Help Tom Roy's friends affected by Lahaina fire

Aloha friends and family,

I have learned from my parents, Janeice and Tom Roy, about how so many of you have reached out with your prayers, concerns and wishes to support me and those in need after the devastating fires that have destroyed our lovely town of Lahaina and the homes and businesses of so many people.

First, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your prayers and words of support mean so much. They fill our hearts with joy and gratitude and give all of us the strength to stick it out and build back the community that we love and cherish. Although the tragedy has displaced many of us that have had little choice but to leave the island either to find shelter, to find employment, to find schooling or to detach from traumatic images and a sense of loss, there is an overabundance of positivity and drive from those who remain to continue the rebuilding and healing process.

Although I lost the house my girlfriend, Poerava, and I were renting and all of our belongings, we are grateful to be alive and safe and lost so very little relative to so many close friends of ours. Names of the deceased are only now slowly rolling in as communication has been very difficult on the "West Side" of Maui due to power outages and lack of cellular and Internet service. My parents have asked how they, our family and friends can help me and the community. The community is getting plenty of support with food and supplies. What is needed most now are donations. Thousands of displaced residents in need have set up Go Fund Me pages so that benefactors can make credit card deposits that go directly to the accounts of the victims.

I have a list of very close friends who are most in need to whom the funds will be distributed. I appreciate all of you who wish to help me personally through this challenge and helping me help others is the best way to do so. As I said above, Poerava and I are blessed to have received so much support already and have lost so little relative to others and will distribute these donations evenly to a list of five key families/friends:

Funds will be used to replace destroyed items, cover temporary housing needs, and efforts to rebuild homes in Lahaina to replace what was lost.

Thank you again for your concern, your love and your generosity. God bless you all.

Mahalo Nui Loa for your kokua and Aloha!

Tom (Tommy)

Here is a link to learn more about the tax implications for both me as an individual raising funds on behalf of others and for you, as the benefactor: Tax Info Because I am not a qualified 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization, you would not be able to deduct your donations with the IRS. However, by delivering these funds to those in need, your donations are considered nontaxable gifts for tax purposes.