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The Maui News
The Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs are conducting a survey to assess the impact of the August wildfires on the Native Hawaiian business community.
Impacted business owners across the state -- including Native Hawaiian, non-Native Hawaiian, self-employed individuals, artisans, practitioners and others -- can participate in the survey, which takes a few minutes to respond to, the organizations said.
"For many of our members and throughout the business community in Hawai'i, our businesses are not just a way to pay the bills, they are how we uplift our family and community, how we spread culture and aloha, how we empower those around us, and how we gain and sustain a sense of purpose in this rapidly changing world," said Kainoa Horcajo of the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce in a news release Thursday. "This survey will help us better direct resources, allocate funds, create programs, and uplift our community, together."
Feedback will be used to determine critical needs and provide data for the chamber and OHA to advocate for additional business disaster relief from various state and federal resources, the news release said.
"We recognize that the impact of the Maui wildfires on Native Hawaiian businesses extends beyond Lahaina to businesses throughout the pae 'aina (island chain) with business ties to Maui," said OHA Board Chairperson and Maui Trustee Carmen "Hulu" Lindsey. "In OHA's role as a researcher, we are happy to partner with the MNHCOC to provide support in gathering much needed data to help inform government policies and programs."
All businesses impacted by the Maui wildfires have until Nov. 30 to complete the Native Hawaiian Business Maui Wildfire Impact Survey, which is available online at www.oha.org/impactsurvey.