In all, 106 companies and nonprofit organizations contributed more than $349 million, and employees volunteered more than 90,000 hours of their time to help those in need, according to Hawaii Business Magazine’s 2025 list of Hawaiʻi’s Most Charitable Companies. If that weren’t enough, employees donated $4.2 million of their own money on top of corporate gifts.

Technically, some of that total is double-counted, because part of the corporate gifts goes to philanthropic organizations such as the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, which in turn distribute their donations to other philanthropic groups.

Still, the numbers reflect a robust generosity across the Islands to assist those in need while also filling gaps left by cuts in federal government funding that previously reached the state’s neediest.

“What makes Hawaiʻi unique compared to many other places is the way giving here is rooted in values – aloha, mālama and kuleana,” says Michelle Kaʻuhane, chief operating officer and executive VP of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, the biggest overall donor on the 2025 list.

“When our communities are in need, companies and their employees see themselves as part of the solution, and they respond in ways that reflect both compassion and commitment.”

The foundation reported cash and in-kind donations of $151.7 million, more than $50 million higher than the previous year.

In the two years since the devastating Maui blaze killed 102 people and destroyed most of the town of Lahaina, funds continued to pour in for the survivors and their families. Although the rebuilding effort has been slower than many had hoped, signs of progress are evident as the recovery effort, and the focus of philanthropic groups, shifts from emergency needs to interim support and longer-term sustainable economic development.

“The interim lifestyle of ‘temporary’ remains temporary two years later, so the challenge of long-term stability is still very real,” Kaʻuhane says.

“We went from very basic needs to more intricate needs. … Now we’re looking at longer-term needs. How do we convert to long-term housing strategies so that we have permanent units on Maui? There’s a lot of mental health issues. There’s a lot of financial crisis because people have been struggling to pay rent and continue paying a mortgage for a house that’s no longer standing.

“And so the challenges financially haven’t decreased. I would argue that they have increased,” Kaʻuhane says.

MATSON TOP CORPORATE GIVER

Matson, the state’s biggest shipping lifeline to the outside world and also its most profitable company for four years running, scored the top spot among corporate donors this past year, with cash and in-kind contributions of $7.6 million.

That’s down from the $8.7 million it contributed in 2023 but eclipses recent perennial pacesetter First Hawaiian Bank, which came in at $5.7 million; in 2023 the bank donated $7.4 million.

The 2,019 employees at the bank rounded up another $873,987 of their own money to contribute to charities, the highest level of employee giving at any company. (See accompanying story, p. 76)

Matt Cox, chairman and CEO of Matson, says the company takes its philanthropic mission seriously as “one of the guiding principles of our business.”

“We look for ways to make the biggest impact we can by focusing on support for established nonprofit organizations that are particularly effective in addressing significant community needs,” he says. “We also look for opportunities where our shipping services can be especially valuable to an organization or effort, like our multimillion-dollar commitments to food bank programs and Maui relief and recovery efforts.”

Reflecting its range of priorities, Matson’s top charity recipients this year included the Hawaiʻi Foodbank, Maui Wildfire Recovery, the Maui Food Bank, the American Heart Association and Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaiʻi.

“When the pandemic struck, we increased our giving resources supporting social safety net programs, like Hawaiʻi Foodbank and other nonprofits that target food security,” says Cox. “Then, when tragedy struck Maui, we increased our giving again to support the emergency response and relief efforts, and later added recovery programs like temporary housing for displaced families.

“While we are still working with a number of these organizations to address continuing needs, we plan to return to our more traditional giving profile, supporting a wide range of social services, marine conservation, culture and arts, and education programs.”

First Hawaiian Bank, the number two corporate donor this year, focuses on three main areas of philanthropy: health and human services, education, and arts and culture.

“It changes over time” depending on the economy and community needs, says Bob Harrison, chairman, president and CEO at FHB. “At this point in time, we’re probably heavier in health and human services first, then education, and we still support the arts and culture but not to the degree we had in the past.”

MOST GENEROUS

When it comes to charitable giving, everyone likes to see large numbers. But it’s also easier for companies with vast revenues to give bigger amounts. Another way to rank charity is as a percentage of gross annual sales – let’s say “Most Generous.” In that category among for-profit companies, financial firm Wells Fargo Advisors takes the crown locally, with donations of $1.1 million, or 3.8% of total revenue.

Even Hawaiian Electric Industries, which took a huge loss last year to cover part of a $4 billion court-approved settlement of lawsuits in the Maui wildfires case, still donated $1.5 million to Aloha United Way, the Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization and other groups. Its 2,587 employees also chipped in another $458,685 to various organizations out of their own pockets.

The University of Hawaiʻi Foundation was second in the nonprofit category of megadonors, with $63.7 million going to university programs, research and student costs. The nonprofit Kamehameha Schools reported $30.6 million in contributions to its top recipients: Saint Louis School, the Partners in Development Foundation, the Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture, ʻAha Pūnana Leo, and the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation.

Reporting for the first time as a combined corporate entity, Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines said it made total contributions of $3.9 million from its Hawaiʻi-related operations.

UPCOMING CHALLENGES

As the leading conduit for fund flows through the state’s philanthropic organizations, Kaʻuhane of Hawaiʻi Community Foundation says its role has increased with each major disaster to befall the state.

“Over the last seven years, we’ve been through four disasters: the lava eruptions, the flooding in Kauaʻi, the Covid pandemic and the Maui fires,” says Kaʻuhane. “We feel we move from disaster to disaster.”

Corporate donations to the foundation come in many forms, not just cash.

“There were all kinds of creative ways that we could provide opportunities for businesses to partner with us,” Kaʻuhane says.

“Tommy Bahama gave us not cash but … all their advertising space at Maui airport – all their advertising space that would have promoted Tommy Bahama had our QR code promoting the Maui Strong Fund. So sometimes the corporate donations come in dollars and cents and sometimes they come in partnerships like that.”

But when making cash donations, companies should abide by one very specific plea, Kaʻuhane says: Don’t put restrictions on how the funds can be used.

“What I need folks to understand is that during a disaster we create a pool fund that allows every donor to help amplify the ability to meet community needs, and it is not restricted,” she says. “What that allows us to do is to move at the speed and the need of the community. We can go from basic needs to interim housing to long-term housing to mental health as we see those needs evolving.”

Besides the ongoing needs of victims of the Maui fire, the foundation continues to seek funds to address other issues, including housing shortages on Maui that preceded the fire, mental health programs across the state, and statewide early education programs.

Kaʻuhane says funding challenges in the year ahead became more complicated following huge cuts in federal grants and other programs under the Trump administration that in the past have benefited those most in need in Hawaiʻi.

“We have new information now that the year has started, and the new administration has made some decisions that we know will have long-term impact,” she says. “So, we’re really trying to wrap up fundraising so we can fill some of that gap.

“We’re going to have to be creative. We’re going to have some tough conversations, but we really are starting to think about how we fundraise to meet the needs of our community as that starts to evolve based on the federal dynamics.”

But Kaʻuhane remains optimistic. “Hawaiʻi’s giving, relative to the size of our population and economy, is remarkable,” she says. “The level of response shows that when challenges arise, Hawaiʻi’s business community and workforce stand shoulder to shoulder with residents to ensure that our Islands recover and thrive. This past year has reinforced what we already know: Generosity is one of Hawaiʻi’s greatest strengths.”

The complete Most Charitable Companies list appears exclusively in the November print issue of Hawaii Business Magazine.

Order your copy here.

Jump to a section in the list:
A-B  |  C-G  |  H-I  |  J-L  |  M-Q  |  R-Z

The Most Charitable Companies 2024 list is our biggest one yet: It comprises 107 organizations that donated $301.1 million and 93,040 volunteer hours to local nonprofits in 2023.

Donations went to higher education, after-school programs, humane societies, arts organizations, health foundations, affordable-living initiatives, nature conservation, farming and food banks — all the important institutions and causes that help Hawai‘i thrive.

When disaster struck Lahaina last year on Aug. 8, much of the corporate giving shifted to relief and recovery for the thousands of displaced and traumatized survivors. Fourteen companies named the American Red Cross as a top recipient for donations. Twenty-five said they made significant donations to either Aloha United Way, which funneled $4.2 million to Maui recovery as of July 2024, or Maui United Way, which reported $11.3 million in relief funding.

Twenty-six corporate donors on the list named the Hawai‘i Community Foundation as a primary recipient of aid. The foundation’s Maui Strong Fund quickly emerged as a global hub for collecting donations and deploying resources to on-theground nonprofits.

To illustrate, Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s gross revenue in 2022 was $74.1 million, according to our annual Top 250 Companies survey; gross revenue in 2023 jumped to $244.9 million, with elevated levels of funding continuing into 2024.

As of Oct. 18, 2024, $201.4 million had been donated specifically to HCF’s Maui Strong Fund. Donations came in many forms, including huge checks written by Hawai‘i’s companies and an “extraordinary outpouring of aloha” from over 200,000 donors in dozens of countries, says Michelle Ka‘uhane, a senior VP and chief impact officer at HCF.

“The amount of money coming in and the pace that it was coming in was overwhelming,” she says. “We were struggling to keep up with opening the mail,” much of it filled with handwritten checks, and even children’s allowance money taped to paper. She says volunteers from Bank of Hawai‘i helped them process incoming mail and track and scan checks.

The “Blue Crew” from Bank of Hawai‘i (Top Corporate Donor #5) helped the Hawai‘i Community Foundation sort and track thousands of donations sent through the mail to the organization’s Maui Strong Fund. HCF CEO Micah Kāne, in yellow shirt, joins the crew. In all, more than 190 employees gave 1,357 hours of fire-recovery support to HCF, Goodwill Hawaii and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement.

As of September, more than half of the $200 million-plus fund had been sent back into the community through grants to Hawai‘i nonprofits of all sizes.

Hawai‘i Community Foundation, as in years past, is the largest charitable foundation on this year’s Most Charitable list, reporting $99.1 million funneled back into the community in 2023, with a large chunk in the final quarter of the year; funding for Maui’s recovery continues into 2024.

Corporate Donor’s Growing Impact

In 2022, corporate donations made up about 7% of all gifts HCF received, says Ka‘uhane. That percentage rose to 22% in 2023 and $29.3% by September 2024.

She says much of the corporate giving was directed to the Maui Strong Fund, but that funds for the organization’s other initiatives have held steady. As part of its new 10-year strategic plan, she says HCF is working to forge deeper relationships with donors to better address critical issues, such as affordable housing and access to mental-health resources and child care.

She sees cross-sector collaborations as essential to this effort. “The nonprofit sector is not going to solve Hawai‘i’s challenges by themselves. The business sector is not going to solve the challenges by themselves,” says Ka‘uhane. “When we come together across sectors to achieve a common goal, beautiful things happen.”

As an example, she points to Twinkle Borge, the recently deceased leader of the houseless community near the Wai‘anae harbor. The Hawai‘i Community Foundation helped connect her with corporate executives to help finance a permanent housing community called Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae Farm Village.

With the help of business donations, the housing group reached its $10 million fundraising goal in July, about a month before Borge died, says Ka‘uhane. So far, eight small homes have been constructed on purchased land in the back of Wai‘anae Valley; a total of 62 homes with communal kitchens and gathering places are planned.

“I want the business community to connect with (people like) Twinkle,” says Ka‘uhane. “They need your money, but more than money, they need your partnerships. They need to know your networks. … It’s about sharing of power and including noncorporate business leaders into the leadership network.”

HCF Strategizing to Meet Future Needs

More than a year after Lahaina was destroyed, Ka‘uhane says that HCF is shifting its focus from disaster relief to the long-term goal of rebuilding the town. It’s also trying to change the traditional donor-directed culture of philanthropy to one of partnerships and tackling problems together.

“We are over 107 years old, with 1,700 funds with 1,700 purposes, and sometimes those are narrowly defined,” she says. “In order for us to have the most impact, we really need to have unrestricted dollars that allow the flexibility to ebb and flow with community need.”

While oversight and accountability are essential, funding restrictions can make it hard for nonprofits to operate effectively. She hopes to provide more “consistent core infrastructure support” for nonprofits.

“Sometimes that’s manpower, sometimes that’s supply, sometimes that’s space, sometimes you need to feed people to get them in the room,” Ka‘uhane says. “It’s very difficult to make decisions when there are so many rules and strings attached to every decision. It becomes a nightmare to manage,” she says.

She says she’s heartened that the business community is forging connections with nonprofits and trying to better understand Native Hawaiian concerns. And she’s happy to see corporate donations becoming a larger, more vital part of HCF’s philanthropic efforts.

“Because we’re such a small island state, we can connect donors directly to nonprofits so they can see the impact their dollars are making,” says Ka‘uhane. “I’m proud about that and the kind of relationships that we build in Hawai‘i around philanthropy.”

