One step back, two steps forward. With a devastating flood on Kauai, lava flows on Hawaii Island, storms on Maui and wildfires across the state, 2018 was a stark reminder of nature’s power. But the collective strength of donors and nonprofits working hand in hand was also on display. In each case, philanthropists and community […]
The holidays have a way of inspiring people to reach across the divides that may separate us. And Giving Tuesday, right in the heart of the holiday season on Tuesday, December 3, is sure to bring people together again in 2019. For the past two years, banks, businesses, and nonprofits—many who compete at other times—have come
“Philanthropy is one of the most positive, authentic forms of relationship building,” said Joy Miura Koerte of Fujita & Miura Public Relations, Inc. “Put simply, philanthropy is pure aloha. It communicates love, compassion, truth, appreciation, reciprocity and much more. Incorporating philanthropy into our clients’ communication plans is a genuine way for them to share their
Living in paradise isn’t always easy. And when home is Hana, Maui, separated from the nearest town by a 52-mile winding stretch of nail-biting highway, paradise feels pretty isolated. But for Hana’s nonprofits, that isolation sparked the Hana Community Endowment Fund at Hawaii Community Foundation (HCF), a smart venture that brings together ten diverse community nonprofits
More than 300 scholarship recipients and scholarship donors gathered at Pōmaikai Ballrooms on August 10, for the annual Hawaii Community Foundation Scholarship Breakfast. Scholarship recipients who attended the event had the opportunity to thank their donors for supporting their college education. The event began with an ukulele performance by scholarship recipient Summer Kealoha Derrickson, who
Former Waiakea High School student, Lester Iwata, says that Subaru Telescope staff made him think that a career in mechanical engineering was possible. Now his story has come full-circle. “When I came in contact with the Subaru Telescope I had a crash course about stars, galaxies, and other celestial bodies in the universe. I was
Students participating in Nā Kōkua o ke Kai, a Marine Mammal Center program, reported that they had increased interest in STEM careers after participating in the program—interest increased from 41% to 52%, according to the Marine Mammal Center’s survey of participants. The year-long marine science and ocean conservation program is tailored to middle-school students and
What if art instruction, which in many public schools has gone the way of the dinosaur, was brought back into the classroom – with the express purpose of bolstering core curriculum areas like math and science? Artists in the Schools, a Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts program, is doing just that. For
Move over, crafts and cookies. The Girl Scouts organization is making sure that their scouts get experience and exposure to women who work In STEM fields science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). It is now the largest pipeline in the U.S. for female leaders in STEM fields. And it has committed to getting 2.5 million
Mayrose Munar was a “marginalized youth” who explored the world from the library of her elementary school. Through books, the Kauai native learned to dream and later, find success in Silicon Valley tech companies like Uber. But on a recent trip back home, Mayrose was heartbroken to see the school library closed, its collection of
Jordan is an 11-year-old who’s been through quite a lot. But with his best friend by his side, the Mililani boy is becoming a student again and navigating his school environment with increasing confidence. Harper, his four-legged companion from Assistance Dogs of Hawaii, is playing a follow-up role to Tucker, the (now retired) resident therapy
Who knew that supporting a good cause could be so delicious? This only-in-Hawaii ice cream flavor has become a mainstay at Uncle Clay’s House of Pure Aloha in Ala Moana Center—Uncle Pono’s Ulu Ice Cream—and its sales benefit people who are putting their lives back together after being down-and-out. The breadfruit (“ulu” in Hawaiian) ice
