Faces of
Philanthropy Spring 2008
Quarterly News from the Hawai‘i Community Foundation
Defining the rest of their lives OUR MISSION We help people make a difference by inspiring the spirit of giving and by investing in people and solutions to benefit every island community.
Most college-bound students and their parents in Hawai‘i know too well the financial hardships of obtaining a higher education. According to a recent study, while children from families making over $90,000 have a one in two chance of graduating from college by age 24, that number plummets to one in seventeen for children from families making less than $35,000. Although our society is built on the belief that people have a chance to better themselves and their families, that has become more difficult to accomplish because of a widening gap of educational opportunities. As the state’s second largest private provider for post-secondary scholarships, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation continues to help keep this belief alive for the thousands of applicants each year. Thanks to the generosity of the Foundation’s donors, students of all ages and backgrounds have the opportunity to embark on a journey that will help define the rest of their lives. The road to college for current Loyola Marymount University freshman Samantha Stribling was not easy. Back home in Hawai‘i last year, she was faced with having to decide to move across the country with her family or stay back to finish her senior year in high school. By choosing home, Stribling was forced to overcome her fear of loneliness and pulled through many tough challenges alone. “This experience has allowed me to grow independent in a way that I’m not sure I could have otherwise,” said Stribling. Her personal obstacles have given her motivation to do well in her studies. She is currently majoring in
psychology and hopes to make a career out of helping others. Stribling’s scholarship award from the Kaneta Foundation made it easier for her to focus more on her education and less on her financial state. “It allowed me to experience this university, a goal I’ve had since my aunt started dressing me in college-affiliated shirts when I was four. Without the scholarship, Loyola would not have been feasible for me. I value my education more highly now that I am working to pay for it, but I am not able to take all the credit. I cannot even express the gratitude I feel to those who made the scholarship a reality.” For John Laimana, college was an opportunity to redefine the next chapter in his life. After owning a small business for two decades, Laimana, a loving husband, father of seven and grandfather decided that he needed a change. Going back to school turned out to be a family affair when one of his daughters signed up the entire family to take a Hawaiian language class — including Laimana’s mother. He has been in school ever since. As a non-traditional student, he did not let his age or busy schedule stop him from pursuing a lifelong dream. “At my age I’m not looking for another career opportunity, but I got to do that thing I really like to do,” said Laimana. Laimana received a total of five scholarships in four years from funds of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and Haskins Hawai‘i. He always wanted to research Hawaiian history and learn Hawaiian language and is currently finishing up his degree in Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. But he isn’t stopping there. He plans to apply for the master’s program in the fall. “It has just opened so many doors for me and my family.”
For more information on connecting with a cause that you care about, please contact HCF’s 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 our board chairman and president
Welcome to the first issue of Faces of Philanthropy for 2008. With the start of a new year, we bid aloha and mahalo to outgoing Board of Governors Eugene Bal, III and Robert Bean. Their many contributions to the community and to the Foundation are sincerely appreciated. We also welcome new Governors Honey Bun Haynes and Micah Kane. We look forward to another productive year under their new leadership along with current Governors Laurie Ainslie, Claire Asam, Gary Caufield, Maggie Cole, Samuel Cooke, Jean Cornuelle, Anthony Guerrero, Jr., Richard Gushman, II, Peter Ho, Lawrence Johnson, Charlie King, Paul Kosasa, Cathy Luke, David Nakada, Jennifer Sabas, Lawrence Stupski and Eric Yeaman. January marked the start of scholarship season for the Foundation and for several thousand Hawai‘i students who had until March 1 to apply online for more than 160 college scholarships. Thanks to the generosity of our scholarship donors, the Foundation is the second-largest private provider of post-secondary scholarships in the state, awarding $5 million to 1,800 students last year to attend college in Hawai‘i and on the mainland.
