Nearly three years after the 2023 Lahaina wildfires, a local community card program called Kahua is helping displaced residents as long-term recovery continues well beyond the initial emergency relief phase. New research shows persistent mental health, housing, and financial challenges among fire survivors.
- Over 70% of displaced Maui residents in temporary housing have remained in the same location for at least six months, per a 2025 UHERO survey.
- A third of survey participants are staying with family and friends without assistance or are unhoused.
- A 2025 JAMA Psychiatry study found people in burn zones face a 53% higher risk of depression and 67% higher risk of anxiety, driven largely by housing displacement and income loss.
- The community-led Kahua Card Program is providing direct support to survivors as national philanthropic attention has waned.
- Recovery experts emphasize that rebuilding homes, schools, and businesses takes years — far beyond the emergency relief window.
Source: Nonprofitquarterly
Share this article
