On August 16, Hurricane Lala devastated South Hawai‘i Island, including Na‘alehu, where our team at Punalu‘u Bake Shop works and serves the community every day. The storm severely damaged Punalu‘u Bake Shop and Visitor Center, and we are now temporarily closed, including our online shop, while we assess the damage and work toward safely rebuilding and reopening. The destruction to the property, buildings, and infrastructure has been overwhelming. At the same time, many of our employees and their families are facing their own losses, including flooded homes, damaged personal property, disrupted essential services, and unexpected expenses that continue to grow.

Punalu‘u Bake Shop employs more than 50 Hawai‘i Island residents, many of whom have dedicated years and even decades to this special place. Our employees are the heart of the bake shop and an important part of the Na‘alehu community. I am the COO of the Punaluʻu Bake Shop, and I have been employed by the company for over 32 years. This fundraiser will provide direct assistance to Punalu‘u Bake Shop employees and their families affected by Hurricane Lala, helping with immediate needs and ongoing recovery as we work toward reopening. These include:

We are deeply committed to supporting our team through this difficult time. If you are able, please consider donating and sharing this fundraiser. Beneficiaries will receive a check that they can decide how best to use funds received from this GoFundMe account. Your kindness and generosity will make a real difference for our employees, their families, and our community.