Alakaʻina Foundation, a Native Hawaiian Organization based in Honolulu, is building upon and expanding its extensive philanthropic investments in University of Hawaiʻi programs and students with four gifts totaling $660,000.
With these gifts, Alakaʻina Foundation’s giving to UH over the years totals nearly $1.8 million.
The new gifts include funds for two programs on Kauaʻi that Alakaʻina has supported in years past, the Kauaʻi Community College Digital Bus Program and scholarships for Kauaʻi Community College students transferring to the UH Mānoa College of Engineering, as well as students enrolled in Kaua‘i CC’s Electronics Technology program.
Alakaʻina Foundation this year is expanding its giving to support two additional programs that serve the Native Hawaiian community – the UH Community Colleges’ Online Associate in Arts Degree Program and the UH Hilo Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language.
“Our mission is to ensure the young men and women of Hawaiʻi have the skills and competencies they need to be effective leaders in the community,” said Alakaʻina Foundation Executive Director Kimo Bacon. “One of the ways we support this mission is to preserve and support ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, as the Hawaiian language is an official language recognized by the Constitution of the State of Hawaiʻi.
“We also support our mission by developing innovative educational programs that combine leadership, science and technology, and environmental stewardship, and these UH programs help to fulfill that goal,” he said. The Digital Bus program accomplishes this by bringing a mobile laboratory to public schools to stimulate students’ interest in science and technology.
“These very deliberate gifts will help to revitalize the Hawaiian language; make it easier for non-traditional students, including working parents, to earn an associate degree entirely online; expand STEM education on Kaua‘i; and provide scholarships for students studying engineering and electronics technology,” said UH President David Lassner. “It’s incredible to partner with such generous donors who care deeply about improving the lives of Hawaiʻi’s people through education.”
“We are very grateful that Alakaʻina is taking a system-wide approach to their giving,” said UH Vice President of Advancement and UH Foundation CEO Tim Dolan. “Mahalo to Alakaʻina Foundation for their long-term vision and commitment to perpetuating Native Hawaiian culture, knowledge and values.”
A Native Hawaiian Organization, the Alakaʻina Foundation Family of Companies disburses profits from its seven government service firms to nonprofit activities that benefit the Native Hawaiian community, primarily the youth of Hawaiʻi.
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The University of Hawai‘i Foundation, a nonprofit organization, raises private funds to support the University of Hawai‘i System. The mission of the University of Hawai‘i Foundation is to unite donors’ passions with the University of Hawai‘i’s aspirations by raising philanthropic support and managing private investments to benefit UH, the people of Hawai‘i and our future generations. uhfoundation.org
