As the community in Maui deals with the aftermath of deadly wildfires and the health risks it presents, here in Pinellas County, local businesses are doing what they can to help.
Gigglewaters- Safety Harbor
Gigglewaters in Safety Harbor is donating $5 from every Kokua Mai Tai to the Maui Strong Fund. Kokua means help in Hawaiian. Owner Rachel Wilson honeymooned on Maui and said it's important to give back wherever they can.
"You have to take a minute and think about people in that community and what they're experiencing. And you know, it's just a little something, but it's something that we can do from here to help over there," said Wilson.
Gigglewaters is no stranger to helping raise money and giving back. They brought their food truck to first responders in Ft. Myers after Hurricane Ian, and they helped raise thousands of dollars for Australia after the wildfires there.
The Kokua Mai Tai is available through the end of August.
Aloha to Go
For Aloha to Go owner Jennifer Boyd, the Maui fires are personal. She's from Oahu but has family on the island. She said they are all safe and recently got power but wants to do what she can to help.
She started bringing the taste of Hawaii to Pinellas County with a food truck in 2011. These are true family recipes. The Huli Huli Chicken is their best seller and Hawaiian BBQ.
"We just happen to be starting a back-to-school special. I'm a former teacher, and I know how crazy the beginning of the school year can be. And it actually happened to collide with the Maui fire. So we're giving 10% of all our back-to-school special sales back to Maui," said Boyd.
For Boyd, giving back to her home is second nature.
"So Aloha is like the creed we all live by. And it is a way of sharing life together. And it doesn't matter if you are across the country or on the island right now. Whatever we can do to give back. It's going to take them years, years to rebuild this, and they will rebuild. But it's going to be a long road," explained Boyd.
