No community should begin at the beginning -- not when we have a vast network of wildfire survivors from all sectors and silos to help communities after wildfire. We let them know what's next, what mistakes we made, we share best practices and adaptable tools. Most of all, we LISTEN and then we walk alongside of them for the long-term slog of recovery.
What do we ask in return? That they pay it forward to the next community ravaged by megafire."
Jennifer Gray Thompson, CEO, After the Fire USA
Deployments & Delegations
Our Community to Community program comes to visit in person to meet with the community, and asks the simple question, "what do you need, and how can we help?"
Our team pledges to offer assistance for the long term of recovery, for at least three years, if the local community wants it, and our services are always free of charge. We depend on our partners and donors for ongoing funding to support this work.
Mentoring, recovery navigation, advocacy, all coming from a place of empathy and respect and care for humanity. We help because we care and want to make the recovery process easier.
Explore our work on Maui
Since August of 2023, we have provided both virtual and in-person support for the leadership in Lahaina as well as advised national organizations on ways to assist the response and recovery. Due to the scale of the megafire disaster, the legacy of colonialism and inequities, and the challenges for leadership on the island, After the Fire USA has committed to in-person deployments at least every other month as well as virtual support for at least the first 18 months post-disaster.
Community to Community meeting recordings
As we listen and hear what challenges you are facing, we make an effort to connect you with people and information that can help. From monthly topical Community 2 Community meetings, to 1:1 hosted virtual networking meetings, to simple email introductions for just-in-time assistance, our program is designed to adapt to your recovery's present situation and serve the community with knowledge-sharing and expert advice.