Orange County donation drive helps Maui relief with food, clothing, baby supplies

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. (KABC) -- A Maui native who now lives in Southern California has started a charity drive in Orange County for people who lost everything in the Hawaii wildfires.

Donations are coming in by the truckloads.

"Watching all of our friends and family lose their homes, not be able to find their kids, their parents," said Katie Kai Engle.

Born and raised in Maui, Engle sprang into action here in SoCal - when she heard the devastating news of the Maui wildfires.

"Watching this happen is unfathomable and we're just trying to do our part from far away," she said.

She started calling for help on the Instagram page Community Relief Maui. And donations started pouring in.

"It's getting to be a well-oiled machine," said Andrea, a volunteer from Huntington Beach. "These guys between yesterday and today, I can't believe it."

People have been answering the call from all over the Southland.

"If I thought my house burned down and I had no clothes and things, I'm hoping somebody would help me out," said Mary Fitzgerald.

"Your heart just sinks and you just kind of want to help. You think of people with families and they're just losing their businesses," said Michelle Woodhead.

Businesses across SoCal have hosted drives from Costa Mesa to San Diego to Culver City to Ventura, bringing goods to these sorting hubs.

Roam Airlines has donated jet trips to fly those supplies to Maui. Cars lined up at the Tattoo Gallery in Huntington Beach to donate at one of the drives.

"They have nothing," said Dan McNab, owner of the Tattoo Gallery. "No clothing. No pillows. No blankets. Nowhere to lay their head at night."

Hawaiian officials say they really need baby supplies, kids items, gas cans, propane tanks, medical supplies, reusable bags. Another big need is walkie-talkies because phone service is out.

"They've lost their phones. They've lost their house, they lost everything," said McNab.

One volunteer, who used to live in Maui, says you can even help by shopping online.

"A lot of small businesses have online stores but no more storefronts. So shopping small businesses online right now would be huge," said head volunteer Rachel Anderson.

For more information, go to Community Relief Maui's Instagram page or email communityreliefmaui@gmail.com.