A-B

Admor HVAC Products

About: For-profit wholesale distributor of air conditioning, ventilation, insulation and mechanical products
Employees: 35
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $100,000
Employee Donations: $100,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: UH Cancer Center
admorhvac.com

AES

About: For-profit renewable-energy developer
Employees: 56
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $500,367
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 160 / $29,145
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Agricultural Research Center, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, UH Foundation, Makaha Learning Center, National Energy Education Development Project
aes-hawaii.com

AHL

About: For-profit architecture, planning, interior design, experiential graphic design, historic architecture, existing building services and sustainability firm
Employees: 96
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $103,442
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 114 / $1,542
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, St. Andrew’s Priory, Ho‘ōla Nā Pua, Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i
ahl.design

Alaka‘ina Foundation

About: Nonprofit Native Hawaiian organization
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,410,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Pauahi Foundation, UH Foundation, Ka ‘Ie Ola, Alaka‘ina Digital Bus Program, Kawaiaha‘o Church
alakainafoundation.org

Alaska Airlines

About: For-profit commercial airline
Employees: 11
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $806,191
Employee Donations: $101,489
Top Nonprofits Supported: Kupu, Aloha United Way, Kanu Hawaii, ClimbHI, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement
alaskaair.com

Alexander & Baldwin

About: For-profit commercial real estate company
Employees: 102
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $800,000
Employee Volunteer Hours: 300
Top Nonprofits Supported: Maui United Way, American Red Cross of Hawaii, Kaunoa Senior Services – Nutrition Program, Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae, Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra
alexanderbaldwin.com

Aloha Green Holdings

About: For-profit, state-licensed medical cannabis dispensary
Employees: 78
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $125,000
Employee Volunteer Hours: 500
Top Nonprofits Supported: The Pantry, AccesSurf, Honolulu Zoo, Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center, Hawai‘i Appleseed, Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation
agapoth.com

Aloha United Way

Top 5 Charitable Organization

About: Nonprofit charitable organization
Employees: 64
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $17,495,215
Employee Donations: $32,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Maui United Way, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, The Institute for Human Services, Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, Family Promise of Hawai‘i
auw.org

AlohaCare

About: Nonprofit health plan
Employees: 280
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,007,281
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 1,063 / $20, 776
Top Nonprofits Supported: Wahiawā Health, Project Vision Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Public Health Institute – Community Health Advisory Partnership, Lāna‘i Community Health Center, Mālama I Ke Ola Health Center
alohacare.org

American Floor & Home

About: For-profit retail flooring and installation company, with remodeling services
Employees: 130
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $142,520
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 440 / $74,500
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Pali Momi Medical Center, The Salvation Army, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, Blood Bank of Hawaii
americanfloorhome.com

American Savings Bank

Top 10 Corporate Donor, Third Place Employee Giving

About: For-profit banking and financial services company
Employees: 1,000
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $2,120,954
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 15,068 / $218,268
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawaiian Community Assets, Hawai‘i Community Lending, Trust for Public Land, Hawai‘i Community Foundation – Maui Strong Fund, Kupu
asbhawaii.com

Atlas Insurance Agency

About: For-profit insurance agency
Employees: 106
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $213,170
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hale Mahaolu, Hawaii Theatre, Institute for Human Services, Child & Family Service
atlasinsurance.com

Bank of Hawai‘i

Top 10 Corporate Donor, Second Place Employee Giving

About: For-profit financial services company
Employees: 1,899
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $3,727,612
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 12,746 / $603,134
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Goodwill Hawai‘i, Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae (Dynamic Community Solutions), Teach for America Hawai‘i, UH Foundation
boh.com

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Advantage Realty

About: For-profit real estate company
Employees: 199
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $27,330
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 221 / $18,098
Top Nonprofits Supported: UH Foundation – Advantage Kokua Scholarship, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Habilitat, Ho‘ōla Nā Pua, The Salvation Army
betterhawaii.com

Blood Bank of Hawaii

About: Nonprofit sole provider of blood components to Hawai‘i hospitals
Employees: 159
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $31,733
Top Nonprofits Supported: Adventist Health Castle, Hawai‘i Foodbank, Boy Scouts of America – Aloha Council
bbh.org

Bowers + Kubota Consulting

About: For-profit engineering and architecture firm
Employees: 286
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $45,021
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 3,360 / $76,272
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Hawai‘i Foodbank, Adopt-A-Highway, UH Foundation, Hawai‘i Community Foundation – Maui Strong Fund
bowersandkubota.com

C-G

Central Pacific Financial Corp

About: For-profit financial institution; primary subsidiary is Central Pacific Bank
Employees: 737
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,600,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 5,200 / $500,000
cpb.bank

Century 21 iProperties Hawaii

About: For-profit real estate sales
Employees: 4
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $22,051
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i State Senior Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Korean Catholic Community, Hawai‘i HomeOwnership Center, Hope for Dogs Rescue
c21ipropertieshawaii.com

Cetra Technology

About: IT managed services and technology consulting for companies of all sizes
Employees: 31
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $216,000
Top Nonprofit Supported: Parents And Children Together
cetratech.com

The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation

About: Nonprofit private foundation
Employees: 2
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $5,793,700
Top Nonprofits Supported: Saint Louis School, Punahou PUEO Program, Straub Foundation, The Queen’s Medical Center, REHAB Hospital of the Pacific
clarencetcchingfoundation.org

Clinical Labs of Hawaii

About: For-profit medical and clinical laboratory
Employees: 651
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $126,333
Top Nonprofits Supported: Straub Foundation, American Heart Association, Kapiolani Health Foundation, Hilo Medical Center Foundation
clinicallabs.com

Coffman Engineers

About: For-profit engineering and consulting firm
Employees: 88
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $117,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Community Foundation – Maui Strong Fund, American Red Cross of Guam, Hawai‘i Foodbank, Hawaiian Humane Society, Special Olympics Hawai‘i
coffman.com

Coldwell Banker Island Properties

About: For-profit residential real estate, property management, vacation rental management, mortgage title and escrow company
Employees: 178
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $26,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 850 / $20,033
Top Nonprofits Supported: Holualoa Elementary School, Hawaii Island Humane Society, Hawai‘i Diaper Bank, Permanently Affordable Living Hawai‘i
islandproperties.com

Contract Furnishers of Hawaii

About: For-profit MillerKnoll gold-certified dealer providing furnishings to businesses, government, health care and higher education
Employees: 44
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $22,900
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Rotary, Liljestrand Foundation, Ho‘ōla Nā Pua, Women’s Fund of Hawai‘i, World Central Kitchen
op-hawai.com

Corteva Agriscience

About: For-profit agriculture company
Employees: 156
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $90,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 204 / $35,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Foodbank, Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Kaua‘i United Way, Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank
hawaii.corteva.com

Dorvin D. Leis Co.

About: For-profit mechanical contractor
Employees: 500
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $330,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation – Maui firefighting fund, Maui Health Foundation, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Maui Arts & Cultural Center, Navy League of the United States
leisinc.com

Dynamic Planning & Response

About: For-profit, service-disabled, veteran-owned small business
Employees: 50
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $120,054
Top Nonprofits Supported: Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Feeding Hawai‘i Together, Hawaii Prayer Breakfast, CrimeStoppers, Pacific Rim Christian University
dynapnr.com

Finance Factors

About: For-profit company specializing in residential mortgages, CRE loans, savings accounts, certificates of deposit
Employees: 113
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $99,363
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 2,113 / $11,607
Top Nonprofits Supported: Kupu, Child & Family Service, Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i, American Judicature Society, Assets School
financefactors.com

First Hawaiian Bank

Top 10 Corporate Donor, First Place Employee Giving

About: For-profit banking and financial services company
Employees: 2,114
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $7,353,657
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 13,207 / $854,615
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Community Foundation, HomeAid Hawai‘i, Honolulu Museum of Art, Straub Foundation, Youth Impact Program
fhb.com

First Insurance Company of Hawaii

About: For-profit property and casualty insurance company
Employees: 231
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $474,000
Employee Donations: $32,500
Top Nonprofits Supported: American Red Cross, American Heart Association, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, UH Foundation, Mālama Learning Center
ficoh.com

G70

About: For-profit company specializing in architecture, planning and environmental services, interior design, civil engineering, sustainable development, technology services
Employees: 103
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $262,776
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 150 / $2,500
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Waikīkī Community Center, American Red Cross, Honolulu Habitat for Humanity, Ho‘ōla Nā Pua
g70.design

Goodfellow Bros.

About: Heavy civil/paving/ structural concrete company
Employees: 528
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $802,706
Employee Volunteer Hours: 132
Top Nonprofits Supported: Maui United Way, Make-A-Wish Hawaii, Hawaii Habitat for Humanity, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Boy Scouts of America – Aloha Council
goodfellowbros.com

Gourmet Events Hawaii

About: For-profit event management and planning/ hospitality staffing company
Employees: 5
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $25,000
Employee Volunteer Hours: 125
Top Nonprofits Supported: Honolulu Museum of Art, Ballet Hawaii, Habilitat, Girls Got Grit, Sacred Hearts Academy, Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i
gourmeteventshawaii.com

H-I

Halekulani Corp.

About: Owner and operator of a luxury resort and a boutique hotel
Employees: 664
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $115,000
Employee Donations: $25,700
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Community Foundation – Maui Strong Fund, American Red Cross of Hawaii, UH Foundation, Hawai‘i International Film Festival, Aloha United Way
halekulani.com halepuna.com

Harold K. L. Castle Foundation

About: Nonprofit private foundation
Employees: 4
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $7,332,479
Top Nonprofits Supported: UH Foundation, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, HawaiiKidsCAN, Ho‘okua‘āina, Hawai‘i Department of Education
castlefoundation.org

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation

Top 5 Charitable Organization

About: Private, nonprofit charitable foundation
Employees: 70
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $13,091,800
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Good Food Alliance, MA‘O Organic Farms, Hui Mālama i ke Ala ‘Ūlili, HOPE Services Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Investment Ready
hjweinberg.org

Hawai‘i Community Foundation

Top 5 Charitable Organization

About: Nonprofit community foundation
Employees: 83
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $99,100,000
Employee Donations: $24,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: As one of the largest grantmakers in Hawai‘i, HCF supports numerous nonprofits in the state.
hawaiicommunityfoundation.org

Hawaii Dental Service (HDS)

Top 10 Corporate Donor

About: Nonprofit dental benefits provider
Employees: 128
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $2,201,000
Employee Donations: $18,224
Top Nonprofits Supported: HDS Foundation, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Maui United Way, The Salvation Army, American Red Cross
hawaiidentalservice.com

Hawai‘i Foodservice Alliance

Top 10 Corporate Donor

About: For-profit wholesale food-distribution company to all islands and West Coast
Employees: 521
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $3,874,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Foodbank, Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i, Maui fire response
hfahawaii.com

Hawai‘i Gas

About: For-profit gas utility for residential, commercial and industrial customers
Employees: 370
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $300,000
Employee Volunteer Hours: 520
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, American Red Cross, Hawai‘i Agricultural Foundation, Hawai‘i Green Growth, UH Foundation
hawaiigas.com

The Hawaii Group

About: For-profit accounting and tax services, HR outsourcing, health care staffing, home care, consulting and advisory services
Employees: 231
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $35,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 440 / $5,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: AccesSurf, Mālama Maunaloa, Kapi‘olani Community College and UH, Charity Walk, Special Olympics Hawai‘i
thehawaiigroup.com

Hawai‘i Life Real Estate Services

About: For-profit real estate sales, long-term and vacation rentals company
Employees: 62
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $121,285
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Land Trust, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Maui Film Festival
hawaiilife.com

Hawaii Medical Assurance Association

About: Nonprofit health insurance company
Employees: 3
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $152,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival, St. Francis Healthcare Foundation, March of Dimes, Boy Scouts of America – Aloha Council, Alzheimer’s Association
hmaa.com

Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA)

Top 10 Corporate Donor

About: Nonprofit health organization, health insurance
Employees: 1,310
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $3,531,345
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 1,600 / $62,834
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way – ALICE initiative, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, The Food Basket, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, HomeAid Hawaii – Kauhale initiative
hmsa.com

Hawaii State Federal Credit Union

About: Nonprofit credit union
Employees: 369
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $206,881
Employee Volunteer Hours: 370
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Foodbank, Chaminade University, YMCA of Honolulu, Friends of the Library of Hawaii, Hawai‘i HomeOwnership Center
hawaiistatefcu.com

Hawaiian Airlines

About: For-profit commercial airline
Employees: 7,362
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,822,624
Top Nonprofits Supported: Polynesian Voyaging Society, Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi, American Red Cross, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Hawai‘i Foodbank, Maui Food Bank
hawaiianairlines.com

Hawaiian Electric Industries (HEI)

Top 10 Corporate Donor

About: For-profit energy and financial services company
Employees: 3,597
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $4,275,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 20,000 (Figure reflects volunteerism outside the workplace) / $659,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way and United Way branches on Neighbor Islands, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Hawai‘i Executive Collaborative, UH Foundation, Oahu Economic Development Board
hei.com

