Faces of
Philanthropy 2012 • Issue 1
Quarterly News from the Hawai‘i Community Foundation
The East Hawai‘i Fund:
Supporting the Community that Supports Us
OUR MISSION
With the help of KTA Superstores, the estate of Frederick Yokoyama and a committed group of residents, the East Hawai‘i Fund was established to provide a stronger link between charitable donors and the specific needs of the east side of Hawai‘i Island. This regional fund, a component fund of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, awarded
We help people make a difference by inspiring the spirit of giving and by
has come on hard times or there is some sort of disaster, local people respond very well.” People and businesses are supporting and growing this resource by both making gifts directly to the East Hawai‘i Fund, as well as by setting up a separate fund and having the East Hawai‘i Fund’s Advisory Committee manage all or part of the grant making. The Fund does not conduct annual fundraising, but instead relies on the generosity of people who want to benefit the region or a specific focus area within, such as education, health, human services, youth, or arts and culture. “The East Hawai‘i Fund started small and grew over time,” said Barry Taniguchi, president and chief executive officer of KTA Super Stores, and K. Taniguchi, Ltd. “Similar to the early days of the West Hawai‘i Fund, it was a mechanism to encourage residents to participate in philanthropy and provide access to funding for smaller organizations that are doing good work.”
investing in people and solutions to benefit every island community.
Often times, people want to give and help their community, but do not know where to begin. “The Fund allows them an easy way to combine, or pool their financial resources to make a significant impact,” said Taniguchi, who played a key role in creating the fund, and whose family business was instrumental in providing the initial financial support. He also serves on the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Board of Governors.
East Hawai‘i Fund advisory council members (from left): Fred Koehnen, Brian Iwata, Carol Ignacio, Alan Okamoto, Roberta Chu
$42,000 in grants to 14 nonprofit organizations in 2011, and continues to grow through contributions, bequests and planned gifts from businesses and individuals. A volunteer advisory committee made up of trusted residents of East Hawai‘i, works with the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s professional staff to match the Fund’s resources with community needs through grants. Committee members are Roberta Chu, Carol Ignacio, Brian Iwata, Fred Koehnen, and Alan Okamoto. “Giving is part of our culture,” said Koehnen, who is also the creator of the F. Koehnen Ltd. Scholarship Fund. “If you have someone that
“The nice thing about the East Hawai‘i Fund is you don’t have to have a lot,” said East Hawai‘i Fund Advisory Committee member Roberta Chu. “You can give as little as a thousand dollars, or as much as millions of dollars—depending on what you can afford to give. For reasons of flexibility, it’s an allin-one fund. If you give, you are not burdened by Continued on page 2
Serving Our Community since 1916
For more information on connecting with a cause that you care about, please contact the Philanthropic Services Department at (808) 566-5560 (toll-free at 1-888-731-3863) or e-mail clientservices@hcf-hawaii.org
www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org
Leading the Mission
A message from the Chairman and President & CEO
Aloha, and Happy New Year! Traditionally, The Chinese Year of the Dragon is known as one of the most fortunate of all. Dragon years are associated with good luck, accomplishment, wealth, celebrations, longevity and success. Regardless of whether you believe in this tradition or not, many of us in Hawai‘i are certainly hopeful for these outcomes and remain cautiously optimistic about what 2012 will really bring. For the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, we look forward to this and every new year in similar fashion. Just like the boldness of the dragon—we plan to build on the solid foundation set in 2011, and seize 2012 as a wonderful opportunity to try new things, take chances and make significant change. Despite the challenges that continue in a stagnant economy, last year remained very strong for the Foundation. The Foundation partnered with the Hawai‘i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations, Chaminade University of Honolulu and the Association of Fundraising Professionals—Aloha Chapter to sponsor the Conference of Nonprofit Communities of Hawai‘i. Featuring more than 50 sessions over two days, nearly 800 people attended the conference in Waikiki, which was designed for those who work and volunteer in the nonprofit sector.
The Foundation is also well on its way to being known as the gathering place for philanthropy. Capitalizing on the keen interest in our new home at the C. Brewer Building in downtown Honolulu, we’ve held approximately 25 events in 2011 at our offices alone—from intimate and informative luncheons for our clients to our annual appreciation event in October. More exciting plans are underway this year, such as a quarterly series of topical luncheons for our Legacy Society members. You can read more about these luncheons in the story in this issue. It has been an honor to be your partner in philanthropy this past year. We wish to thank you for your continued support and continue to be inspired by your commitment to making Hawai‘i the special place that it is. We hope that you will enjoy this issue of Faces of Philanthropy, and over the coming months, we plan to share even more of our exciting plans for 2012 with you. Here’s to a bold, brave new year. Mahalo,
In addition to holding our signature Board Leadership Conference event there, we were also part of two major sessions at the Conference of Nonprofit Communities. The first was a keynote luncheon conversation with eBay founder, publisher and CEO of Honolulu Civil Beat and philanthropist Pierre Omidyar. The second session was an insightful panel discussion on innovation in the sector.
The East Hawai‘i Fund
Paul Kosasa Chairman of the Board
Kelvin H. Taketa President & CEO
Continued from page 1
East Hawai‘i Fund Fast Facts • $42,000 was distributed in grants in 2011 • 14 nonprofit organizations received grants in 2011 from East Hawai‘i Fund and Yokoyama Fund • $4,000 was the largest grant made from East Hawai‘i Fund • Communities from Waipio to Waiohinu are included in East Hawai‘i Fund’s geographic area • 5 local volunteers serve on the East Hawai‘i Fund Advisory Committee the administrative paperwork—that’s taken on by the Hawai‘i Community Foundation. That’s going to attract more dollars.”
