Readers, Artists Rally Together for Book Auction Benefiting Lāhainā Fire Relief

The devastation caused by the fires in Maui, Hawai’i is still being processed weeks after the fires began. Many across the US have asked what they can do to help those affected by the disaster. Under the hashtag #BooksforMaui, many authors, writers, and artists have come together to auction off their art and professional services. The proceeds from the auction go directly to fire relief efforts in Maui.

Some of the listed authors and artists are offering significant items. Dr. Sayantani DasGupta is auctioning off an eight-book bundle of YA works. Nicole Chung, author of All You Can Ever Know, is offering feedback on an essay or short story. Many authors and artists are offering manuscript and portfolio consultations. The audiobook streaming platform Libro.fm is also offering 12 audiobook credits.

The bids for many items have accrued over $500 in offers, and the total amount raised has surpassed $92,000 at the time of this writing. The auction hosting platform, 32auctions, has a total of 974 listed items with many of them already accruing bids. Instead of taking and processing payments directly, the auction organizers are asking for donations to be made to one of the following organizations:

Hawaii Community Foundation – Maui Strong

Kamehameha – Ho’ōla Maui

Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement – Kāko’o Maui

Maui Food Bank

Of course, you don’t need to bid on anything in the auction—you can donate to these organizations, which benefit Native Hawaiians affected by the fires.

Locals still urging tourists to stay away

The efforts to raise money for fire relief are a refreshing departure from some of the other news surrounding Maui. Specifically, influencers and celebrities lamenting that they can’t go on vacation or can’t visit the island at this time. Even before the fires, people in Hawai’i were urging tourists to refrain from visiting the island because of the threat of this kind of devastation.

Now, in the aftermath of the fires, locals in Hawai’i are still pleading for tourists to stay away, many of whom haven’t listened. Actor Jason Momoa also made a statement, saying “Maui is not the place to have your vacation right now.” Heiress Paris Hilton was criticized for traveling to Maui post-fire. Reports say she is helping with relief efforts. However, Hilton is wealthy enough that canceling the trip wouldn’t have hurt her.

Auction ending soon

The Books for Maui auction ends at midnight on August 25, so you still have time to get your bids in. Try bidding on a book from an author you haven’t heard of, or take advantage of that manuscript consultation.

(featured image: Books for Maui / Justin Sullivan, Getty Images)