PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release March 12, 2020 FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: Cat Howland Hawaii Community Foundation (808) 566-5569 (Office) (808) 260-5001 (Mobile) chowland@hcf-hawaii.org
827 Fort Street Mall Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Phone: 808-537-6333 Fax: 808-521-6286 HawaiiCommunityFoundation.org
COOKE FOUNDATION SURPRISES 100 NONPROFITS WITH UNRESTRICTED GRANTS TO CELEBRATE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY HONOLULU, HI — One of Hawai‘i’s oldest family foundations turns 100 this year and is awarding special Centennial Grants to 100 nonprofit organizations, acknowledging the substantial work they’ve done to improve the quality of life in Hawai‘i. “It’s a great honor – and a unique opportunity – to carry on the legacy of what my great-great grandmother started so long ago,” says Gregory Wrenn, the current president who represents the fifth generation of Cooke leadership. “Today, our family lives all over the world, and the foundation brings us back to Hawai‘i, to connect with each other and share a common vision of giving. It’s very meaningful for me in terms of family history.” Photos from Cooke familytrustee gatherings here. The forerunner of the Cooke Foundation, Limited, was the Charles M. and Anna C. Cooke Trust, created on June 1, 1920 by Anna Charlotte Cooke who was the daughter of missionaries located on Kauai. "Hawai‘i has a long tradition of generosity, and that includes generations of the Cooke family," said Ophelia Bitanga-Isreal, Senior Program Officer at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation. "Many have benefitted from the Cooke Foundation's support of our communities through nonprofit organizations across the state." Organizations receiving a Centennial Award were reviewed and selected from a list of over 300 past Cooke Foundation grant recipients. For the full list of this year’s 100 grantees, visit CookeFoundationLimited.org ###
About Cooke Foundation Established in 1920, the Cooke Foundation, Limited supports worthy endeavors in the community that the family feels will make a significant difference in the betterment and welfare of the people of Hawai‘i. Hawai‘i Community Foundation is the Cooke Foundation’s grants administrator. About Hawai‘i Community Foundation With over 100 years of community service, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) is the leading philanthropic institution in the state. HCF is a steward of more than 900 funds, including more than 280 scholarship funds, created by donors who desire to transform lives and improve communities. In 2018, HCF distributed more than $62 million in grants and contracts statewide, including more than $6.3 million in scholarships. HCF also serves as a resource on community issues and trends in the nonprofit sector.