Hawaiian Host Group

About: For-profit agriculture, manufacturing and consumer goods company
Employees: 480
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $406,008
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Aloha United Way, Hawai‘i Food Bank, Merrie Monarch, Make-AWish Hawaii
hawaiianhostgroup.com

Hawaiian Ocean Adventures

About: For-profit, Hawaiian-owned business offering ocean activities at Disney Aulani and Four Seasons
Employees: 22
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $35,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 40 / $2,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Da Hui Paddle Race, Da Hui Backdoor Shootout, Kahuku Motocross Park, Kawaipuna Foundation
hawaiianoceanadventures.com

Hawaiian Telcom

About: For-profit provider of integrated communications, broadband, data centers and entertainment
Employees: 1,200
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,494,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 5,200 / $277,500
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, American Heart Association, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, KalihiPālama Culture & Arts Society, Palama Settlement
hawaiiantel.com

HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union

About: Nonprofit credit union
Employees: 381
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $484,197
Employee Volunteer Hours: 2,276
Top Nonprofits Supported: Imua Family Services, Alzheimer’s Association, Weed and Seed Hawai‘i, American Cancer Society, Boys & Girls Club – Hale Pono Ewa Beach Clubhouse
hawaiiusafcu.com

Hensel Phelps

About: For-profit general contractor of federal, aviation, health care, hospitality and other projects
Employees: 249
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $58,050
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 156 / $24,150
Top Nonprofits Supported: Special Olympics Hawai‘i, Wounded Warrior Ohana, Child & Family Service, Hawaii Meals on Wheels, Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i
henselphelps.com

Hilton Grand Vacations

About: For-profit vacation ownership company
Employees: 1,780
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $123,494
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 1,768 / $32,509
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association, Hawaii Habitat for Humanity, Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii
hiltongrandvacations.com

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JR Doran Inc. / Ceramic Tile Plus and Exclusively Yours

About: For-profit, family-owned tile, countertop and cabinetry store
Employees: 33
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $50,200
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 700 / $19,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Community Foundation – Maui Strong Fund, Hawaii Animal Rescue Foundation, UH Shidler College of Business, Friends of the Children’s Justice Center, Maui Food Bank; also donates parking lot and water to community groups for car-wash fundraisers
ceramictileplus.com

Kāhala Nui

About: Nonprofit life-plan community
Employees: 207
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $404,111
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 4,213 / $9,212
Top Nonprofits Supported:Alzheimer’s Association – Aloha Chapter, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Hawaii Meals on Wheels, Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, Project Dana
kahalanui.com

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii

Top 10 Corporate Donor

About: Nonprofit integrated health care organization, health plan and medical care
Employees: 2,809
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $2,974,400
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Community Lending, Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui, American Red Cross – Maui disaster relief, Maui Food Bank, The Salvation Army – Maui wildfires
kp.org

Kamehameha Schools

Top 5 Charitable Organizations

About: Private, nonprofit charitable educational trust
Employees: 2,482
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $33,648,584
Employee Donations: $225,676
Top Nonprofits Supported: Chaminade University, Saint Louis School, Whitworth University, Partners in Development Foundation, Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture
ksbe.edu

Kaua‘i Federal Credit Union

About: Nonprofit credit union
Employees: 41
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $35,937
Employee Volunteer Hours: 200
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawaiian Lifeguard Association, Hawaiian Community Assets, Hawai‘i Community Lending, Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank
kauaicreditunion.org

Kawailoa Development

About: For-profit resort and golf course
Employees: 852
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,000,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Community Foundation, UH Foundation, Wilcox Health Foundation, Island School
grandhyattkauai.com

Kilauea Pest Control

About: Full-service termite and general pest-control services company
Employees: 90
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $93,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: The Salvation Army, Child & Family Service, Latter-Day Saint Charities, Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i, Boy Scouts of America – Aloha Council
kilaueapest.com

Kona Brewing Hawaii

About: For-profit craft brewery and pub
Employees: 206
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $219,231
Employee Volunteer Hours: 200
Top Nonprofits Supported: Eddie Aikau Foundation, Ke Kai Ala Foundation, Legacy of Aloha Foundation, Waipā Foundation, Big Dreams Foundation
konabrewinghawaii.com

Kualoa Ranch Hawaii

About: For-profit visitor attraction, cattle ranching, diversified agriculture and real estate company
Employees: 411
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $603,617
Top Nonprofits Supported: Kualoa Ranch Foundation, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Bishop Museum, Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association
kualoa.com

Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts

About: For-profit hotel and resort company
Employees: 3,493
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $594,448
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 4,731 / $300,144
kyoyahotelsandresorts.com

Layton Construction

About: For-profit commercial construction company
Employees: 50
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $24,994
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 1,877 / $55,795
Top Nonprofits Supported: 5 For The Fight, Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, Adopt A Family, Wilcox Health Foundation
laytonconstruction.com

Locations Foundation

About: Nonprofit arm of residential real-estate brokerage
Employees: 105
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $257,718
Employee Volunteer Hours: 1,512
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, Family Programs Hawaii, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Kōkua Hawai‘i Foundation – 3Rs School Program
locationshawaii.com

M-Q

MacNaughton

About: For-profit real-estate development and investment company
Employees: 20
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $248,059
Employee Volunteer Hours: 288
Top Nonprofits Supported: U.S. Vets, Teach For America, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, American Red Cross of Hawaii, Housing Hawai‘i’s Future
macnaughton.com

Matson

Top 10 Corporate Donor

About: For-profit ocean transportation, logistics and supply chain services company
Employees: 2,326
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $8,700,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Maui disaster relief (various nonprofits), Hawai‘i Foodbank, Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Polynesian Voyaging Society
matson.com

Maui Divers of Hawaii

About: For-profit fine jewelry manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer
Employees: 161
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,500,000
mauidivers.com

Maui Ocean Center

About: For-profit aquarium and oceanography center
Employees: 56
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $322,046
Employee Volunteer Hours: 635
Top Nonprofits Supported: Zalul, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Maui 5K, Maui Nui Botanical Gardens
mauioceancenter.com

Merrill Lynch

About: For-profit company specializing in wealth management, retirement plans, institutional consulting, banking
Employees: 115
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $275,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 775 / $30,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Hawai‘i Foodbank, Aloha United Way, Ma‘i Movement Hawai‘i, American Heart Association
local.ml.com/honolulu

The Nakupuna Cos.

Top 10 Corporate Donor

About: Native Hawaiian-owned companies specializing in management consulting, IT, facilities & infrastructure, logistics and environmental services
Employees: 1,035
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $2,171,882
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 355 / $16,141
Top Nonprofits Supported: Pauahi Foundation, Polynesian Voyaging Society, APIA Scholars, Purple Mai‘a, Mālama Loko Ea Foundation
nakupuna.com

Nordic PCL Construction

About: For-profit general contractor
Employees: 250
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $315,619
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 740 / $40,561
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, Kapiolani Health Foundation, UH Foundation, Child & Family Service
nordicpcl.com

Only the Best

About: For-profit clothing manufacturer and retailer
Employees: 246
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $203,000
Employee Volunteer Hours: 120
Top Nonprofits Supported: American Red Cross of Hawaii, Maui Humane Society, Hawaiian Humane Society, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, Kaua‘i Humane Society
crazyshirts.com

Pacific Whale Foundation

About: Nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the ocean through science and advocacy
Employees: 170
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $100,000
Employee Volunteer Hours: 480
Top Nonprofit Supported: Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve
pacificwhale.org

Par Hawaii

About: For-profit company specializing in refining, distribution and marketing of petroleum products and transportation fuels
Employees: 621
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $519,363
Employee Donations: $34,519
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Nature Center, Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association, Kupu
parhawaii.com

Pasha Hawaii

About: For-profit ocean transportation company operating containerized and roll-on/off cargo between Hawai‘i and the U.S. West Coast
Employees: 524
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,668,914
pashahawaii.com

Pleasant Holidays

About: For-profit tour operator, travel services and Hawai‘i destination activities
Employees: 64
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $25,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: American Red Cross – Maui relief, Sustainable Coastlines, Maui United Way, Surfrider – Maui Chapter, Blood Bank of Hawaii
pleasantholidays.com

Prince Resorts Hawaii

About: For-profit owner and operator of three luxury hotels and championship golf courses
Employees: 1,628
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $814,591
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 2,910 / $131,353
Top Nonprofits Supported: The Nature Conservancy in Hawai‘i, Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, Hawai‘i Land Trust – Mahukona, Charity Walk, Legacy Carbon
princeresortshawaii.com

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RevoluSun

About: For-profit company specializing in design and installation of residential and commercial solar energy, energy storage and smart home products
Employees: 186
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $256,291
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 598 / $18,149
Top Nonprofits Supported: Junior Lifeguards, Kuleana Micro-Lending, Aloha Freight Forwarders, Make-A-Wish Hawaii, Rotary Foundation
revolusun.com

SeaWide Express

About: For-profit company specializing in freight transportation between the continental U.S. and Alaska, Hawai‘i and Guam
Employees: 34
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $41,822
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 250 / $14,015
Top Nonprofits Supported: Feed the Children, Susan G. Komen, Children’s Restoration Network, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Syrian American Medical Society Foundation
seawideexpress.com

Servco Pacific

About: For-profit company specializing in automotive distribution and retail, musical instruments, car sharing, venture/ growth capita
Employees: 2,222
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $627,770
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 1,230 / $137,581
Top Nonprofits Supported: Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders, American Heart Association, UH Foundation, Special Olympics Hawai‘i
servco.com

Sheraton Kauai Resort

About: For-profit beachfront resort
Employees: 272
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $283,727
Employee Volunteer Hours / Cash Donations: 1,034 / $1,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Kaua‘i Hospice, Kaua‘i Community College, Kaua‘i United Way, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, YWCA Kaua‘
marriott.com/lihsi

UHA Health Insurance

About: Nonprofit health insurance, workplace wellness solutions company
Employees: 174
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $453,725
Employee Donations: $40,580
Top Nonprofits Supported: March of Dimes, Friends of Hawaii Charities, American Heart Association, American Red Cross of Hawaii, Mālama I Ke Ola Health Center
uhahealth.com

United Airlines

About: For-profit commercial airline
Employees: 1,100
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $535,000
Employee Volunteer Hours: 872
Top Nonprofits Supported: Elemental Excelerator, Hawai‘i Foodbank, Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i, Movers and Shakas
united.com

University of Hawai‘i

About: Nonprofit higher education and research institution
Employees: 8,219
Employee Donations: $195,989
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Hawai‘i Foodbank
hawaii.edu

University of Hawai‘i Federal Credit Union

About: Nonprofit credit union
Employees: 72
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $33,574
Top Nonprofit Supported: Aloha United Way
uhfcu.com

University of Hawai‘i Foundation

Top 5 Charitable Organizations

About: Nonprofit provider of alumni services and fundraising for UH
Employees: 97
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $53,295,251
Top Nonprofits Supported: University of Hawai‘i programs, research and students
uhfoundation.org

Waikiki Health

About: Nonprofit federally qualified health center providing affordable medical and social services
Employees: 185
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $22,782
Top Nonprofits Supported: Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, Honolulu Pride – Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation, Mental Health America of Hawai‘i, Gregory House Programs, Jarrett Middle School
waikikihealth.org

Wells Fargo Advisors

About: Financial services company
Employees: 41
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,080,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: YWCA O‘ahu, Habitat for Humanity, Project Hope, Goodwill Hawaii, Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii
wellsfargoadvisors.com

WestPac Wealth Partners Hawaii

About: For-profit, privately held wealth-management firm
Employees: 295
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $584,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Make-A-Wish Hawaii, Make-AWish Southern Nevada, Hawai‘i Pacific University, Friends of the UH Cancer Center, YMCA
westpacwealth.com

Wet ’n’ Wild Hawaii

About: For-profit water park and amusement center
Employees: 231
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $403,795
Top Nonprofits Supported: HUGS, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, various schools and organizations
wetnwildhawaii.com

Y. Hata & Co.

About: For-profit food service company specializing in wholesale distribution, wholesale store, public warehousing
Employees: 480
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,058,762
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha Harvest, The Salvation Army, UH Foundation, Hawai‘i Restaurant Association, Culinary Institute of the Pacific
yhata.com

Young Brothers

About: For-profit interisland freight transportation company
Employees: 405
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $323,430
Employee Donations: $16,781
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Relay For Life, Hawai‘i Foodbank, Coast Guard Foundation, American Heart Association
youngbrothershawaii.com

Zephyr Insurance

About: For-profit residential hurricane and homeowners insurance company
Employees: 21
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $155,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: American Red Cross, American Heart Association, Hawai‘i Community Foundation – Maui Strong Fund, Maui Humane Society, Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation
zephyrinsurance.com

To view past versions of our Most Charitable Companies list, click here.

