of Maui through our GoButter contribution site HERE and the FATHERS of the FUTURE Movement.

We began our “HEAL MAUI” campaign immediately, stepping into ACTION the moment the FIRE first started 13 days ago. [8/8/23] and without hesitation mobilized a team on the ground here in Arizona as well as assembled a small elite team to join me on the ground in Maui.

Doing what we could, to first provide immediate emotional support, compassion, and awareness to the Ohana [Family] and ensure that everyone I personally have known since birth as lifelong friends or family [and who they know] had survived, and was safe either somewhere on Island, on a different Hawaiian island or on the mainland.

As we began fundraising in real time ($37,536 as of this morning 8/21/23) we heard directly on the ground what crucial items were needed at that moment for not just access but the ability to hydrate, fuel, shelter, comfort, and safety but organize, communicate, and mobilize, and so each day began with a new Mission, Plan, and M.A.P [Massive Action Plan].

When we were met with resistance, interference, or opposition, we just kept our heads down and our Aloha Spirit up and just KEPT MOVING FORWARD>>>

We stepped into ACTION as “Warriors, Crusaders, and Renegades” and left as traumatized heart broken babies.

As I sit and write my reflection straight from the heart, directly to the people who have made a continuous IMPACT in Maui, my heart is broken, my mind comes in and out of consciousness and my spirit is shattered as I have become a first-hand witness to the west Maui disaster and massacre.

It looks like the aftermath of September 11th and Katrina colliding on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean,  on one small stretch of an even smaller town, community, and beach.

The FATHERS of the FUTURE team spent 144 NONSTOP hours on Island first hand DELIVERING CRITICAL SUPPLIES, INTERVIEWING, and WITNESSING the death and destruction of the deadliest fire in Hawaiian history and in America in over 100 years.

Below I will share a small recap and major W.I.N [What’s Important Now] of the day, the necessities we deployed and are continuing to deploy [Starlink mobile satellites have arrived here in AZ and will be shipped out today] as well as some of the content we created in order to share with the World the goodwill and contribution of folks like YOU!

Here is a timeline of our efforts and mission to Maui:

  • Day 0 [Aug 12, 2023]
    Secured $20,000 in shipping from Omni Logistics, purchased 1,000 gallons of water, acquired 4 generators, and 400 pounds of dehydrated food. Using our direct network, we collected and packed essential equipment including Nebulizers, gas tanks, solar flashlights, lanterns, battery packs, vhf radios, baby formula, medical equipment, clothes, and shoes. American Airlines donated in kind and comped all 14 of our checked bags. 
  • Day 1 [Aug 13, 2023] Phoenix to Maui
    Collaborated with a private emergency medical team and secured prescription medicine for several people who were unable to travel or stand in line for hours. Met with all 3 leads running and operating the West Side beach parks including Honokowai, Kahana, and Napili, and began our first “Run” from Lahaina to Kahalui and back purchasing 3 chainsaws, filling gas tanks, and dropping water. 
  • Day 2 [Aug 14, 2023]
    Visited “Hawaiian Homes” above the civic center in Lahaina [800 yards from the destruction site] and began to not only learn how to replace roofing, but demo, install, and fabricate a new roof. Our next “Run” included some of the most important items of the trip. Roofing materials for two homes, electric nail gun, electric staple gun, gloves, sledgehammers, axes, and a 30ft ladder. 
  • Day 3 [Aug 15, 2023]
    Media Day, as I look back was the hardest few hours of the trip as I knew the POWER and POSSIBILITY of delivering a IMPACTFUL message to the world using the networks we have forged over the years. Dan Ball a former KMIR local news figure from Palm Springs, California whom I  collaborated with over 20 years ago on a weekly fitness tip reached out to see what we we were doing on the island and the interview could not have gone better. The unfortunate truth is that politics will slow down the relief efforts and continue to disrupt and dilute what is needed NOW to save the people, land, animals, and ocean.We purchased $5,000 in gift cards to Costco and Walmart and distributed them throughout the island spreading hope and positivity while interviewing people who had lost everything as well as simply “talking story” with the locals sharing with them our mission on the island and the FATHERS of the FUTURE movement. 
  • Day 4 [Aug 16, 2023]
    Organized property staff meetings for a group of buildings on the west side and provided critical knowledge, safety, and security as well as organization. Our director of Media Jesus. F and I ran “Night ops” security for our Kaanapali Resort which was our family-owned property for over 30 years. This small intentional act of kindness allowed the staff including the General Manager the ability to simply rest, sleep or other knowing we could protect and serve the permanent residents, staff and guests as well as protect the property. 
  • Day 5 [Aug 17, 2023]
    Directly dispersed funds and HUGS [$12,500] to those in immediate need. Collected and distributed 3 pallets of water [675 gallons] to several communities around the island. Shared our first hot meal of the trip with friends who have been displaced at Paia Flatbread Co. 
  • Day 6 [Aug 18, 2023]
    Today was the most beautiful and rewarding day of the trip as we collectively decided to invest both our time and resources as FATHERS of the FUTURE to be a glimmer of hope and give the parents some immediate distractions. We filled two shopping carts with balls, toys, dolls, bears, games, Ninja turtles, Hot Wheels, and Mauiopoly and directly handed these out to communities in Kaanapali and Honokowai housing families. 
  • Day 7 [Aug 19, 2023]
    Arrived home on the mainland to reset, regroup and recalibrate our next efforts. My official A.A.R [After Action Report] HERE

Mahalo, to you the generous donors and contributors of this Maui movement.

What we need NOW, is your continued support and Aloha.

Please share this message with your network, communities, and social media channels as well as the link to continue to donate as we move into the next phase of our relief efforts including the protection of Hawaiian homesteads, environment protection, and wildlife preservation.

As of now, we will continue to run and operate as a contribution not a Charity and directly donate to the greater good, eliminating the slow red tape that is currently infecting Maui residents.

To everyone who has supported the movement on the ground, in the air, on water or other we are so grateful for your LOVE and ALOHA.

To the “AGENTS of CHANGE” who generously SHOWED UP, self-funded, and joined me in Maui with boots on the ground and feet on the grass I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL for you and your selfless acts of kindness.

– Luke Kayyem
AGENT of CHANGE
PUSHER of POSITIVITY
FOUNDER of FATHERS of the FUTURE

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