Aloha everyone,

My name is Kamalani Pico, and alongside my sister's best friend, Joreen Kepa. We are coming together to start this GoFundMe to support the Heimuli family during this devastating time.

Deisha Lei, her husband Martin, and their five children- Taleah, Sotia, Teia, Tenelle and Taimani- was displaced from their home and lost nearly everything inside due to severe flooding and mold contamination on the island of Moloka'i.

They are a family of seven, with two children in high school and three in elementary school. In a matter of hours, their lives drastically changed.

Deisha is a special education teacher at our local elementary school and someone who has always shown up for others. She volunteers and supports families in need and is always giving back to her community every chance she gets. During covid she helped organize food drives and when the Lahaina wildfire devasted Maui she was one of the first to take supplies over by boat to help affected families. Martin volunteers his time coaching kids soccer and high school football. Now they are the ones who need help. Their home received major water damage and due to severe mold contamination almost nothing inside could be saved. They lost their beds, clothing, furniture, kitchen appliances and every day essentials. They are truly starting over from nothing.

One of their daughters, Tenelle, has an underlying health condition which makes this situation even more challenging. On top of everything, their small family business has also been impacted.

Moloka'i is a tight-knit community with very limited resources. We don't have access to major stores like Costco, Target, Walmart, Home Depot. We rely heavily on barge shipments for basic necessities. Additionally, with so many families being affected during this time, resources have been stretched thin and are extremely limited, making recovery even more difficult and slow.

It is not easy for Deisha and Martin to ask for help so we are doing it for them. They are the kind of people who are used to helping everyone else, but right now they need the support of others to get back on their feet to provide stability for their children.

If you are able to donate, no amount is too small. Every bit of support helps. If you're unable to give, simply sharing this fundraiser and keeping them in your prayers would mean the world to our us.

Mahalo nui loa for your kindness, support, and prayers during this time.