The East Hawai‘i Fund Advisory Committee also makes recommendations for grants from the Frederick Yokoyama Fund, which was created in 2010. It was Yokoyama’s intent to give back to the community that he called home. Helping to make his dream a reality was Yokoyama’s sister, Leatrice, who worked closely with other community leaders to designate that his bequest would be used to benefit the East Hawai‘i Fund. The Yokoyama Family’s gift is part of the endowment that will continue to give back over time to East Hawai‘i, in good times and bad. Not only does it provide a permanent resource to address the current and emerging needs of residents, its legacy continues to inspire others to give back as well. “Before he passed away, Fred was talking about doing something for the community,” said East Hawai‘i Fund Advisory Committee member, and attorney Alan Okamoto. If he were here to see what we have now with the East Hawai‘i Fund, he would be happy. That’s what he really wanted to do—to start the process.”
Facesof
Philanthropy The Legacy Society: Lessons for a Lifetime A planned gift to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation brings meaning and impact to our island home beyond a donor’s lifetime. Individuals who remember the Foundation through a will, trust or other testamentary plan are invited to join the Legacy Society, which recognizes this special form of lasting philanthropy.
Legacy Society members Mary Karyl and John Thorne at March 2011’s Legacy Society Luncheon.
Becoming a part of the Legacy Society can be an incredible experience. It encourages donors to look toward the future and helps them to realize that they can leave a permanent impression on the causes they care about.
For more than four decades, Henry Renteria has inspired generations of young people as an educator, and has spent most of those years as a Hawai‘i public school teacher. More than teaching his students English, Renteria strived to empower and encourage them as well. Although officially retired from the classroom, he plans to live out his passion for teaching indefinitely. One way that Renteria chose to carry out his mission a few years ago is by becoming a Legacy Society member as a result of naming the Hawai‘i Community Foundation as a beneficiary in his trust. “I wanted to have an educational fund to help students on the windward side of O‘ahu and on the Big Island,” said Renteria, who previously taught at Kailua High School and Honoka‘a High School. “As an educator, I know the fund would be put to good use, and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation can determine the greatest need.” As the gathering place for philanthropy, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation hosts a series of informative and insightful luncheons for its Legacy Society members at its downtown offices. Each event is centered on a specific area of interest and features a guest speaker with expertise in that field. It is intended to connect with and share ideas with like-minded donors around a common subject.
First Hawaiian Bank Executive Vice President Corbett Kalama was the guest speaker at the Foundation’s Legacy luncheon in December on “Pursuing Higher Education.” Kalama, a recipient of the prestigious Marion Maccarrell Scott Scholarship at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, shared his story with the group and was able to reconnect with his former English teacher, Henry Renteria, who attended the event. “It was enjoyable and surprising for me to see my former student from Kailua High School talking about how he got involved in the community. It was inspiring,” said Renteria. “I was fortunate to have been part of my students’ lives and to have helped to encourage them to do something good as future leaders in our society.”
Legacy Society member Wanda Gereben with Foundation staff Evie Carranza (left), executive assistant and coordinator of the Legacy Society and Kate Lloyd (right), general counsel and vice president of operations
2012 Legacy Society Luncheon Topics • March: Celebration of the Arts • June: What’s New at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation • September: Effective Programs for At-Risk Youth • December: Animal Welfare in Hawai‘i For more information about the Legacy Society or to become a member, please contact Evie Carranza at 808-566-5526 or email: ecarranza@hcf-hawaii.org
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One Strong ‘Ohana The Hawai‘i Children’s Trust Fund (HCTF) and the Joyful Heart Foundation have launched a joint effort called “One Strong ‘Ohana.” The statewide public awareness campaign promotes the idea that the prevention of child abuse and neglect is a community responsibility, and that there are simple ways for individuals to make a difference in creating a safe and nurturing environment for children. “The theme of ‘One Strong ‘Ohana’ was born out of the deeprooted belief we all share here in Hawai‘i—that we are all part of one ‘ohana,” said Aileen Deese, chairperson of the HCTF Advisory Committee and program director of Prevent Child Abuse Hawai‘i. “Through this campaign, we hope to increase awareness that there are simple ways to reach out and be there for a family, such as bringing a meal or offering child care.” HCTF has committed more than a million dollars and invaluable in-kind resources to the campaign. In addition, key sponsors include Jamba Juice Hawai‘i, Whole Foods Market and Fun Factory, Inc. Visit www.OneStrongOhana.com for more information. HCTF is a public-private partnership established in 1993. It is supported by the Hawai‘i Department of Health and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, with representation from the community and other government agencies.
Family Support is Key Studies show that parents who have a strong support network are less likely to abuse or neglect their children. Here are 10 simple ways you can support parents • Reach out and ask how they are doing • Offer to pick up groceries • Offer to run an errand • Get together for a play date • Offer to watch the kids for an hour or two • Go to the gym together • Set up weekly walks • Offer to cook a meal • Let them know you are there for them • Give them a big hug of understanding More ideas can be found at OneStrongOhana.com