THE WOMAN WHO ALWAYS SHOWS UP NEED US NOW.

Aloha, I'm Mandy from Naalehu. I’m starting this fundraiser for Aunty Robin, my hānai auntie, after Hurricane Lala devastated the home she shares with her adult daughter here in Kaʻū, Hawaiʻi.

Aunty Robin is a retired mother with one of the biggest hearts I have ever known. She is the kind of person who simply shows up.

I’ve watched her help with fundraisers, drive long hours into town to support someone who needed her, and give her time and energy to people going through difficult seasons. Alongside her late husband, Rev. David Kamakahi, Aunty Robin has been a steady source of guidance, generosity and care in our community.

Now, she is the one who needs us to show up.

THIS WASN'T JUST A HOUSE, IT WAS HER HOME.

There’s something important I want people who don’t know Aunty Robin personally to understand:

She originally bought this house so she could take care of her parents.

She worked hard for this home. Over the years, when something needed to be repaired, she worked to get it fixed. She cared for her family here and built a life here.

And she is still paying a mortgage on it.

This isn’t an investment property or a second home that was damaged.

This is her home.

FIVE FEET OF WATER CHANGED EVERYTHING.

During Hurricane Lala, severe flooding sent water rising to approximately five feet inside Aunty Robin’s home.

When the water finally receded, it left the house filled with mud and caused extensive damage to the home and belongings inside.

Right now, its structural stability is still uncertain. There is a very real possibility that the damage is severe enough that the house may ultimately need to be demolished and rebuilt.

That means Aunty Robin could be left still paying the mortgage on a home that can no longer safely house her.

SHE ONCE OPENED HER HOME TO OTHERS

One part of Aunty Robin’s story has stayed especially heavy on my heart.

When a displaced ʻohana needed somewhere to live, Aunty Robin opened this very home to them.

She saw people who needed somewhere safe to be, and she made room.

That is who she is.

Now, the home she once opened to people who needed shelter may no longer be able to shelter her.

HELP US GET AUNTY ROBIN HOME AGAIN

We are still learning the full extent of the damage, whether the house can be saved, and what assistance may ultimately be available.

Because standard homeowners insurance often does not cover flood damage, we are concerned that much of this loss may fall directly on Aunty Robin and her daughter.

Donations will help with cleanup, immediate recovery needs, professional assessments, repairs and other recovery expenses. If the home cannot safely be repaired, these funds will also help them begin the much larger process of rebuilding and getting into a safe home again.

As we learn more, I will continue updating this fundraiser so everyone who contributes can see where things stand and what comes next.

NOW IT'S OUR TURN TO SHOW UP

Aunty Robin bought this home to care for her parents.

She worked for it. She repaired it. She raised and cared for family inside it. She opened its doors when another ʻohana needed somewhere to go.

And she is still paying for it today.

Someone who has spent so much of her life creating a safe place for other people deserves a safe place of her own.

If you are able to donate, please help us get Aunty Robin and her daughter home again.

If you cannot donate, please share her story. Your share may be what puts this fundraiser in front of someone who can help.

I don’t know yet whether getting Aunty Robin home again will mean repairing the house she worked so hard for or helping her rebuild after losing it.

But I know what I hope the ending of this story will be:

Aunty Robin and her daughter have a safe place to call home again.

She has spent years showing up for others.

Now let’s show up for Aunty Robin.

Mahalo for every donation, every share, every prayer and every person helping us get her home again.