Big Promise of Little Things Change Comes From Everyone
A Sister in Need Ishigaki City in Okinawa, Japan, and Kaua‘i County have been sister cities since the 60’s. With visits by each mayor, cultural exchanges and educational programs for middle school students, the ‘sisters’ have forged a strong partnership.
So naturally, when global news coverage of the April’s Kaua‘i flood reached Japan, Ishigaki officials responded by raising funds to Bernard Carvalho, help their sister in Mayor of the County need. They even of Kaua‘i flew over to Kaua‘i to personally present a check to Mayor Bernard Carvalho’s office.
“HCF is here for the Kaua‘ i community.”
Ever thankful, Mayor Carvalho had the same response he gave to his many friends, business associates and past visitors who contacted his office with a donation: Please direct your
gift to the Kaua‘i Relief and Recovery Fund at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF).
DID YOU KNOW:
“HCF is here for the Kaua‘i community,” explains Mayor Carvalho. “Throughout this long road to recovery from the floods, as the situation changes and our needs evolve, HCF is on site continuously and with us every step of the way. They truly maximize the impact of every donation.” “Ishigaki City Council Chairman Chinen was grateful for the recommendation from Mayor Carvalho, with whom he has a long and fruitful friendship,” adds Darcie Yukimura, HCF’s Director of Community Philanthropy. “This gift was very symbolic of Kaua‘i’s role as a bridge of aloha between Hawai‘i and Japan, and the trusted relationship between these two cities.”
L to R: Darcie Yukimura, HCF; Kaua‘i County Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr.; Ishigaki City Council Chair Tathuyoshi Chinen; Former Kaua‘i County Mayor, Marianne Kusaka, who first formally established the sister city designation with Ishigaki City.
Building partnerships across oceans, supporting the role of nonprofits in philanthropy, working together to aid flood victims — that’s the big promise of little things.
The Kaua‘i Relief and Recovery Fund supports nonprofit flood recovery efforts including providing housing, mental health services or case management and repairing damaged buildings. To support the island communities hardest hit by natural disasters statewide, please visit
HawaiiCommunityFoundation.org