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Kenna Reed — The Kind 50

Kenna Reed smiles at a table in a plant-filled room, holding a laptop up beside her.

World’s Best Spread Sheet

Kenna Reed watched Lahaina burn from an island away. She had no rescue training or nonprofit background, just a laptop and the sinking feeling that money was pouring in for survivors who’d never actually see it.

Burnt trees and ash where a Lahaina home once stood.
A helicopter’s water bucket drops a plume of water over a burning hillside.
An aerial view of Lahaina under smoke, the burned town beside the shore.

Honolulu

Maui

Lana’i

Kaho’olawe

Hawai’i

Ni’ihau

Kaua’i

O’ahu

Moloka’i

August 8–10, 2023

  • Center points of fires detected by satellite on August 8, 2023
  • Fire spread perimeters
A NASA satellite view of Moloka’i, Maui and Hawai’i from above, dark ocean around brown islands and white clouds.

Satellite infrared imagery of the fires on August 8 (Source: NOAA).

Strong and gusty winds spread fires across the islands. In Maui County, officials reported gusts up to 80 miles per hour (130 km/h).

A screenshot of the “Help Maui Rise” spreadsheet: a purple header row, then each Maui ‘Ohana family with a donation link and a description.

So she made a spreadsheet

With no Social Security number, bank account, or online presence, some families were being missed by traditional aid. Kenna partnered up to fill the list, row by row: what they’d lost, and a way to send them money directly. She called it Help Maui Rise.

Video still: a close-up of Kenna Reed speaking, with the captions “Kenna Reed” and “How ‘Help Maui Rise’ helps people give directly to Maui families in need after wildfires”.

This is a marathon not a sprint

Three years and three disasters later, the list is still growing. What started after the Lahaina fires has verified more than 1,600 families and raised over $18 million.

Three volunteers hold a banner reading “Help Maui Rise: Directly aid ‘Ohana displaced by fires” under a tree in a park.
An aerial view of a flooded neighbourhood, brown water covering the road and fields between the houses.

$18M

raised

When flooding hit every island in 2026, they opened the same spreadsheet, gave it a new name, Storm Kōkua, and kept going.

A screenshot of the “Hurricane Lowell & Lala Financial Support (All Islands)” spreadsheet.
A rainbow over green hills with the words “Help Maui Rise: Directly aid ‘Ohana displaced by fires”.Help Maui Rise: Aid’Ohana Displaced by Fires$1,304,830 raised
Video still: a dusk sea and sky with two sailboats, over the caption “The two year anniversary of the Lahaina fires is right around the corner”.
Thank you so much for everything you have done for the Lahaina and Waialua/​Haleiwa communities. My brother lost his home in Lahaina and my family and friends were affected by the devastating March flood. Much appreciation and love to you and those who have helped with this wonderful cause!!! <3

KŌkua MEANS HELP

Pink hibiscus flowers against a blue sky.
Green leaves on a branch, seen from below against the sky.
A black-and-white view across an open plain to a hill, palm trees along the foot of the picture.

Not the kind that comes from an institution. The kind one person gives another, because they’re standing in the same disaster, and one of them happens to be making a list.

Spread kōkua

Start a GoFundMe