If you’d like to receive surveys for this list and others, please contact cynthiaw@hawaiibusiness.com

In the week after the Aug. 8 fire, as Lahaina lay in ruins, questions began circulating at First Hawaiian Bank: Did the safe-deposit boxes and, more importantly, the customers’ belongings inside, survive the fire? And, if they did, could a team get them out and back to customers, some of whom had lost everything else they had?

All the bank’s employees and retirees had been located and were safe, but the Lahaina branch had burned to the ground, along with more than 2,000 other structures. Access to the town was restricted to emergency crews.

While photos of the bank showed only rock pillars and stones remaining, the fate of the vault, where the boxes were kept, was less clear.

“You could see part of the vault wall but not the door,” says Robert Harrison, the bank’s chairman, president and CEO. “We knew everything was gone at that point … but it felt possible that the vault had survived.”

While the optimists were hopeful its contents were intact as well, “the realists were more skeptical,” says Bill Weeshoff, a senior VP and marketing communications division manager at FHB. It seemed far more likely that the fire’s extreme heat would have destroyed the metal boxes and everything inside them.

Before leaving with the safe-deposit boxes, the bank’s extraction team left a lei made with foliage from the First Hawaiian Center in Honolulu at the destroyed Lahaina branch. | Photo: courtesy of First Hawaiian Bank

But the bank had to try. Danielle Yafuso, a senior VP and bank properties manager, began organizing the mission’s complicated logistics. She applied for permission to enter, hired a team of experts to help with the extraction, and organized equipment to be flown and shipped to Maui, including a special forklift designed for moving safe-deposit boxes.

All the pieces came together to enter Lahaina on Friday morning, Sept. 1, as Yafuso traveled to the site with Executive VP Cameron Nekota and four other employees. They were accompanied by the entourage of contractors, a vault specialist, moving company employees and members of the Maui County Police Department.

The scene on the ground was bleak. The shattered remnants of structures surrounded the bank site, now rubble. Federal marshals and ATF agents patrolled the area.

“It was very sobering for all of us … just the gravity of what we saw when we got there,” says Nekota.

Wearing respirators and protective clothing, the extraction team began drilling through the vault’s thick wall to create an entry point. The work continued through the heat of the afternoon, as anxiety rose. The job was far more difficult than anyone had expected.

“It was like watching the (prison escape) movie ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ play out over the course of the day, just because of the nature of what was going on and the fact that we were all on edge being down there,” recalls Nekota.

The O‘ahu team had planned to finish by early afternoon and fly home, but as the sun retreated, some of them booked hotel rooms, while others from the Maui-based crew agreed to return the next day, on Saturday. Two federal marshals stayed at the site overnight.

View the 2023 Most Charitable Companies List here.

“A Bright Spot”

At FHB’s Wailuku branch, after the “mass chaos” of the initial post-fire days, Lisa Tomihama, a senior VP and region manager for Maui, turned her attention to customer outreach.

She and her team repeatedly contacted the 350 clients with safe-deposit boxes in Lahaina, many of whom were staying in shelters and with friends and family members. They gave updates about the recovery effort and tried to alleviate customers’ worries.

But no one really knew what the outcome would be. “There was a lot of anxiety on our part too,” says Tomihama. “The million-dollar question was, what is the condition of the contents?”

On Saturday, Sept. 2, the answer finally arrived: An opening had been cut into the vault’s wall and the bank’s team had stepped inside. The optimists were right. All the safe-deposit boxes were intact, and even many keys hanging from the locks were pristine.

“I thought for sure nothing was going to survive,” says Nekota, who was one of the first to enter the vault. “At that moment – being around all that tragedy and that really apocalyptic situation — to see things preserved in that way … it was a happy emotion in a sea of chaos, and a big relief to know there was something good we could deliver to people who were dealing with so much.”

It wasn’t until after 8 p.m. on Saturday and many trips later – some in Nekota’s rented pickup truck – that the Lahaina vault’s cash, files, equipment and safe-deposit boxes were safely secured in the Wailuku branch’s vault.

On Tuesday morning, Sept. 5, the Wailuku branch opened solely for customers to retrieve their belongings. Locksmiths were on hand to help. It was an unexpectedly cathartic experience for everyone.

“One customer was crying,” says Tomihama. “She had lost her home, and the only thing remaining was the contents of her box. What she was most anxious for was her grandmother’s wedding ring, which she thought had been lost forever.”

Over several days, more people arrived, some traveling from the mainland. They retrieved passports, birth certificates, social security cards, family heirlooms and funds.

The documents, in particular, gave people “a feeling of safety and completeness,” says Harrison. “Your stress level goes down, and there’s so much stress on folks right now.”

Tomihama agrees. “The emotional impact it had on these customers of being united with their precious belongings – to give them a bright spot amidst all the tragedy – they said they’ll never forget this. And I never will either.”

First Hawaiian Bank has worked to find long-term housing for their employees who lost their homes and started an employee emergency cash fund. It set up loan deferrals and forbearances for customers, as well as waivers of banking fees.

The bank donated $250,000 to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund and helped launch the Hawaii Banker’s Association’s Aloha for Maui, a program involving eight local banks that accept monetary donations to help the recovery. By late September, FHB had raised $540,000 through its branch network.

Empty Seats, Full Cargo Holds

In the early hours of Aug. 9, Daniel Chun, Alaska Airlines’ regional VP in Hawai‘i, got an urgent request from Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke’s office: Stop the flow of tourists into Maui. Current visitors would need to be evacuated and arrivals discouraged from coming as hotels filled up with emergency crews and displaced residents.

Alaska Airlines immediately put out notices that people should cancel and reschedule their trips, which most did. But the company maintained its eight daily flights from the continental U.S. to Maui as a way to keep evacuees flowing out and emergency relief supplies flowing in.

“Within the first 24 hours, we had teams in Seattle (Alaska Air’s headquarters) purchase pallets and pallets of supplies from Costco, everything from water and pillows to towels and diapers,” says Chun.

He estimates that 180,000 pounds of relief supplies were flown into Maui during the first three days after the Lahaina fire. To date, he says well over 200,000 pounds of supplies were transported, though “we sort of lost count after a while.”

In addition, several rescue flights to Honolulu were added – the first time Alaska has made inter-island runs. The flights brought visitors fleeing from Maui to Honolulu, then returned with goods from O‘ahu.

Some of those goods were piles of donations left at the state Capitol in an Aug. 11 relief drive organized by Maui’s three state senators, Angus McKelvey, Gilbert Keith-Agaran and Lynn DeCoite. Goods were trucked to the Honolulu Airport, where they were loaded by hand into Alaska’s small planes and flown to Kahului.

“The outpouring of support from the world has been quite overwhelming,” says Chun.

From the Maui airport, supplies from the continental U.S. and O‘ahu traveled on trucks and buses to community hubs in West and Upcountry Maui. Chun joined one caravan, and says people would take only what they needed, saying they wanted to ensure that everyone got a share.

“Our Maui team did a lot of the heavy lifting,” says Chun of the nearly 100 staff on the ground there. He says they even came to the airport on their days off to help distribute water, snacks and bedding to stranded tourists trying to get home.

But as the weeks wore on, concerns mounted about “what the economic hurt was going to be for the island overall,” says Chun. In August, visitor arrivals to Maui fell nearly 58% and spending fell 49%, according to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

“There were people who lost everything in the fires, and now they were at risk of losing their jobs and their businesses,” says Chun. His team partnered with Maui small businesses to disseminate the message that visitors were welcome outside the crisis zones.

The company also set up a program with the nonprofit Kanu Hawaii to distribute 27 million free miles to Maui residents impacted by the wildfires. Chun says the travel miles can cover anything from a mental-health break to a trip to tour colleges. (See kanuhawaii.org to apply). And the company and its employees made a $150,000 donation to the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement.

“We don’t have infinite resources so we need to make sure that we’re investing in the right places,” says Chun. “We want to have the greatest amount of impact and fill the gaps. … This is going to be a very, very long road, and we are committed.”

View the 2023 Most Charitable Companies List here.

Emergency Equipment Arrives by Sea

While cargo areas in Alaska’s planes were packed with critical supplies, Hawai‘i’s largest interisland shipping company, Young Brothers, loaded its barges to Kahului with much larger items, including 20 containers of bottled water and ready-to-eat meals for FEMA, vehicles for Hawaiian Electric Co. and Verizon, a mobile medical unit operated by Kaiser Permanente and a mobile clinic used by Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies.

Those critical supplies and equipment were delivered in the early days of the relief effort. In total, about 110 containers of supplies were incorporated into the four weekly sailings that Young Brothers runs from Honolulu to Maui, which includes a new barge for vehicles.

While some shipments were reimbursed, about $50,000 was transported as in-kind donations, says Chris Martin, VP of operations for Young Brothers. The company also sent extra chassis to Maui so containers of relief supplies could be pulled to Lahaina by trucks.

“Everyone was reaching out to help so we could get critical cargo to Lahaina as quickly as possible,” says Martin. “Even the livestock community was offering their trucking capacity. I’ve been in the tug and barge industry for almost 27 years now, and I’ve never seen this much support.”

While critical needs have slowed, Young Brothers continues to store dozens of containers of donations at its Honolulu and Kahului piers, including items like play sets, beds and clothing. Martin says the company is working with Maui County officials to distribute the items once people are in long-term housing. The company has also loaned chassis to organizations that are storing excess donations.

The result is that the company has run low of containers and chassis. “For something like this, with the need to respond immediately, it can sometimes deplete your inventory of equipment,” he says.

Young Brothers is now trying to secure more containers and chassis, which is part of a $100 million investment in upgrading its fleet. The goal, says Martin, is to continue helping the relief effort by storing goods for future use, while maintaining efficient service to the Neighbor Islands through the busy holiday season.

The company is matching up to $125,000 in donations to the Hawai‘i Foodbank, which supports its counterpart on Maui. Donations can be made at bit.ly/3ETlZme.

Mental Health Concerns

David Tumilowicz, Senior Director of Community Health at Kaiser Permanente, says the organization’s experience with wildfires in California helped it quickly grasp how far-reaching the disaster’s impact would be, and to respond with a multitude of services.

When the Lahaina Clinic was destroyed, Kaiser Permanente contacted patients and switched them to virtual visits or nearby facilities. A team of pharmacists and couriers traveled back and forth to Lahaina to deliver medications and prescription refills – a particular challenge for people with ongoing health conditions who lost their medications.

Kaiser Permanente opened first aid stations in Lahaina and other spots, which were free to the entire community. Giant mobile health clinics, shipped from O‘ahu and California, were set up in Lahaina.

By early October, the mobile clinics had moved to Kā‘anapali, with free shuttle service from Lahaina, and offered first aid, pediatric care, a pharmacy, vaccinations and some ob-gyn services to everyone.

Kaiser Permanente shipped two mobile health clinics from O‘ahu and California to West Maui, where both members and non-members can access free services. | Photo: courtesy of Kaiser Permanente

Providing free services to non-members is “the right thing to do,” says Tumilowicz. “As a nonprofit healthcare system, our mission is to increase access to high-quality health care to everyone.”

A free support line was launched for anyone affected by the wildfires to help them manage stress and build coping skills. In October, free parenting classes were offered to help people deal with the emotional and psychological needs of their children after the tragedy, and free classes were launched on how to heal after loss.

Tumilowicz says the outpouring of support and camaraderie has been strong on Maui, but it’s overlaid with a “heavy feeling” on the island, as people process what’s happened.

“It’s not just as simple as the trauma that people survived. It’s the fact that the entire fabric of the community, the reason why you get up in the morning – your job, your family, your volunteer network – that’s gone. People have lost so much,” he says.

Healthcare professionals on Maui tell him that mental-health needs have spiked. He worries that the resulting stress will create a cascade of other physical ailments, which can linger through people’s lives, and even through generations.

In his role at Kaiser Permanente, Tumilowicz is responsible for awarding grants to community-based organizations working in areas such as affordable housing, food security, education and mental health.

At the start of the emergency, Kaiser Permanente donated more than $1 million in immediate grants and employee contributions to the Hawai‘i branches of the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army, the Maui Food Bank, Maui Health Foundation, Hawai‘i Community Foundation and Maui United Way.

“We are getting as much support as we can via funding, via providers, via technical assistance – whatever it may be – for both the short- and long-term recovery,” Tumilowicz says.

View the 2023 Most Charitable Companies List here.

Jump to a section in the list:
A-C  |  D-G  |  H-I  |  J-L  |  M-R  |  S-Z

Nonprofits help Hawai‘i thrive, but they couldn’t do their crucial work without generous donations of time and money. That’s where Hawai‘i’s private businesses and philanthropic institutions come in, contributing year after year.

The 80 companies and charitable organizations on this year’s Most Charitable Companies list gave nearly $241 million and 73,768 volunteer hours in 2022. The money, time and effort help sustain an array of groups working to improve health care, housing, education, food security and community farming, the environment, animal welfare and other vital areas.

