Over 1,000 people in Maui connected to temporary stays through Airbnb.org

Key Takeaways

• Approximately 600 Hosts across Hawaiʻi have signed up to share their home for free or at a discount through Airbnb.org.
• Airbnb.org continues to work with nonprofit organizations like Maui Rapid Response and Global Empowerment Mission to connect fire survivors with temporary stays.

Less than a month after joining Hawaiʻi Governor Josh Green in announcing a commitment to provide free, temporary stays to at least 1,000 people displaced by the fires in Maui, Airbnb.org is proud to announce that it has met and surpassed its goal. With the support of Hosts, donors, and humanitarian organizations on the ground, Airbnb.org has connected more than 1,000 people to temporary housing with another several hundred booked for Airbnb.org stays and awaiting check-in.

Making this work possible are nearly 600 Hosts across Hawaiʻi who have signed up to share their home for free or at a discount through Airbnb.org. One of these Hosts is Tim. He has lived in Maui for more than 20 years where he runs several water sports companies. Wanting to support his community following the fires, Tim listed a vacation home he owns in Kihei through Airbnb.org and has helped connect several families in Kula to Airbnb.org to access temporary housing.

I’ve had the honor to call Maui my home for over two decades, and it was heartbreaking to see so many people—including some of my neighbors in Kula—lose their homes overnight. As an Airbnb.org Host, I was able to offer a safe, welcoming space for a family from Lahaina, and it has been an incredibly powerful way to help my community heal. - Tim Lara, Airbnb.org Host 

Airbnb.org has worked closely with a number of trusted nonprofits and government entities on the ground, including the Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services (DHS), Cajun Navy Ground Force, and Project Camp, which offers pop-up camps for children during and after emergencies. These organizations were instrumental in facilitating Airbnb.org stays alongside Airbnb.org staff. And with many still in need of temporary housing, Airbnb.org continues to work with organizations like Maui Rapid Response, Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), and Catholic Charities to connect survivors to short-term stays.

Airbnb.org worked with our team at Maui Rapid Response to ensure that kanaka maoli (Hawaiian natives) and other vulnerable populations impacted by the fires have access to temporary stays. We appreciate all their efforts to center the needs of our community first. -Nicole Huguenin, Maui Rapid Response Co-Lead

Stays for fire survivors in Maui are funded by both the generosity of Hosts who offer stays for free or at a discount through Airbnb.org, and donations, which help cover the cost of stays with Hosts who may not be able to list their home for free. As Airbnb.org continues to provide emergency stays for people displaced by the fires in Maui, one of the best ways to support Airbnb.org’s efforts is by donating, especially since 100 percent of donations go toward funding temporary stays. 

To learn more about Airbnb.org and how to support survivors of the Maui wildfires, visit airbnb.org/maui_fires.

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About Airbnb

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 4 million Hosts who have welcomed over 1.5 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, Hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.

About Airbnb.org

Airbnb.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in times of crisis around the world. Airbnb.org operates independently and leverages Airbnb, Inc.’s technology, services, and other resources at no charge to carry out Airbnb.org’s charitable purpose. The inspiration for Airbnb.org began in 2012 with a single host named Shell who opened up her home to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy. This sparked a movement and marked the beginning of a program that allows Hosts on Airbnb to provide stays for people in times of need. Since then, the program has evolved to focus on emergency response and to help provide stays to evacuees, relief workers, refugees, asylum seekers, and frontline workers fighting the spread of COVID-19. Since then, Hosts have offered to open up their homes and helped provide accommodations to 100,000 people in times of need. Airbnb.org is a separate and independent entity from Airbnb, Inc. Airbnb, Inc. does not charge service fees for Airbnb.org supported stays on its platform.