PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Lahaina wildfires have devastated numerous homes, businesses, vehicles and more since they began burning on Tuesday — and a Northeast Portland eatery is just one local restaurant that has launched fundraising efforts to help its “extended ohana” over on the island.
GrindWitTryz’s Candace Lacuesta, who owns the restaurant alongside Tryzen Patricio, said several employees’ friends and family have been affected by the fires.
The co-owner said the destruction is even more hurtful for her as a native Hawaiian, who grew up seeing a lot of the historical landmarks that have since been ruined.
“A lot of history was made on those islands and it’s been there for years and generations, and now, some of it is actually burnt to the ground,” Lacuesta said.
She told KOIN 6 that some survivors have found shelter in the island’s safer areas, but she and her team have launched a Musubis for Maui fundraiser to support residents like her employee’s pregnant sister who just lost her home.
Through the Musubis for Maui fundraiser, all of the proceeds from GrindWitTryz’s Spam musubi sales will go toward native support nonprofit the Na Wahine Toa Foundation.
On Instagram, the restaurant also shared all ways to support wildfire survivors, including donating to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund. Hawaii news station KHON2, parent company Nexstar and the American Red Cross have launched a donation page as well.
Portlanders can support GrindWitTryz’s fundraiser by buying Spam musubi from the eatery on 2017 NE Alberta St. While supplies last, Lacuesta said she aims to hold the fundraiser all weekend long.
“Not only is it because we care about Maui and what’s going on, but… the whole entire island chain — even with people that have moved to the mainland — it’s a whole community,” Lacuesta said. “That’s like our extended ohana. That’s our extended family.”
The restaurant is open from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