Every summer we survey companies and nonprofits to gather information on the previous year’s cash and in-kind donations, as well as employees’ volunteer hours during work time or through company-sponsored events.

The top five givers on the list this year are all charitable organizations with wide-ranging missions to help Hawai‘i’s people: Hawai‘i Community Foundation, UH Foundation, Kamehameha Schools, Aloha United Way, and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. Two of these givers, the UH Foundation and Aloha United Way, were also top receivers of donations from companies on the list, with 26 naming Aloha United Way or United Way branches on the Neighbor Islands as a primary recipient, and 22 naming the UH Foundation or specific university programs.

Among for-profit companies, First Hawaiian Bank was the top charitable giver in 2022, donating $6.3 million and 11,264 volunteer hours. Rounding out the top five among for-profit companies are Matson, Bank of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Foodservice Alliance and Hawaiian Electric Industries.

Congratulations to these organizations, and all the others on this list, for their generosity and hard work.

Related Story: When Fire Struck Lahaina, Hawai‘i’s Private Sector Rushed in to Help

A-C

AHL

About: For-profit architecture, interior design, planning, sustainability, existing building services and historic architecture firm
Employees: 86
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $238,899
Employee Volunteer Hours: 975
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Child & Family Service, Aloha Tree Alliance
ahl.design

Alaka‘ina Foundation

About: Nonprofit Native Hawaiian organization
Employees: 1,400
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,642,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Pauahi Foundation, UH Foundation, Chaminade University, Alaka‘ina Digital Bus Program
alakainafoundation.org

Alaska Airlines

About: For-profit commercial airline
Employees: 10
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $583,430
Top Nonprofits Supported: travel2change, Kupu Hawaii, Aloha United Way, Kanu Hawaii, ClimbHI
alaskaair.com

Alexander & Baldwin

About: For-profit commercial real estate company
Employees: 107
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $975,000
Employee Volunteer Hours: 572
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Maui United Way, Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra, Kaunoa Senior Services – Nutrition Program, Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae
alexanderbaldwin.com

Aloha Green Holdings

About: For-profit, state-licensed medical cannabis dispensary
Employees: 98
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: : $50,000
Employee Volunteer Hours: 240
Top Nonprofits Supported: AccesSurf, Honolulu Zoo, Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center, Hawai‘i Appleseed, Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation
agapoth.com

Aloha United Way

Top 10 Donor

About: Nonprofit charitable organization
Employees: 48
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $13,368,000
Employee Donations: $30,068
Top Nonprofits Supported: Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, The Institute for Human Services, Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Services, Hawai‘i Foodbank, Waikīkī Community Center
auw.org

AlohaCare

About: Nonprofit health insurance provider
Employees: 268
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,054,127
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 463 / $23,755
Top Nonprofits Supported: Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, Waikiki Health, University Health Partners of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Foodbank, Mālama I Ke Ola Health Center
alohacare.org

American Floor & Home

About: For-profit retail flooring and installation company, with remodeling services
Employees: 140
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $160,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 240 / $63,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Pali Momi Medical Center, The Salvation Army, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, Navian Hawaii
americanfloorandhome.com

American Savings Bank

About: For-profit banking and financial services company
Employees: 1,100
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,462,474
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 12,329 / $212,043
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Child & Family Service, Kapiolani Health Foundation, Kupu Hawaii, Partners in Development Foundation
asbhawaii.com

Most Charitable Spotlight

Photo: courtesy of Kupu Hawaii

Members of the Kupu ‘Āina Corps help the nonprofit Kauluakalana plant kalo at the 25-acre Manu site in Kailua, O‘ahu. It’s the first time the land has been cultivated in more than a century. Since starting up in 2007, Kupu Hawaii participants have logged about 3 million hours of service, planted more than 1.5 million native specimens and removed 151,000 acres of invasive species. The organization has trained about 5,700 young people for jobs in conservation, sustainability, the culinary arts and environmental education. Four companies on this year’s list – Alaska Airlines, American Savings Bank, Finance Factors and Par Hawaii – named Kupu Hawaii as a primary beneficiary of their giving in 2022.

The Art Source

About: For-profit manufacturer and retailer of framed art, cabinets, closet systems; retailer of top slipper brands
Employees: 165
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $45,000
theartsourceinc.com

Atlas Insurance Agency

About: For-profit insurance agency
Employees: 94
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $250,477
Top Nonprofits Supported: PBS Hawai‘i, Parents And Children Together, Hawaii Theatre, Hale Mahaolu, Hale Makua Health Services, Child & Family Service
atlasinsurance.com

Bank of Hawai‘i

Top 10 Donor, Third Place Employee Giving

About: For-profit financial services company
Employees: 2,105
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $3,400,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 6,026 / $577,202
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, American Red Cross of Hawaii, Hawai‘i Foodbank, The Institute for Human Services, UH Foundation
boh.com

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Advantage Realty

About: For-profit real estate company
Employees: 201
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $50,601
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 51 / $10,522
Top Nonprofits Supported: UH Foundation’s Advantage Kokua Scholarship, Alzheimer’s Association, Habilitat, Ho‘ōla Nā Pua, The Salvation Army
betterhawaii.com

Bishop & Company

About: For-profit staffing, executive recruitment company
Employees: 10
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $28,719
Top Nonprofits Supported: Women’s Fund of Hawai‘i, American Red Cross of Hawaii
bishopco.net

Blood Bank of Hawaii

About: Nonprofit sole provider of blood components to Hawai‘i hospitals
Employees: 164
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $61,558
Top Nonprofits Supported: HUGS, Hawai‘i Foodbank, Blood Centers of America Foundation, Adventist Health Castle
bbh.org

Bowers + Kubota Consulting

About: For-profit engineering and architecture company
Employees: 277
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $218,800
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 1,250 / $42,830
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Hawai‘i Foodbank, AdoptA-Highway, UH Foundation, American Public Works Association
bowersandkubota.com

Cades Schutte LLP

About: For-profit law firm
Employees: 155
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $47,700
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 1,188 / $12,997
cades.com

Central Pacific Financial Corp.

About: For-profit financial institution
Employees: 743
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,810,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 6,200 / $430,000
cpb.bank

Century 21 iProperties Hawaii

About: For-profit real estate sales
Employees: 4
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $33,859
Employee Volunteer Hours: 1,040
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawaii State Senior Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Korean Catholic Community, Hawaii HomeOwnership Center, Hope For Dogs Rescue
c21ipropertieshawaii.com

Child & Family Service

About: Nonprofit human services counseling
Employees: 324
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $14,707
Employee Volunteer Hours: 338
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Data Collaborative, Kaua‘i United Way, Maui United Way
childandfamilyservice.org

The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation

Top 10 Donor

About: Nonprofit private foundation
Employees: 2
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $5,790,474
Top Nonprofits Supported: Saint Louis School, Punahou’s PUEO Program, PBS Hawai‘i, St. Francis Healthcare System, REHAB Hospital of the Pacific
clarencetcchingfoundation.org

Clinical Labs of Hawaii

About: For-profit medical and clinical laboratory
Employees: 777
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $130,433
Employee Volunteer Hours: 40
Top Nonprofits Supported: Straub Foundation, American Heart Association, Kapiolani Health Foundation, Hilo Medical Center Foundation
clinicallabs.com

Coconut Condos

About: For-profit vacation rental management company
Employees: 13
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $92,374
Employee Volunteer Hours: 30
Top Nonprofits Supported: Compassion International, Cup of Cold Water Ministries, Maui Food Bank, Kumulani Chapel, Faithfully Restored
coconutcondos.com

This Lahaina-based company was impacted by the wildfires. To support its team members, go to https://bit.ly/45YoPSy.

Contract Furnishers of Hawaii

About: For-profit, Herman Miller-certified dealer providing furnishings to businesses, government, health care and higher education
Employees: 42
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $13,767
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Rotary, UH Foundation, Ho‘ōla Nā Pua, Women’s Fund of Hawai‘i, Diamond Head Theatre
op-hawaii.com

Corteva Agriscience

About: For-profit agriculture company
Employees: 161
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $72,500
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations:  350 / $20,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Foodbank, Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Kaua‘i United Way, Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank
hawaii.corteva.com

D-G

Dorvin D. Leis Co.

About: For-profit mechanical contractor
Employees: 400
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $131,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: American Heart Association, Maui Health Foundation, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, Boy Scouts of America – Aloha Council, GIFT Foundation of Hawaii
leisinc.com

Dynamic Planning & Response

About: For-profit, service-disabled, veteran-owned small business
Employees: 54
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $168,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Feeding Hawai‘i Together, Oahu Veterans Council and Center, Kīnā‘ole Foundation
dynapnr.com

Finance Factors

About: For-profit company specializing in residential mortgages, CRE loans, savings accounts, certificates of deposit
Employees: 113
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $94,150
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations:  2,175 / $11,803
Top Nonprofits Supported: Kupu Hawaii, Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, Girl Scouts of Hawaii, American Judicature Society, Assets School
financefactors.com

First Hawaiian Bank

Top 10 Donor, First Place Employee Giving

About: For-profit banking and financial services company
Employees: 2,093
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $6,341,174
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 11,264 / $932,310
Top Nonprofits Supported: ‘Aha Pūnana Leo, Bishop Museum, Child & Family Service, Kaua‘i Housing Development Corp., The Queen’s Health System
fhb.com

First Insurance Company of Hawaii

About: For-profit property and casualty insurance company
Employees: 244
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $707,274
Employee Donations: $20,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: American Heart Association, Aloha United Way, American Red Cross of Hawaii, UH Foundation, Mālama Learning Center
ficoh.com

Most Charitable Spotlight

Photo: courtesy of Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii

A young participant of the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii’s after-school programs shows the Native Hawaiian cordage techniques she mastered and tested for strength. Every year at the nonprofit’s nine clubhouses on O‘ahu and Kaua‘i, thousands of young people engage in art, activities and sports, while also getting homework help and healthy food. The programs fill the gap between the school day ending and parents returning home – a vulnerable time when many children and teens, particularly those from low-income working families, are left on their own. The nonprofit was named as a primary recipient of charitable giving by Hawaii State Federal Credit Union, Hilton Grand Vacations, Locations, Servco Pacific and Waikiki Health.

G70

About: For-profit architecture, planning and environmental services, interior design, civil engineering, sustainable development and technology services company
Employees: 102
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $363,356
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 151 / $2,500
Top Nonprofits Supported: Waikīkī Community Center, The Salvation Army, Oahu Economic Development Board, YWCA O‘ahu, Hawai‘i Foodbank
g70.design

H-I

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation

Top 10 Donor

About: Private charitable foundation
Employees: 61
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $12,648,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae, Partners in Development Foundation, Hawai‘i Community Lending, The Food Basket, Hui Mālama i ke Ala ‘Ūlili
hjweinberg.org

Hawai‘i Community Foundation

Top 10 Donor

About: Nonprofit community foundation
Employees: 73
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $63,300,000
Employee Donations: $20,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: As one of the largest grantmakers in Hawai‘i, HCF supports numerous nonprofits in the state.
hawaiicommunityfoundation.org

Hawaii Dental Service

About: Nonprofit dental benefits provider
Employees: 131
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,481,954
Employee Donations: $20,315
Top Nonprofits Supported: UH’s John A. Burns School of Medicine, UH Foundation, Hawaii Academy of Science, HDS Foundation, ‘Iolani ‘Āina-Informatics
HawaiiDentalService.com

Hawai‘i Foodservice Alliance

Top 10 Donor

About: For-profit wholesale food distribution and manufacturing company
Employees: 550
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $3,016,580
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Foodbank, Kaua‘i Food Bank, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center’s ‘Elepaio Social Services Program
hfahawaii.com

Hawai‘i Gas

About: For-profit, full-service gas energy company
Employees: 353
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $281,730
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 350 / $30,669
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, American Red Cross of Hawaii, Hawai‘i Agricultural Foundation, Hawai‘i Green Growth, UH Foundation
hawaiigas.com

The Hawaii Group

About: For-profit accounting and tax services, HR outsourcing, health care staffing, home care, consulting and advisory services company
Employees: 167
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $15,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: : 300 / $3,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: AccesSurf, Mālama Maunaloa, Kapi‘olani Community College and UH, Charity Walk, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
thehawaiigroup.com

Hawai‘i Life Real Estate Services

About: For-profit real estate sales, and long-term and vacation rentals company
Employees: 57
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $132,713
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Land Trust, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Maui Film Festival
hawaiilife.com

Hawaii Medical Assurance Association

About: Non-profit health insurance company
Employees: 3
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $179,500
Top Nonprofits Supported: American Heart Association, Alzheimer’s Association, American Diabetes Association, St. Francis Healthcare Foundation, March of Dimes
hmaa.com

Hawaii Medical Service Association

About: Nonprofit health organization, health insurance
Employees: 1,277
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,095,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 1,380 / $143,711
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, UH Foundation, Blood Bank of Hawaii, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, Ohana Pacific Foundation
hmsa.com

Hawaii State Federal Credit Union

About: Nonprofit credit union
Employees: 385
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $136,038
Top Nonprofits Supported: Friends of the Library of Hawaii, GIFT Foundation of Hawaii, Chaminade University, Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, Parents And Children Together, Kapiolani Health Foundation
hawaiistatefcu.com

Most Charitable Spotlight

Photo: Ryann Noelani Coules

More than 200 houseless people live at Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae, a self-organized community near the Wai‘anae harbor. Through fundraising by their nonprofit, Dynamic Community Solutions, the group purchased nearly 20 acres of land in Wai‘anae Valley and is now building permanent dwellings with communal kitchens and bathrooms, surrounded by land for growing food. The Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae Farm Village project was named as a primary recipient of charitable giving by Alexander & Baldwin and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation; the latter gave a $1 million capital grant in 2022. Other recent funders on the Most Charitable list include Cades Schutte, Central Pacific Bank, The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation, G70 and First Hawaiian Bank.

