San Antonio cultural organizations and businesses are raising funds to help individuals and families affected by the recent wildfires in Maui, Hawaii, that have left more than 100 people dead and over 800 people missing.
The San Antonio Zoo, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts and Witte Museum, in partnership with the Will Smith Foundation, are encouraging donations to the Imua Maui Relief Fund.
According to a news release, Imua Family Services, a Maui-based nonprofit, will manage donations and ensure that moneys raised for relief directly benefit the local community. “Imua” means to move forward, Will Smith Foundation founder Susan Naylor said in a statement.
“I’ve been told there is a magnetic energy, or beat, on Maui,” Naylor said. “Sixteen years ago when Maui took my 8-year-old son Will in a horrific car crash, not far from where these fires have ravaged our island, we were tourists. Now I am Maui ohana—family. The island has chosen me, and through these years I’ve worked to help the children in Maui through Will’s foundation.”
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue at 1302 Austin Highway is donating 25% of sales from its monthly free Aloha Friday event to the American Red Cross’ efforts in Maui. Additionally, L&L donated $0.50 from every musubi sold over the weekend of Aug. 11-13 to ARC. The restaurant’s next Aloha Friday event, which includes music, vendors and communal activities, is scheduled for Sept. 8.
Local podcast producer and business consultant Jennifer Navarrete is promoting a Texas nonprofit of which she is a board secretary—RuffRough, which assists in seeking dogs lost in a large-scale disaster, such as wildfires and hurricanes.
Navarrete said representatives of RuffRough are working with Maui dog rescue groups and Maui pet owners who need basic supplies for their dogs. Navarrete said Chewy is answering RuffRough’s requests for supplies, which the nonprofit will be shipping out to Maui.
The owners of Big Aloha’s Ali’i Cove in Universal City will have a luau benefit 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Kitty Hawk Event Center, 310 Kitty Hawk Road, an event that will include lunch, hula dancing, live music and drawings. Admission is $20 per person. Anyone interested in attending is asked to RSVP via text to Mel, 210-412-8101.
Bakery Lorraine plans to donate proceeds of sales of their piña colada macaron to the Maui Food Bank. The macaron is available available at all Bakery Lorraine locations now through Sept. 30 and sells for $3.
Copa Wine Bar & Tasting Room, 19141 Stone Oak Pkwy., Ste. 704, will turn their monthly wine dinner into a Hawaiian-themed dinner called “Aloha from Hawaii” on Aug. 31.
Additionally, Copa is selling tickets for a raffle where prizes include several high-end wine selections from the wine bar as well as cigars, gift cards and various other swag items from local businesses. All raffle ticket proceeds will go to the Maui Humane Society.
Raffle tickets cost $5 and are on sale now through Sept. 1. Anyone interested in purchasing raffle tickets may do so by visiting Copa between 3 and 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
San Antonio-based Silver Eagle Beverages is partnering with Kona Brewing Co. and Anheuser-Busch to support those affected by the Maui wildfires. The companies pledge to donate $2 from every case of Kona Brewing sold in the San Antonio market through the end of December to the Maui Strong Fund of the Hawai’i Community Foundation.
Aloha Kitchen, 1151 Harry Wurzbach Road, will also host an event with entertainment, food and shopping noon-6 p.m. Sept. 3 at Rolling Oaks Mall, 6900 N. Loop 1604 E. And donations and proceeds go will be donated to help families in Lāhainā. Attendees are urged to wear pink in support for Maui.
Throughout September, Dog Haus Stone Oak Biergarten, 20907 Stone Oak Pkwy., and other Dog Haus locations will donate $1 from each sale of the Ohana Chicken Sando, Mighty Moa Wings, and Aloha Spirit cocktail to Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund.
A slate of other local restaurants are offering donations toward Maui relief efforts:
- Aldaco’s Mexican Cuisine, 20079 Stone Oak Parkway, will donate $2 for each hibiscus-jalapeno margarita.
- Barn Door Restaurant, 8400 N. New Braunfels Ave., will donate $1 for every frozen margarita and foolproof frozen beverage.
- Frederick’s Bistro, 14439 NW Military Hwy., will donate $1 for every prosciutto pizza
- La Hacienda at Los Barrios, 18747 Redland Road, will donate $1 for every Maui Strong pina colada at any Los Barrios restaurant.
- Clementine, 2195 NW Military Hwy., will donate a percentage of all dessert sales.
- Dashi Chinese Kitchen and Bar, 2895 Thousand Oaks Drive, will donate $2 for every Sichuan Papi Daiquiry
- Rosario’s ComidaMex and Bar, 722 S. St. Mary’s St., will donate $1 for every Maui Strong pina colada and Coco-Rita.
