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AUSTIN (KXAN) — Tragic wildfires in Hawaii have inspired the help of people from all over, including right here in Central Texas.
Roppolo’s Pizzeria held a fundraiser, devoting 20% of Monday’s sales to the relief funds for victims of the fires.
The owner, Marc Roppolo, told KXAN he has friends living in Maui, and seeing the devastation firsthand inspired him to reach out. Roppolo also wants to inspire others to unify and give back as well.
The fires that swept through Lahaina last week destroyed nearly every building in the town of 13,000, the Associated Press reported.
According to AP, the Red Cross said 575 evacuees were spread across five shelters on Monday, including the War Memorial Gymnasium in Wailuku.
More than 3,000 people have registered for federal assistance, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and that number was expected to grow, AP reported. The death toll was at least 99 as of Monday.
“There’s times in life that we all need to recognize that we’re all in this together, whether it was 9/11, whether it’s what’s happening in Hawaii today. We all just need to step up and come together and unify, and this is a great moment for us all to unify,” Roppolo said.
Roppolo vowed to donate at least $5,000 regardless of the outcome of the day’s sales.
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