Hawaiian Airlines

About: For-profit commercial airline
Employees: 6,226
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $951,402
Employee Volunteer Hours: 6,795
Top Nonprofits Supported: Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi, KEY Project, Ko‘olau Mountains Watershed Partnership, Friends of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, Hawai‘i Foodbank
hawaiianairlines.com

Hawaiian Electric Industries

Second Place Employee Giving

About: For-profit energy and financial services company
Employees: 3,602
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $3,000,000
Employee Donations: $750,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way and United Way branches on Neighbor Islands, UH Foundation, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Polynesian Voyaging Society
hei.com

Hawaiian Host Group

About: For-profit consumer packaged-goods company
Employees: 335
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $217,800
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Foodbank, Merrie Monarch Festival, Aloha United Way, Hawai‘i Agricultural Foundation, YWCA O‘ahu
hawaiianhostgroup.com

Hawaiian Ocean Adventures

About: For-profit, Hawaiian-owned beach stand and sailing canoe activities company at Disney Aulani and Four Seasons
Employees: 16
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $20,010
Employee Volunteer Hours: 280
Top Nonprofits Supported: Da Hui Paddle Race, Da Hui Backdoor Shootout, Kahuku Motocross Park, Kawaipuna Foundation
hawaiianoceanadventures.com

Hawaiian Telcom

About: For-profit provider of integrated communications, broadband, data center and entertainment
Employees: : 1,200
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,225,217
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 3,256 / $124,751
Top Nonprofits Supported: American Heart Association, Hawaii Island Adult Care, Aloha United Way, Palama Settlement, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i
hawaiiantel.com

HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union

About: Nonprofit credit union
Employees: 380
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $380,355
Employee Volunteer Hours: 1,578
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association’s Kaua‘i Charity Walk, Weed and Seed Hawaii, Alzheimer’s Association, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i’s Lanakila Multi-Purpose Senior Center, Partners in Development Foundation
hawaiiusafcu.com

Hilton Grand Vacations

About: For-profit vacation ownership company
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $202,236
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 1,970 / $32,093
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Habitat for Humanity, Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, Clean the World, Waipā Foundation
hiltongrandvacations.com

J-L

JR Doran Inc. / Ceramic Tile Plus and Exclusively Yours

About: For-profit, family-owned tile, countertop and cabinetry store
Employees: 30
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $50,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawaii Animal Rescue Foundation, Maui Search and Rescue, UH Shidler College of Business, Friends of the Children’s Justice Center, Maui Food Bank; also, donates parking lot and water every Saturday to nonprofits for car-wash fundraisers
ceramictileplus.com

Kāhala Nui

About: Nonprofit life plan community
Employees: 201
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,396,493
Employee Volunteer Hours: 883
Top Nonprofits Supported: Alzheimer’s Association, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Meals on Wheels, Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Services, Project Dana
kahalanui.com

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii

About: Nonprofit integrated health care organization, health plan and medical care
Employees: 2,834
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,915,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 1,707 / $900
Top Nonprofits Supported: Partners In Care, Project Vision Hawai‘i, Hawaiian Community Assets, The Institute for Human Services, Feed the Hunger
kp.org

Kamehameha Schools

Top 10 Donor

About: Private, nonprofit charitable educational trust
Employees:  2,210
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $44,025,436
Employee Donations: $120,730
Top Nonprofits Supported: Ho‘okāko‘o Corp., Chaminade University, UH Foundation, UH System, Partners in Development Foundation
ksbe.edu

Kawailoa Development

About: For-profit resort and golf course
Employees: 891
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $90,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Community Foundation, UH Foundation, Wilcox Health Foundation, Island School
poipubaygolf.com | grandhyattkauai.com

Kilauea Pest Control Inc.

About: For-profit termite and general pest control services company
Employees: 61
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $124,500
Employee Volunteer Hours: 50
Top Nonprofits Supported: The Salvation Army, Child & Family Service, Latter-Day Saint Charities, Girl Scouts of Hawaii, Boy Scouts of America – Aloha Council
kilaueapest.com

Kualoa Ranch Hawaii

About: For-profit visitor attraction, cattle ranching, diversified agriculture and real estate company
Employees: 349
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $372,134
Top Nonprofits Supported: Kualoa Ranch Foundation, UH Foundation, Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawai‘i, KEY Project, Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association
kualoa.com

Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts

About: For-profit hotel and resort company
Employees: 2,495
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $296,980
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 1,653 / $83,400
kyoyahotelsandresorts.com

Layton Construction

About: For-profit commercial construction company
Employees: 62
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $26,416
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 1,939 / $363,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: 5 For The Fight, Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, Adopt A Family, Wilcox Health Foundation
laytonconstruction.com

Locations

About: For-profit real estate sales and services company
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $198,688
Employee Volunteer Hours: 727
Top Nonprofits Supported: Backpack to School, Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, Family Programs Hawaii, Hawaiian Hope, UH Foundation
locationshawaii.com

M-R

MacNaughton

About: For-profit real estate development and investment company
Employees: 20
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $332,186
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 272 / $7,575
Top Nonprofits Supported: U.S. Vets, Teach For America, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, American Red Cross of Hawaii, Housing Hawai‘i’s Future
macnaughton.com

Matson

Top 10 Donor

About: For-profit ocean transportation, logistics and supply chain services company
Employees: 2,362
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $5,900,000
Employee Donations: $202,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Foodbank, United Way (O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, Maui, Kaua‘i, Moloka‘i branches), American Heart Association, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, American Red Cross of Hawaii
matson.com

Maui Divers of Hawaii

About: For-profit fine jewelry manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer
Employees: 160
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $120,000
mauidivers.com

The Nakupuna Companies

About: : For-profit, Native Hawaiian-owned family of companies
Employees: 822
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,825,266
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 197 / $15,471
Top Nonprofits Supported: Pauahi Foundation, Polynesian Voyaging Society, APIA Scholars, Purple Mai‘a Foundation, Mālama Loko Ea Foundation
nakupuna.com

Nordic PCL Construction

About: For-profit general contractor
Employees: 250
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: : $338,602
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 900 / $38,946
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, Kapiolani Health Foundation, UH Foundation, American Heart Association
nordicpcl.com

Only the Best Inc.

About: For-profit clothing manufacturer and retailer
Employees: 200
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: : $107,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 165 / $1,500
Top Nonprofits Supported: Ronald McDonald House Charities, Soles4Souls, American Red Cross of Hawaii, Hawaiian Humane Society, Maui Humane Society
crazyshirts.com

Pacxa

About: For-profit consulting services, cloud services, managed services, value-added resale company
Employees: 95
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $32,900
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: : 88 / $455
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Executive Collaborative, Waipahu Public Library, American Heart Association, Alzheimer’s Association, Navian Hawaii
pacxa.com

Par Hawaii

About: : For-profit refining, distribution and marketing of petroleum products and transportation fuels company
Employees: 607
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $424,567
Employee Donations: $32,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Nature Center, Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association, Kupu Hawaii
parhawaii.com

Pasha Hawaii

About: : For-profit ocean transportation company, operating between Hawai‘i and the U.S. West Coast for containerized and roll-on/ roll-off cargo
Employees: 483
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $700,817
pashahawaii.com

Prince Resorts Hawaii

About: For-profit hotel, hotel management services and golf course company
Employees: 1,290
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,161,361
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 1,368 / $94,928
Top Nonprofits Supported: The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i, Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, Hawai‘i Land Trust – Mahukona, Charity Walk, Hawai‘i Island United Way
princeresortshawaii.com

S-Z

Servco Pacific

About: For-profit company specializing in automotive distribution and retail, musical instruments, car sharing, venture/growth capital
Employees: : 2,210
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $315,203
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 1,852 / $198,578
Top Nonprofits Supported: Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, UH Foundation, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Honolulu Habitat for Humanity, Kaua‘i United Way
servco.com

Symbrosia

About: For-profit, cleantech startup dedicated to reducing livestock methane emissions with Limu kohu
Employees: 26
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: : $14,600
Employee Volunteer Hours: 573
Top Nonprofits Supported: Kua‘āina Ulu ‘Auamo, Hui Ho‘olako for Hawaiian Initiatives, Kupa ‘Āina o Keauhou, Hui Kaloko Honokōhau
ahl.designsymbrosia.co

UHA Health Insurance

About: Nonprofit health insurance, workplace wellness solutions company
Employees: 167
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $660,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Monetary Donations: 34 / $10,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Kapiolani Health Foundation, American Heart Association, American Red Cross of Hawaii, Assets School, Friends of Hawaii Charities
uhahealth.com

United Airlines

About: For-profit commercial airline
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $530,000
Employee Volunteer Hours: 529
Top Nonprofits Supported: Elemental Excelerator, Kanu Hawaii, Girl Scouts of Hawaii, Movers & Shakas
united.com

University of Hawai‘i

About: Nonprofit higher education and research institution
Employees: 8,164
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: See UH Foundation
Employee Volunteer Hours: $214,594
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Hawai‘i Foodbank
hawaii.edu

Most Charitable Spotlight

Photo: courtesy of Hawai’i Foodbank

In 2022, Hawai‘i Foodbank distributed 17.4 million pounds of food on O‘ahu and Kaua‘i, including 4.6 million pounds of fresh produce. On average, the nonprofit helps feed more than 120,000 people a month, many of whom would go hungry without the assistance. Hawai‘i Foodbank says the number of food-insecure people in Hawai‘i is high, with 1 in 6 residents experiencing hunger in the past year, including 1 in 4 keiki. Thirteen donors on the Most Charitable Companies list named Hawai‘i Foodbank as one of their top recipients: Aloha United Way, AlohaCare, Bank of Hawai‘i, Blood Bank of Hawaii, Bowers + Kubota Consulting, Corteva Agriscience, G70, Hawaii Foodservice Alliance, Hawaiian Airlines, Hawaiian Host Group, Matson, University of Hawai‘i and Young Brothers.

University of Hawai‘i Foundation

Top 10 Donor

About: Nonprofit provider of alumni services and fundraising for UH
Employees: 91
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $48,644,881
Top Nonprofits Supported: University of Hawai‘i programs, research and students
uhfoundation.org

Waikiki Health

About: Nonprofit federally qualified health center providing affordable medical and social services
Employees: 197
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $11,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, Honolulu Pride – Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation
waikikihealth.org

Wells Fargo Advisors

About: For-profit financial services company
Employees: 41
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,505,500
Top Nonprofits Supported: YWCA O‘ahu, Habitat for Humanity, The Queen’s Medical Center, Goodwill Hawaii, Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii
wellsfargoadvisors.com

Wet‘n’Wild Hawaii

About: For-profit water park and amusement center
Employees: 422
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $284,700
Top Nonprofits Supported: HUGS, United Cerebral Palsy Association of Hawai‘i, Carole Kai Charities and many schools
wetnwildhawaii.com

Windward Auto Group

About: For-profit new and used car and truck sales, parts and service company
Employees: 130
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $36,904
Employee Donations: $2,272
Top Nonprofits Supported: Kapiolani Health Foundation, special needs children’s programs, Habilitat, Laulima Giving Program, Giving Hope Hawaii, American Heart Association
jerryforthepeople.com

Y. Hata & Co.

About: For-profit food service wholesale distribution, wholesale store, public warehousing company
Employees: 460
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $770,279
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha Harvest, The Salvation Army, UH Foundation, Hawaii Restaurant Association, UH’s Culinary Institute of the Pacific
yhata.com

Young Brothers

About: For-profit interisland freight transportation company
Employees: 383
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $179,915
Employee Donations: $5,500
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Relay For Life, Hawai‘i Foodbank, Coast Guard Foundation
youngbrothershawaii.com

To view past versions of our Most Charitable Companies list, click here.

