The Skinner family — my mom and I — were recently affected by severe flooding from the Kona Storm. Both of our cars were badly damaged, making it extremely difficult for me to get to school. Our garage was destroyed, and the flooding caused big damage to our electrical and plumbing systems. All of our major appliances — the fridge, washer, and dryer — were also ruined. Unfortunately, our insurance isn’t covering the property damage or my car. So we’re left handling these costs on our own while focusing on the most essential repairs and replacements.

I was born and raised on the North Shore, and my family has been on O‘ahu for decades. We are doing what we can to rebuild. The support from volunteers and our community has meant so so much to us — we are truly grateful and touched by every act of kindness. Any support will go directly toward replacing what was lost and repairing what we can. Thank you so much for your generosity during this time.