Non-Congregate Sheltering Provides Critical Refuge for Displaced Survivors  

Above, Red Cross volunteer Diane Haman hands out meals to wildfire survivors Shannon Kaio and Rick George.  The Red Cross provided Shannon and Rick with shelter at a local hotel after they were displaced by the deadly  Lahaina wildfire.  

While the Red Cross typically operates communal, or congregate, shelters following disasters, non-congregate  sheltering (NCS) is an alternative emergency sheltering solution that provides privacy to disaster survivors in the  form of hotels and short-term rentals. Working together with the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, we have  sheltered thousands of residents displaced by the Lahaina wildfire in area hotels. Many individuals and families were  forced to live out of these rooms for months after the fire due to a scarcity of affordable housing options on the island.  In addition to the necessary administrative and upfront costs of the rooms, the Red Cross provided meals and a daily  point of contact to support residents in these non-congregate shelters. 

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