The stories of scholarship recipients Samantha Stribling and John Laimana, which you read in our cover story, are just a few of the hundreds that we hear about each year. The impact that these scholarships have made in the lives of so many is tremendous and we are delighted to be able to share some of the successes with you. The beginning of the year also marked the launch of our Family Philanthropy initiative. Lorraine Tamaribuchi, former foundation officer on Maui, is now the Foundation’s director of Family Philanthropy. You can read more about this new initiative on page 3. Please enjoy this issue of Faces and don’t hesitate to call us with questions at (808) 566-5560 (toll-free at 1-888-731-3863). Sincerely, Barry K. Taniguchi Chairman of the Board Kelvin H. Taketa President & CEO
2008 Hawai‘i Community Foundation
Board of Governors Barry K. Taniguchi Chairman Paul Kosasa Vice Chair Jean F. Cornuelle Secretary Laurie T. Ainslie Treasurer
Claire L. Asam, Ph.D. Gary Caufield Maggie B. Cole Samuel A. Cooke Anthony R. Guerrero, Jr. Richard W. Gushman, II Honey Bun Haynes Peter S. Ho Lawrence M. Johnson Micah A. Kane Charlie King Cathy Luke David Nakada Jennifer Sabas Lawrence Stupski Eric K. Yeaman
The Foundation’s scholarship program consists of over 160 different scholarship funds established by generous individuals, families, businesses, private foundations or organizations to assist Hawai‘i’s residents in obtaining a college education. Students apply to the program and, if eligible, can be awarded from one or more of these funds. Each scholarship fund has specific eligibility criteria defined by the donor who created it.
from island to island
connecting people who care with causes that matter
Family Philanthropy: New Initiative, New Way of Thinking An interview with Lorraine Tamaribuchi, Director of Family Philanthropy Family Philanthropy is a concept that has helped to develop family members all over the world to preserve, use and share their wealth responsibly. Hawai‘i Community Foundation is incorporating this concept into our philanthropic services. We are proud to announce Lorraine Tamaribuchi as the new director of Family Philanthropy. Lorraine worked previously as the foundation officer on Maui. She explains why the Foundation has committed to supporting this endeavor as well as why families who give together, stay together. How did the Foundation adopt the idea of Family Philanthropy? Initially, the idea came from Kelvin [Taketa]. He asked me to research the increased interest in the field of Family Philanthropy. I expected to find a “new service” offered by community foundations. Instead, I found a whole new way of thinking to develop strong, healthy families who care for each other as well as the community. This approach focuses on members of the family as its best asset. It begins with the family’s values and builds on the give and take of making decisions collaboratively. What is Family Philanthropy and how will it integrate into the Foundation’s goals? In Family Philanthropy, two or more family members learn and decide together. It definitely fits in with
our mission to help people make a difference by inspiring the spirit of giving and by investing in people and solutions to benefit every island community. Family Philanthropy inspires parents and children and encourages giving to the community. How can the Foundation help families get started? We’d love to listen to where they are and where they hope to go and share the appropriate information that they’ll need and the options they have. They can come to us at any stage of their family giving. We also want to be a resource to families and connect them with others who may be able to help them to do things we cannot do at our Foundation. Why do you enjoy what you do? It’s special to see how Family Philanthropy gives meaning to the giving that families are already doing. It is especially moving to see the next generation step up as responsible members of the family team to care for each other and for others. What more could we ask of our children? For more information about families giving together – its benefits and process – contact Lorraine at ltamaribuchi@hcf-hawaii.org or call 808-537-6333 (toll-free from neighbor islands at 1-888-731-3863). Visit our Web site for resources and helpful ideas on family giving.
Facesof
Philanthropy
“ Kaua‘i is a special place. What
an honor to be able to serve my home town and help connect people to causes that truly matter to our community.”
