Get & Give Help

How you can get help and how you can help others.

Get Help

Resources for residents who have been impacted by the storm and need assistance with shelter, food, and more.

Food Assistance

  • Call or text 1-800-985-5990.

    The Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) is the first national hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling. This toll-free, multilingual, crisis support service is available 24/7 to all residents in the U.S. and its territories who are experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.

    Counseling Services

    The helpline puts people in need of counseling on the path to recovery. When you call or text, crisis counselors listen to what’s on your mind with patience and without judgment. DDH is staffed by trained counselors from a network of crisis call centers located across the United States, who provide: 

    • Crisis counseling for people in emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster

    • Information on how to recognize distress and its effects on individuals and families

    • Referrals to local crisis call centers for additional follow-up care and support

    • Healthy coping tips

    There is no need to give any identifying information when you contact DDH. The counselor may ask you for some basic information at the end of the call, but these questions are optional and intended to help SAMHSA keep track of the types of calls it receives.

  • Phone: (808) 836-3600
    Website: https://hawaiifoodbank.org/get-help/emergency-assistance-resources/

  • Phone: (800) 733-2797
    Website: http://www.redcross.org

  • Phone: (808) 239-5777

    Website: instagram.com/key_project

  • Phone: 211 (dial to be connected directly to Aloha United Way resources)
    Website: http://www.auw211.org

  • Website: https://kukulu.switchboardhq.com/

  • Residents impacted by flooding and severe weather who have been separated from their pets should visit the Hawaiian Humane Society’s Lost and Found Pet website and search for Pets In Community Care or Pets at Hawaiian Humane.

    Pet owners should file a Lost and Found report and include a clear photo of their pet, along with any microchip number, if applicable. 

    If a pet is found and has a microchip, call Hawaiian Humane Dispatch at (808) 356-2250 between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.

  • Contact:

Food Assistance Finder

Use the interactive Food Assistance Finder map to find a food pantry or ʻOhana Produce Plus distribution. Food Assistance handouts are also available at the link. Other pop-up distributions (such as those circulating on social media) may also be available: see Elepaio Social Services, Chef Hui, and others.

Pop-up distribution: August 19, 5pm, at Kalanihoʻokaʻa Community Learning Center (89-102 Farrington Hwy, Waiʻanae); 500 ready-to-eat meals, first-come-first-served.

SNAP Replacement Benefits

Emergency Food Assistance is available for current Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients who were impacted by Tropical Cyclone Lala. This assistance is for SNAP recipients who experienced food loss due to household misfortune, such as extended power outages (over four hours or longer) or flooding across the state.

The State Department of Human Services (DHS) is now accepting applications from SNAP households statewide for SNAP replacement benefits. Recipients must submit a written statement reporting the food loss within 10 days of the incident (by August 25), following this format:

  • Name of the SNAP participant

  • An estimate of the value of food destroyed

  • A description of what occurred and when

  • Contact information for the participant

  • Recipients can submit written statements to any DHS Processing Center statewide. Submissions will be reviewed and validated, and approved applicants will receive replacement benefits following the review process. For more information, visit the DHS website or contact the nearest DHS Processing Center.

Water Available for Residents to Fill Up

The Board of Water Supply has spigots available in several affected areas where residents can bring containers and fill up:

  • 1522 Laukahi Street, Hydrant #4565

  • 420 Puʻuikena Drive, Hydrant #6812

  • 1367 Ainakoa Avenue, Hydrant #3744

  • 688 N, Kuakini Street (near Lanakila Elementary School), Hydrant #3959

These locations will not be manned by BWS personnel, but they will be checked regularly by BWS crew. Please be sure to turn off the spigot after each use. Any spigot left open or tampered with may result in the removal of the equipment and the closure of the water source. Learn more here.

Power Outages & Internet

If you are experiencing a power outage, please be sure to always report your outage to Hawaiian Electric online or to the Trouble Line at 1-855-304-1212 (toll free) so your specific location is provided to their crew. View the O‘ahu Outage Map here. View power outage food safety tips here.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Lala, Starlink is providing free service through September 17 to customers in the impacted areas of Hawai‘i.

Resources for Farmers

Give Help

Where to Volunteer

If you are interested in volunteering, consider reaching out to established service providers with strong community networks, such as:

We know many people want to help, but not all assistance sites have the capacity to sort physical items—and too often, unneeded goods end up going to waste. Financial contributions are usually the most effective form of support. Here are a few meaningful ways you can help:

Financial Donations

Financial donations to trusted non-profit partners are the most effective way to support relief efforts, as they allow organizations to quickly respond to specific and changing needs.