If you’d like to receive surveys for this list and others, please contact cynthiaw@hawaiibusiness.com

Related Storu: When Fire Struck Lahaina, Hawai‘i’s Private Sector Rushed in to Help

Giving Back is Second Nature in the Aloha State

Aid from the community helps keep people fed, lifts them out of poverty and gives young people a better chance for a brighter future.

Each year, we survey companies and nonprofits to quantify that generosity. This time, 78 reported their figures for 2021: In total, $217.3 million was contributed in cash and in-kind donations, as well as $3.3 million in employee donations and 78,692 volunteer hours.

The dollar figure is more than double the previous year’s, thanks to the inclusion of the state’s largest philanthropic organizations: Hawai‘i Community Foundation, the UH Foundation and Kamehameha Schools.

Each receives hefty amounts of donations and investment dollars, then funnels them back into the community in the form of grants, scholarships and investments. They, along with the Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation, were the top four givers on the 2022 Most Charitable Companies list.

Among for-profit companies, Hawaiian Electric Industries took the top spot with $5 million in cash and in-kind donations, followed by First Hawaiian Bank, Hawaii Dental Service, Matson, Kaiser Permanente and Hawai‘i Foodservice Alliance.

While these top 10 givers played an outsized role, many other generous companies and nonprofits made an impact in strengthening Hawai‘i’s food security, health outcomes, educational opportunities, environment, culture and quality of life.

A-C

AHL

About: For-profit architecture, interior design, planning, sustainability, existing building services and historic preservation firm
Employees: 96
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $78,552
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 2,251 / $78,552
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, HUGS, Ho‘ōla Nā Pua, Child & Family Service, YMCA
ahl.design

Alaka‘ina Foundation

About: Nonprofit Native Hawaiian organization
Employees: 1,200
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations:$1,610,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Pauahi Foundation, UH Foundation, Chaminade University, Alaka‘ina Digital Bus Program
AlakainaFoundation.org

Alan Shintani Inc.

About: For-profit general contracting for historical, federal and residential properties
Employees: 61
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations:$8,069
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 180/ $2,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Alexander & Olivia Foundation, Hawai‘i Foodbank, HUGS
Alan-Shintani.com

Alaska Airlines

About: For-profit commercial airline
Employees (Hawai’i): 10
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $250,105
Top Nonprofits Supported: travel2change, American Red Cross – Hawai‘i, Aloha United Way, Kanu Hawaii, ClimbHI
AlaskaAir.com

Alexander & Baldwin Inc.

About: For-profit commercial real estate owner, operator and manager
Employees: 611
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $977,000
AlexanderBaldwin.com

Aloha Green Holdings Inc.

About: For-profit state-licensed medical cannabis dispensary
Employees: 100
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $106,000
Employee Volunteer Hours: 260
Top Nonprofits Supported: AccesSurf, Honolulu Zoo, Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center, Hawai‘i Appleseed, Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation
Agapoth.com

AlohaCare

About: Nonprofit health insurance provider
Employees: 249
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $827,835
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 216 / $31,889
Top Nonprofits Supported:Hawai‘i Primary Care Association – Patient-Centered Medical Homes, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, March of Dimes, AHARO Hawaii, Kōkua Kalihi Valley

AlohaCare’s Francoise Culley Trotman, left, with Sunny Chen of Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition and the Mana Mama Mobile Clinic funded by AlohaCare.

Funding Community Health Initiatives

As a health care plan dedicated to Medicaid and Medicare recipients, AlohaCare is invested in bolstering community health and the safety net.

That means funding community-based initiatives. Imua Loa, a onestop site for sharing information about AlohaCare’s grants, scholarships and sponsorships, will make it easier.

“There are so many organizations that have a lot to offer but may not have all the resources needed to implement their idea,” says CEO Francoise Culley-Trotman.

AlohaCare funds a range of projects, including a tobacco cessation program on Moloka‘i organized with the local American Lung Association, and the Wai‘anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center’s ‘Ewa clinic, for which it provided $75,000 for a telehealth specialist.

Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawai‘i was awarded $35,000 to retrofit a former 22-foot tourism van into the Mana Mama Mobile Clinic. The clinic reaches vulnerable populations for prenatal and postpartum visits, infant checks and other vital services.

“Our goal is to reduce health disparities and contribute to health equity across populations, generations and geography,” says Culley-Trotman.

AlohaCare.org

American Floor & Home

About: For-profit retail flooring and installation company, with remodeling services
Employees: 140
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $66,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 200 / $30,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, The Salvation Army, Women Speaking Out, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, New Hope
AmericanFloorAndHome.com 

American Savings Bank

About: For-profit banking and financial services company
Employees: 1,117
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,505,278
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 13,176 / $210,708
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Child & Family Service, Kapiolani Health Foundation, Kupu, Partners in Development Foundation
ASBHawaii.com

Aqua Engineers Inc.

About: For-profit water and wastewater operations and maintenance, engineering services, construction management, financial services and energy
Employees: 88
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $26,286
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Foodbank and other food banks; American Cancer Society; ESOP Association; school, community and Chamber of Commerce events across the state
AquaEngineers.com

Atlas Insurance Agency

About: For-profit insurance agency
Employees: 95
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $267,527
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawaii Theatre, PBS Hawai‘i, Parents And Children Together, Hale Makua Health Services, American Heart Association, Child & Family Service
AtlasInsurance.com

Bank of Hawaii Corp.

About: For-profit banking and financial services company
Employees: 2,000
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $2,077,414
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations:8,056 / $564,739
Top Nonprofits Supported: American Heart Association, Goodwill Hawaii, Kapiolani Health Foundation, Project Vision, UH Foundation
BOH.com

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Advantage Realty

About: For-profit real estate company
Employees: 202
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $38,177
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 74 / $10,192
Top Nonprofits Supported: UH Foundation – Advantage Kokua Scholarship, Alzheimer’s Association, American Heart Association, Helping Hands Hawai‘i, Ho‘ōla Nā Pua
BetterHawaii.com

Blood Bank of Hawaii

About: Nonprofit sole provider of blood components to Hawai‘i hospitals
Employees: 114
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $56,206
Top Nonprofits Supported: American Heart Association, The Queen’s Health Systems, Hawaii Foodbank, Special Olympics Hawai‘i
BBH.org

Bowers + Kubota Consulting Inc.

About: For-profit engineering and architecture firm
Employees: 282
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $75,788
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 1,200 / $62,111
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Adopt-aHighway, UH Foundation, Filipino Community Center, March of Dimes
BowersandKubota.com

Central Pacific Financial Corp.

About: For-profit financial institution
Employees: 755
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $2,130,394
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 5,688 / $487,524
CPB.Bank

Century 21 iProperties Hawaii

About: For-profit real estate sales
Employees: 4
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $75,215
Employee Volunteer Hours: 2,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Make-A-Wish Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawai‘i, The Pantry, Mō‘ili‘ili Hongwanji, Hawai‘i HomeOwnership Center
C21iPropertiesHawaii.com

Child & Family Service

About: Nonprofit human services counseling
Employees: 250
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 169 / $19,727
Top Nonprofits Supported: Child & Family Service, Kaua‘i United Way, Maui United Way
ChildandFamilyService.org

The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation

About: Nonprofit private foundation
Employees: 2
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $5,778,333
Top Nonprofits Supported: Saint Louis School, Punahou PUEO Program, PBS Hawai‘i, UH Foundation, REHAB Hospital of the Pacific
ClarenceTCChingFoundation.org

Clinical Labs of Hawaii

About: For-profit medical and clinical laboratory
Employees: 839
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $58,200
Employee Volunteer Hours: 70
Top Nonprofits Supported: UH Foundation, Kapiolani Health Foundation, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Hilo Medical Center Foundation
ClinicalLabs.com

Coconut Condos

About: For-profit vacation rental management company
Employees: 11
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $33,178
Top Nonprofits Supported: Compassion International, Cup of Cold Water Ministries, Ka Hale A Ke Ola, Maui Food Bank, Kumulani Chapel
CoconutCondos.com

Contract Furnishers of Hawaii Inc. (dba Office Pavilion)

About: For-profit, Herman Miller-certified dealer providing contract furnishings to businesses, government, health care and higher education
Employees: 41
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $16,107
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 270 / $17,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Rotary Club, UH Foundation, Ho‘ōla Nā Pua, Women’s Fund of Hawai‘i, Diamond Head Theatre
OP-Hawaii.com

Corteva Agriscience

About: For-profit agriculture company
Employees: 161
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $87,500
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 225 / $20,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawaii Foodbank, Kaua‘i Economic Development Board, Agriculture Leadership Foundation of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, Kauai United Way
hawaii.corteva.com

D-G

Dorvin D. Leis Co. Inc.

About: For-profit mechanical contractor
Employees: 525
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $191,836
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 500 / $13,401
Top Nonprofits Supported: Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children, Girl Scouts STEM Project, Habitat for Humanity, Child & Family Service, American Heart Association
LeisInc.com

Finance Factors Ltd.

About: For-profit company specializing in residential mortgages, CRE loans, savings accounts and certificates of deposit
Employees: 119
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $99,103
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 1,265 / $9,703
Top Nonprofits Supported: Kupu, Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i, American Judicature Society, Assets School
FinanceFactors.com

First Hawaiian Bank

About: For-profit banking and financial services company
Employees: 2,063
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $4,753,523
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 8,182 / $910,225
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aha Pūnana Leo, Bishop Museum, Child & Family Service, Kaua‘i Housing Development Corporation, The Queen’s Health Systems
FHB.com

First Insurance Co. of Hawaii Ltd.

About: For-profit company specializing in property and casualty insurance
Employees: 280
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $703,550
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 900 / $41,400
Top Nonprofits Supported: American Heart Association, Aloha United Way, American Red Cross, UH Foundation, Hawai‘i Public Radio
FICOH.com

G70

About: For-profit architecture, planning and environmental services, interior design, civil engineering, sustainable development and technology services firm
Employees: 101
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $145,153
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 2,920 / $2,500
Top Nonprofits Supported: Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae, Hawaii Foodbank, Ulu A‘e Learning Center, Kāpili Like, Hawai‘i State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
G70.Design

H-K

Hawai‘i Community Foundation

About: Nonprofit community foundation
Employees: 68
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $85,400,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: One of the state’s largest grant-makers, the foundation supports numerous nonprofits
HawaiiCommunityFoundation.org

Hawaii Dental Service(HDS)

About: Nonprofit dental benefits provider
Employees: 128
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $4,749,950
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 87 / $12,323
Top Nonprofits Supported: UH’s John A. Burns School of Medicine, UH Foundation, Hawaii Academy of Science, Hawai‘i Foodbank, ‘Iolani ‘Āina-Informatics
HawaiiDentalService.com

Hawaiʻi Foodservice Alliance LLC

About: For-profit wholesale food distribution and manufacturing company
Employees: 530
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $2,745,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawaii Foodbank (O‘ahu and Kaua‘i), The Food Basket (Hawai‘i Island), Maui Food Bank, March of Dimes, Ho‘ōla Nā Pua

Helping to feed Hawai’i

HFA donated a truck to the Food Basket on Hawai‘i Island in 2021.

The Hawai‘i Foodservice Alliance doesn’t just warehouse and distribute perishable foods to stores. The company also pulls products near the end of their shelf life and donates them to Hawai‘i Foodbank on O‘ahu and Kaua‘i, the Food Basket on Hawai‘i Island and Maui Food Bank. Most items are bread, milk and eggs.

“The program began when we were a startup and has grown to millions of dollars annually in donated food to those in need,” says HFA owner and CEO Chad Buck.

At the start of the pandemic, Buck says, HFA led the first mass food distribution event at Ala Moana Center. Buck says the cars stretched for two miles. Afterward, Hawai‘i Foodbank asked HFA to be the distributor for events through 2021.

HFA also partnered with Kaukau 4 Keiki, a USDA child nutrition program devoted to feeding kids during summer break. The company donated logistics and trucking to help distribute food across the Islands.

And employees are included in the company’s largess. Every week, HFA staff can take home two gallons of milk, two loaves of bread and two dozen eggs.