– Darcie Yukimura
Darcie Yukimura joins Kaua‘i office Darcie Yukimura is the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s new philanthropic services officer for Kaua‘i. She previously was the philanthropic services officer for O‘ahu. Prior to her arrival at the Foundation, Darcie worked as director of communications for Saint Louis School for two years. A Kaua‘i native, she is excited about her new role and the move back home. “Kaua‘i is a special place. What an honor to be able to serve my home town and help connect people to causes that truly matter to our community,” said Yukimura. She will join Kaua‘i’s senior philanthropic services assistant Marcia Shimokawa. Kaua‘i Leadership Council Charlie King, Chair Nancy J. Budd, Esq. Nancy S. Goodale Warren H. Haruki Lynn P. McCrory Glen H. Takenouchi Roberta J. Wallace Cable Millicent L. Wellington Rev. Jan C. Rudinoff, Emeritus Member Myles S. Shibata, Emeritus Member
caring for our community
grants and special initiatives at work
Grant helps serve justice A study released in November 2007 by the Hawai‘i Judiciary and the Hawai‘i Bar Association found that nearly 80 percent of Hawai‘i’s poor and moderate-income residents can’t get civil legal help when they need it. A two-year Capacity Building grant awarded to the Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i by the Hawai‘i Community Foundation helped to remedy this problem. The $55,000 grant helped fund the creation of a nonprofit law firm called the Lawyers for Equal Justice (LEJ). The function of LEJ is to be an advocate for clients in low-income communities that are in need of legal assistance. Due to federally imposed restrictions on class actions and cases, Legal Aid could not provide this type of legal assistance, thus creating an offshoot nonprofit that could address this need in Hawai‘i. The grant’s main vision was a nonprofit legal component that would compliment existing services provided by legal service
providers in Hawai‘i by filling a serious need for equal access to justice. “We couldn’t have done it without the grant. We needed initial funding to get started,” said Victor Geminiani, executive director of LEJ. The grant awarded by the Foundation is good for a two-year period. The proposal presented to the Foundation by Legal Aid also included having LEJ become self-sustaining by the expiration of the grant. Geminiani previously served as the executive director of Legal Aid for 12 years and has been involved in legal services directly to the low
income for the past 39 years. The staff is also comprised of two part-time attorneys, William Durham and Gavin Thorton. However, lawyers from private law firms volunteer to co-counsel with LEJ on cases. To date, LEJ has successfully completed three cases against the Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority (HPHA) to stop its long term practice of overcharging public housing residents for utility costs and to attain reimbursements for tenants for past overcharges. The suits represented over 3000 tenants and resulted in over two million dollars being directly reimbursed to affected tenants as well as a decrease of approximately $120,000 a month in future utility costs for those tenants.
“This grant equals a significant return on investment back into the community.” – Victor Geminiani LEJ is considering bringing similar cases on behalf of residents residing in other public housing projects. The charitable investment secured significant remedies for the low income communities in Hawai‘i. “It was incredibly courageous for Hawai‘i Community Foundation to step forward and offer the grant because very few foundations want to fund organizations that pursue litigation and advocacy,” said Geminiani. “This grant equals a significant return on investment back into the commu-nity,” he adds while referencing the $2.4 million that LEJ recovered from illegally charged public housing costs in the HPHA case. The most current project LEJ needs funding for is the launch of a veterans’ project to help disabled veterans obtain services and benefits from the Veterans Administration (VA). LEJ will be the first organization to establish a Veterans Advocacy Project in Hawai‘i and one of the first in the nation. The LEJ Board of Directors has just approved an advocacy effort to address significant barriers that veterans have before them in securing health and benefits entitlements.
Copies of current and past issues of Faces of Philanthropy are available at www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org We encourage your comments and questions. Please contact us via e-mail at communications@hcf-hawaii.org or call (808) 566-5544.
For more information on the veterans project or about Lawyers for Equal Justice please contact their office at (808) 587-7605 or visit their Web site at www.lejhawaii.org.
For more information about this and other community building initiatives in which HCF is involved, please contact our Programs Department at (808) 537-6333.
1164 Bishop Street, Suite 800 Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813 Phone: (808) 537-6333 Toll-free: 1-888-731-3863