Minnesotans head to Hawaii to provide help for wildfire victims

Minnesotans head to Hawaii to provide help for wildfire victims

10 volunteers from the Red Cross are signed up to help people who have lost everything in the communities that were destroyed.

A group of Minnesotans are headed to Hawaii in an effort to help those who need it after the deadly Maui wildfires.

As of Tuesday morning, the death toll stood at 99, however, Hawaii’s governor Josh Green (D) warned that number is expected to climb as search crews continue to go through neighborhoods. He said on Monday that it will take time to search the areas and asked for time and space to do it properly.

“They will find 10 to 20 people per day probably until they finish. And it’s probably going to take 10 days. It’s impossible to guess, really,” said Green.

RELATED: Hawaii works to identify 99 confirmed dead after Maui wildfires as teams intensify search

However, help is on the way from Minnesota – 10 volunteers from the Red Cross are signed up to help people who have lost everything in the communities that were destroyed.

Some of the volunteers are working virtually to handle the operation’s logistics. But others are going to Maui in person to help with everything from finding a shelter to helping people cope with the situation.

“Another big effort that we make is with mental health and emotional support. If you can imagine you sitting in a shelter with a bottle of water and blanket and the clothes on your back, and your home, your car, your job, your community are all gone. You know, when that happens it’s a terrible emotional strain,” said David Schoeneck, a volunteer with the Red Cross Minnesota and Dakotas region.

CLICK HERE if you’d like to learn how to help the victims of Hawaii’s wildfires.