Jeff and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are donating $3.5 million to support Maui’s recovery from the 2023 Lahaina wildfires, providing scholarships for displaced Lahainaluna High School students and funding university research aimed at reducing wildfire risks through improved vegetation and watershed management.
According to the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation, the $3.5 million package is split into $1.5 million to bolster scholarships for Lahainaluna graduates enrolled anywhere in the UH system and $2 million for research on vegetation management, invasive‑species control and watershed protection. “This funding ensures that students who lost so much are not forced to put their futures on hold,” UH President Wendy Hensel told the foundation, which noted that the donation builds on earlier philanthropic support for Maui’s recovery.
UH had already rolled out full scholarships for every Lahainaluna senior in the Class of 2024, according to University of Hawaiʻi System News. The new Bezos contribution was detailed by the Honolulu Star‑Advertiser. On top of that, UH Mānoa has pledged to cover full cost‑of‑attendance for affected students from Lahaina and Kula, a commitment laid out in UH Mānoa’s commitment overview.
Research To Reduce Fire Risk
University researchers and local partners plan to channel the research funds into studying how active land stewardship can trim fuel loads, safeguard water supplies and deliver broader community benefits. Groups such as Hawaiʻi Green Growth and the East Maui Watershed Partnership have long emphasized invasive‑species removal and native‑forest restoration as core strategies for boosting Maui’s resilience. The new money is expected to generate detailed data on the costs and benefits of different management approaches so policymakers and land managers have clearer tradeoffs in front of them.
“Insufficient investment in land care has left large areas of Maui vulnerable to wildfire,” Kimberly Burnett of UHERO told the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation. She added that well‑managed forests, rangelands and agricultural lands can cut fuel, hold erosion in check and support biodiversity, outcomes researchers will now work to measure. University officials say linking scholarships with land science is a deliberate strategy to connect students’ futures to the island’s long‑term resilience.
Students affected by the fires who need help with tuition, fees or related costs are being directed to the Lahainaluna Scholarship FAQ or their campus financial aid office for details on eligibility and renewals. UH system websites lay out award amounts and step‑by‑step instructions for applying and renewing aid at each campus, and counselors and advisers are available to walk students through the options.
The Bezos donation is the latest in a series of philanthropic efforts that combine near‑term relief with investments meant to strengthen Maui against future shocks. For Lahaina, university leaders argue that keeping students in school while improving land stewardship offers a practical, grounded way to anchor long‑term recovery.
