Update: Convoy of Hope left Springfield for Florida Tuesday morning.
Original story: Springfield-based Convoy of Hope continues to help people in Maui following the wildfire that decimated the city of Lahaina.
Convoy of Hope has been in Hawaii for about two weeks. The nonprofit's spokesman Ethan Forhetz said they've been providing essential relief supplies such as water, food, hygiene kits, baby supplies and battery packs — "lithium batteries that are rechargeable through solar power," he said, "so people can charge them during the day and then at night they can power fans, power lights, charge up their phone."
Those whose homes weren't destroyed have been allowed back in, but there's no electricity because of the fire.
Forhetz said Convoy of Hope is planning what its long-term response will be.
"We're looking at building tiny houses so that they have just a place to get back on their feet a little bit and begin to get back to life," he said, "because the process of building all those homes is going to take a long, long time."
Meanwhile, Convoy of Hope is preparing to help in Florida as Hurricane Idalia makes its way to that state's Gulf Coast.
You can make a donation to help Convoy of Hope respond to disasters at convoyofhope.org.
