PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release May 4, 2018 FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: Lynelle Marble Hawai‘i Community Foundation (808) 566-5564 (Office) (808) 295-6162 (Mobile) lmarble@hcf-hawaii.org
827 Fort Street Mall Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813 Phone: 808-537-6333 Fax: 808-521-6286 HawaiiCommunityFoundation.org
$1 MILLION IN DONATIONS RAISED TO ASSIST COMMUNITIES ON KAUA‘I WITH OVER $350K DISTRIBUTED FOR IMMEDIATE AID Newest donors include a $50,000 contribution from Drew and Brittany Brees HONOLULU, HI – Less than two weeks after it was established, the Kaua‘i Relief and Recovery Fund (KRRF) at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) has received over $1 million in donations from more than 300 generous donors in Hawai‘i and abroad. A recent gift of $50,000 was made by New Orleans Saints quarterback, Drew Brees and his wife Brittany. Other donors include: The Castle Foundation, Kaiser Hospital Foundation, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Island Insurance and hundreds of online contributors to the fund, which was originally established by Pierre and Pam Omidyar and HCF. “We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity from so many individuals and businesses,” said Micah Kane, CEO and president of HCF. “Every gift flowing through this fund is helping our neighbors on Kaua‘i to rebuild and recover.” He added, “On an organizational level, we have waived all service fees for this fund for the first ninety days so that resources can move quickly, and our Kaua‘i staff can focus on convening community partners and overcoming the relief effort’s logistical barriers.” Grants have been distributed in four rounds – with the first round going out within 24 hours of the establishment of the fund. Subsequent grants were made weekly totaling over $350,000 to 17 Kaua‘i organizations to help provide immediate aid – from food to emergency shelter – and to help stabilize communities through childcare support and social services. Following are examples of the impact being made through the grants: •
Grants from the KRRF at HCF helped to mobilize and unite child care resources to allow parents to focus on stabilizing and repairing homes after the floods damaged crucial assets. Kauai Christian Academy, Aloha Preschool, Kauai Babysitters and Waipa Foundation partnered with HCF to connect over 30 children with much-needed child care providers at safe facilities. -more-
$1 MILLION IN DONATIONS RAISED TO ASSIST COMMUNITIES ON KAUA‘I WITH OVER $350K DISTRIBUTED FOR IMMEDIATE AID Add 1 •
HCF directed funding and collaboration efforts towards distributing of emergency supplies, assessing the health and safety of island residents, and building the capacity of several organizations to enable them to expand their reach, organize more volunteer teams, and serve more island residents. Malama Kauai and Hale Halawai have expanded their ability to offer financial, logistical, and social services due to HCF support. Additional donations to the American Red Cross, Hawaii Food Bank, and the Kauai Independent Food Bank have also provided the community with much needed resources.
•
Grants from KRRF also helped Island residents who were in isolated ahupua‘a and in need of heavy equipment to assist with clearing of debris. The funds distributed to National Tropical Botanical Garden and Aina Ho‘okupu o Kilauea allowed the organizations to step in with equipment, flood relief, and clean up support.
The fourth round of grants has been disbursed to the following five organizations: 1. Child and Family Service This grant will provide trauma relief counseling to individuals and families that have been impacted by the flooding disaster. It is critical to provide counseling in the early stages after a traumatic life event and can make a difference in how individuals and families move through the crisis and toward resuming healthy and stable lives. 2. Hale Halawai ‘Ohana ‘o Hanalei This organization is serving as the hub to centralize services to the Hanalei community. Their facility now offers access to organizations providing childcare, emergency loans from the credit union, donation drop offs, access to computers and wi-fi, and mental health services. They will be undertaking a comprehensive community needs assessment based on interviews and visits to every home in the area. A portion of the funds will be used to repair the entry way and ADA ramp into the building. 3. Kauai Babysitting Company Funds to this organization will provide for additional babysitting services for young children. The site has been provided at no charge by the Kauai Episcopal Church. Providing safe and professional space for parents to leave their children allows them to tend to the difficult and often dangerous task of cleaning up the flood damage. 4. National Tropical Botanical Gardens This is a second grant to National Tropical Botanical Gardens, however, for this grant they are serving as a fiscal agent for Hui Maka‘ainana o Makana. Funds will be used to provide reimbursement for labor, equipment and tool use in the clean-up effort in the Wainiha and Haena communities. -more-
$1 MILLION IN DONATIONS RAISED TO ASSIST COMMUNITIES ON KAUA‘I WITH OVER $350K DISTRIBUTED FOR IMMEDIATE AID Add 2 5. Waipa Foundation Funds will support this organization that is serving as a community hub coordinating critical relief efforts. This includes preparing food for community and relief workers, assisting community members with cleaning their homes and property, and removal of debris and ruined materials Donations to the Kaua‘i Relief and Recovery Fund can be made online at HawaiiCommunityFoundation.org/KauaiRelief or by mail at Hawai‘i Community Foundation, 827 Fort Street Mall, Honolulu, HI, 96813. ### 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 850 funds, including more than 250 scholarship funds, created by donors who desire to transform lives and improve communities. In 2017, HCF distributed more than $59 million in grants and contracts statewide, including more than $6 million in scholarships. HCF also serves as a resource on community issues and trends in the nonprofit sector.