Hawaii’s Court Appointed Special Advocates program (CASA) began in 1984, to help the overburdened legal and social welfare system by creating volunteer guardians ad litem for abused and neglected children. The program is funded and supervised by the state Judiciary.…
Three nonprofits on Oahu are partnering with needy families to build affordable homes for ownership using the beneficiaries’ sweat equity, plus volunteer labor, government help, private donations, and a whole lot of advice and support for the families. All that…
Despite being sandwiched between a busy road and a thoroughly non-native hillside, Oahu’s Hamakua Marsh is home to some of Hawaii’s rarest birds, including the red-plated Hawaiian moorhen, or alae ula, which is federally listed as endangered. [caption id="attachment_19723" align="alignright"…
Bringing help and hope to those in need, The Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) offers Hawaii’s men with substance abuse problems another chance at a respectful and productive life. Participants engage in a six-month residential rehabilitation program, working towards…
Harry Weinberg amassed a fortune in local real estate and was renowned for being a financially savvy guy, who cajoled and exasperated the top executives of companies he invested in. However, what most surprised Kit Smith, who covered him for…
No, it’s not that “CSI.” “Folks are always mixing us up with the TV show,” chuckles Shin (“Sheen”) Domen, 49, executive director of CSI Inc., a financial management nonprofit that seeks to provide Comfort, Security and Independence to elderly or…
The Salvation Army’s Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center celebrates its five-year anniversary in 2017. Design-firm G70 partnered with The Salvation Army – Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division to build the largest community center in the 50th State, 200,000…
Two years after taking the helm at AUW, Adams’ top priorities are greater transparency, enhanced metrics, and deeper relationships with the state and other nonprofits. Q: The traditional separation between businesses and nonprofits has been changing. A: There has been…
What does it mean to be Native Hawaiian? That was the question that Moses Haia III, 61, executive director of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. (NHLC), had to confront when he was growing up among a lot of military families…
In business the numbers don’t lie and the same goes for giving. For the past seven years, Swinerton Builders has participated in The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program and this year they’re doubling their charitable donations, increasing their impact to…
Valerie Chang was only 42 when she was diagnosed with idiopathic emphysema – a form of COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. “It’s rather severe, with no known cause,” explains Chang, now 59. “They’ve explored all the possible causes, including genetic,…
1. FOLLOW YOUR PASSION Choose a nonprofit with a mission that you’re personally passionate about. This will make it easier for you to commit the time and energy it takes to add value. 2. SEEK SUPPORT FROM YOUR EMPLOYER I’m…
The mission of Touch A Heart is to teach single mothers – who are recovering from addiction – the culinary arts so they may join the workforce. But more importantly, cooking is a skill 1 Kumabe…
Dyslexia is a neurobiological and genetic learning disability related to language. Students with dyslexia often struggle with oral and written language, according to the Hawaii Branch of the International Dyslexia Association. “It’s a hidden disability,” explains Margaret Higa, 53, who…
Ninety percent of a child’s brain is developed by age 5, so it’s critical that every child have access to high-quality child care and early learning programs, according to the nonprofit Hawaii Children’s Action Network. Of course, that’s not everything…
Teresa Bill goes to work every day at UH’s Bridge to Hope program knowing that she makes a difference in people’s lives. Bridge to Hope began 15 years ago to help welfare recipients, victims of domestic violence and struggling single…
YouthBuild offers a second chance to young people who dropped out of school or face other serious challenges. The Honolulu city-run program provides hands-on training in painting, carpentry, plumbing, electrical and other real-world skills, while students work toward a high…
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 required that colleges provide services and help students with disabilities. Eighteen years later, partly because of a series of lawsuits, Congress radically enlarged the definition. In the past, disabilities primarily included blindness, deafness…
The Boys and Girls Club has changed the lives of young people in Hawaii for 40 years. This year alone, it has 2,000 members between the ages of 7 and 17 at its 14 club sites, says Tim Motts, president…
Managing fields to produce high- yield seed corn for U.S. and foreign farmers is no small task. Yet Alika Napier, field operations manager at DuPont Pioneer, still finds time to volunteer at Lanakila Meals on Wheels. He is part of…
Child & Family Service – one of Hawaii’s biggest nonprofit, social-service providers – now offers a personalized care program called Kupuna Concierge as part of an effort to divesify its income. Prices start at $38 an…
Clinton Kala of Waianae is a thankful man. With the help of Kuleana, a local nonprofit that partners with a global microfinancing organization, he is starting his own vehicle-cleaning business. “The things I used to do, I’m surprised I’m where…
Small and medium businesses are not the only local organizations that are outsourcing their human-resource tasks. More and more nonprofits, such as Aloha United Way and Kalihi-Palama Health Center, have also made the jump and realized significant savings. AUW president…
Tanna and Bryson Dang, owners of the boutique Eden In Love and winners of first prize in the “This is Retail” video contest, have pledged $75,000 over five years to help bring clean water to a Sri Lankan village. The…