HFAHawaii.com

The Hawaii Group

About: For-profit outsourcing services, accounting and tax services, health care staffing, home care, consulting and advisory services
Employees: 162
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $22,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 362 / $1,500
Top Nonprofits Supported: AccesSurf, Mālama Maunalua, Kapi‘olani Community College and UH, Charity Walk, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
TheHawaiiGroup.com

Hawai‘i Life Real Estate Services LLC

About: For-profit real estate sales, long-term and vacation rentals
Employees: 42
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $153,261
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Land Trust, Hawai‘i Community Foundation
HawaiiLife.com

Hawaii Medical Assurance Association (HMAA)

About: Nonprofit health insurance
Employees: 3
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $155,475
Top Nonprofits Supported: American Heart Association, Alzheimer’s Association, American Diabetes Association, Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i, March of Dimes
HMAA.com

Hawaii Medical Service Association

About: Nonprofit health organization, health insurance
Employees: 1,564
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,694,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 1420 / $164,656
Top Nonprofits Supported: UH Foundation and UHERO, Hawai‘i Cancer Consortium, Aloha United Way, American Heart Association, Hawai‘i Community Foundation
HMSA.com

Hawaii State Federal Credit Union

About: Nonprofit credit union
Employees: 379
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $172,840
Top Nonprofits Supported: American Heart Association, Friends of the Library of Hawai‘i, Hawaii Foodbank, Aloha United Way
HawaiiStateFCU.com

Hawaii Water Service

About: For-profit water and wastewater utility
Employees: 50
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $13,350
Employee Volunteer Hours: 176
Top Nonprofits Supported: Waikōloa Dry Forest Initiative, Friends Of Pu‘u Nui Park, The Food Basket, Maui Food Bank, Hawaii Island Humane Society
HawaiiWaterService.com

Hawaiian Airlines

About: For-profit airline
Employees: 5,667
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $302,000
Employee Volunteer Hours: 3,097
Top Nonprofits Supported:The Maui Farm, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, American Heart Association, UH Shidler College of Business, Ke Kula ‘o Samuel M. Kamakau Laboratory Public Charter School (Kai Loa Inc.)
HawaiianAirlines.com

Hawaiian Electric Industries

About: For-profit energy and financial services company
Employees: 3,597
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $5,000,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, United Way – Neighbor Islands, UH Foundation, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Trust for Public Land
HEI.com

Hawaiian Host Group

About: For-profit consumer packaged goods company
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $57,246
Employee Donations:$5,000
HawaiianHostGroup.com

Hawaiian Telcom

About: For-profit provider of integrated communications, broadband, data center and entertainment
Employees: 1,100
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,660,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 935 / $85,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Island Adult Care, Hawaii Theatre Center, Aloha United Way, American Heart Association, Friends of Hawai‘i Robotics

Hawaiian Telcom employees host an e-waste recycling drive on O‘ahu

Volunteerism is Encouraged and Compensated

Hawaiian Telcom’s Mālama Hours program lets full-time employees spend 40 work hours each year doing volunteer activities.

Not only is it good for the community, says Senior Manager Ann Nishida, but it’s also a powerful retention tool: People get to choose the activities they want to support and do them on regular workdays.

In addition, the company hosts an annual Day in the Community. Held during the workweek, employees sign up for a planned activity, such as cleaning beaches, sorting and packing meals for delivery, or caring for animals.

To support education and digital equity, Hawaiian Telcom donates high-speed internet to schools and organizations. In 2021, the company brought access to the public charter school DreamHouse ‘Ewa Beach. This year, it donated upgrades to ‘Iolani Palace, enabling it to livestream educational webinars.

Hawaiian Telcom also partnered with Windward Community College to offer six-week paid internships to Native Hawaiian students in information security, network engineering, data center management and other areas.

HawaiianTel.com

HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union

About: Nonprofit credit union
Employees: 389
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $384,809
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 410 / $2,333
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association’s Kaua‘i Charity Walk, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i’s Lanakila MultiPurpose Senior Center, Maui Chamber of Commerce’s Made in Maui County Festival, Hawai‘i HomeOwnership Center, Hawai‘i Department of Education
HawaiiUSAFCU.com

Hensel Phelps

About: For-profit general contractor
Employees: 214
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $75,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 500 / $6,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Helping Hands Hawai‘i, Wounded Warrior Ohana, Child & Family Service, Kuleana Community Foundation, Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i
HenselPhelps.com

Infinium Interiors LLC

About: For-profit contract office furniture and interior design/space planning firm
Employees: 22
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $7,701
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 200 / $10,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawai‘i, Make-A-Wish Foundation, University Laboratory Charter School, Aloha United Way, Lanakila Pacific, UH Shidler College of Business
Infinium-Interiors.com

JR Doran Inc. / Ceramic Tile Plus and Exclusively Yours

About: For-profit, family owned tile, countertop and cabinetry store
Employees: 30
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $40,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 300 / $500
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawaii Animal Rescue Foundation, Maui Search and Rescue, UH Shidler College of Business, Friends of the Children’s Justice Center, Maui Food Bank; also, donates parking lot and water every Saturday to nonprofits for car wash fundraisers.
CeramicTilePlus.com

Kahala Nui

About: Nonprofit life plan community
Employees: 249
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $771,700
Top Nonprofits Supported: Alzheimer’s Association – Aloha Chapter, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Meals on Wheels, Kōkua Kalihi Valley, Project Dana
KahalaNui.com

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii

About: Nonprofit integrated health care organization, health plan and medical care
Employees: 2,749
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $3,800,000
Employee Volunteer Hours: 5,439
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, Filipino Community Center, Project Vision, Papa Ola Lokahi, American Heart Association
KP.org

Kamehameha Schools

About: Private, nonprofit charitable educational trust
Employees: 3,203
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $34,201,641
Top Nonprofits Supported: Chaminade University of Honolulu, University of Hawai‘i, Ho‘okāko‘o Corporation, Saint Louis School, Partners in Development Foundation
KSBE.edu

Kualoa Ranch Hawaii Inc

About: For-profit visitor attraction, cattle ranching, diversified agriculture and real estate
Employees: 270
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $172,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Kualoa Ranch Foundation, UH Foundation, Ho‘ōla Nā Pua, Hawaii Rangeland Stewardship Foundation, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

Kualoa Ranch donated the use of land for K‘a‘a‘awa Elementary’s garden project.

Preserving the Land for Future Generations

The success of Kualoa Ranch’s 4,000-acre tourism, farming and cattle operation depends on being good stewards of the land.

“We know that we are just temporary custodians of our land, and we know that we must care for it and help our local communities so the next generations will thrive,” says President John Morgan, a sixth-generation member of the family-owned company.

In 2021, the ranch removed more than 400 invasive albizia trees and 900 mule’s foot ferns from the vast property, planted 2,739 native plants and maintained a greenhouse with 3,000 native plants.

More than 4,000 pounds of ranch-grown produce and meat were donated to community and animal rescue groups, and 60,000 bottles were recycled to help fund college scholarships.

Kualoa Ranch’s education efforts go deeper as well, as it hosts thousands of students each year and partners with select schools. For example, a plot of land was donated to Ka‘a‘awa Elementary School to use for its farm program.

The ranch also donates its facilities to the Hawai‘i High School Rodeo Association and other organizations.

In addition to the ranch’s efforts, the Kualoa Ranch Foundation operates as a separate entity devoted solely to charitable giving.

Kualoa.com

Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts, LP

About: For-profit hotels and resorts
Employees: 1,225
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $181,460
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 1,203 / $34,856
KyoyaHotelsAndResorts.com

L-P

Lili‘uokalani Trust

About: Nonprofit private foundation
Employees: 158
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $181,500
Top Nonprofits Supported: Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, Bishop Museum, Hawaii Pono‘ī Coalition, Kealakai Center for Pacific Strings, Lunalilo Home
ONIPAA.org

Locations

About: For-profit real estate sales and services
Employees: 120
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $265,000
Employee Volunteer Hours: 250
Top Nonprofits Supported: Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, HUGS, Hawaiian Hope, Family Programs Hawaii, Weed and Seed Hawaii
LocationsHawaii.com

MacNaughton

About: For-profit real estate development and investment company
Employees: 18
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $296,120
Employee Volunteer Hours: 300
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Community Foundation, U.S. Vets, KalihiPalama Health Center, Kupu, Hale Kipa
MacNaughton.com

Matson Inc

About: For-profit ocean transportation, logistics and supply chain services company
Employees: 2,441
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $4,017,000
Employee Donations: $182,800
Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawaii Foodbank, United Way (O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, Maui, Kaua‘i, Moloka‘i chapters), American Heart Association, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, American Red Cross
Matson.com

Maui Divers Jewelry

About: For-profit fine jewelry manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer
Employees: 180
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $25,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Black coral sustainability research, Hawaii Foodbank, Water Inspired, Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, Bishop Museum
MauiDivers.com

McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon LLP

About: For-profit legal services firm
Employees: 86
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $360,000
Employee Donations: $65,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: UH’s William S. Richardson School of Law, St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii, UH’s John A. Burns School of Medicine, American Red Cross, Maryknoll School, Kidney Foundation
M4Law.com

Na Ali‘i Consulting & Sales LLC

About: For-profit Native Hawaiian organization specializing in IT for federal agencies
Employees: 275
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $199,629
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 10,502 / $3,374
Top Nonprofits Supported: Purple Mai‘a Foundation, Polynesian Voyaging Society, Hawaiian Hope, Wish for Wheels, APIA Scholars
NaKupuna.com

Nan Inc.

About: For-profit general construction company
Employees: 1,026
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $156,600
Top Nonprofits Supported: Make-A-Wish Foundation, UH College of Engineering Scholarship Fund, Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, Distinguished Young Women, Residential Youth Services & Empowerment (RYSE), Palama Settlement
NanHawaii.com

Nordic PCL Construction Inc.

About: For-profit general contractor
Employees: 250
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $222,238
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 3,500 / $35,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Child & Family Service, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, Habitat for Humanity – Honolulu, American Heart Association
NordicPCL.com

Pacxa

About: For-profit consulting services, cloud services, managed services, value added resale
Employees: 80
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $27,000
Employee Donations: $250
Top Nonprofits Supported: American Heart Association, Hawai‘i Executive Collaborative, Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children, Grove Farm Foundation, Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i
Pacxa.com

Pasha Hawaii

About: For-profit ocean transportation between Hawai‘i and the U.S. West Coast for containerized and roll-on/off cargo
Employees: 473
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $498,140
PashaHawaii.com

Pflueger Inc.

About: For-profit new and used Honda automobile sales, leasing, parts and service
Employees: 99
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $152,584
Employee Volunteer Hours: 24
Top Nonprofits Supported: Ka Lahui Kai, Compassion International, Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawai‘i, AccesSurf
PACHONDA.com

S-Z

Servco Pacific Inc.

About: For-profit company specializing in automotive, musical instruments and e-learning, car sharing, venture and growth capital
Employees: 2,121
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $290,295
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 1,800 / $138,547
Top Nonprofits Supported: American Heart Association, Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders, Palama Settlement, Family Programs Hawaii
Servco.com

Swinerton

About: For-profit general contractor
Employees: 84
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $100,000
Employee Volunteer Hours: 150
Top Nonprofits Supported: Kapiolani Health Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, Habitat for Humanity – Honolulu and Leeward, Child & Family Service, GIFT Foundation of Hawaii
Swinerton.com

Symbrosia

About: For-profit clean technology startup reducing livestock methane emissions with seaweed
Employees: 14
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $10,500
Employee Volunteer Hours: 128
Top Nonprofits Supported: Kua‘āina Ulu ‘Auamo, Hui Ho‘olako for Hawaiian Initiatives
Symbrosia.co

UHA Health Insurance (University Health Alliance)

About: Nonprofit health insurance, workplace wellness solutions
Employees: 163
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,517,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 165 / $2,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: UH’s John A. Burns School of Medicine, Kapi‘olani Medical Center’s Sex Abuse Treatment Center, March of Dimes, American Heart Association, Hawai‘i Community Foundation
UHAHealth.com

United Airlines

About: For-profit commercial airline
Employees: 1,287
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $352,000
Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 186 / $3,821
Top Nonprofits Supported: Conservation International, Elemental Excelerator, Kanu Hawaii, Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i
United.com

University of Hawai‘i Foundation

About: Nonprofit provider of alumni services and fundraising for UH
Employees: 90
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $43,995,000
Top Causes Supported: UH programs, research and students

Here are the first six students in the Kaua‘i Medical Training Track, which is funded by a $10 million gift from Dr. Priscilla Chan and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Expanding Access to Education

Last fiscal year, the UH Foundation set a record for new cash gifts and commitments: $165 million, up 65% from the previous year. Many of the donations were from companies on the Most Charitable list that named UH and the UH Foundation as the top recipient in their charitable giving.

Among a total of 22,436 gifts were:

• $50 million for ocean research.
• $1 million from HMSA to UHERO.
• $3.7 million for the Residences for Innovative Student Entrepreneurs, opening in 2023.
• The first scholarships for LGBTQ+ students.
• Medical school scholarships from Hawai‘i Pacific Health, Kaiser Permanente, and Dr. Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg.

The latter donated $10 million for the Kaua‘i Medical Training Track, which pays tuition, housing and transportation for six John A. Burns School of Medicine students with ties to the island and an interest in rural health.

“A strong public university is the key to a vibrant future,” says Tim Dolan, the foundation’s CEO. “We are honored to partner with people who want to directly invest in the health and wellness of Hawai‘i’s people.”

UHFoundation.org

Waikiki Health

About: Nonprofit, 501(c)(3) Federally Qualified Health Center
Employees: 204
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $16,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, Honolulu Pride – Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation
WaikikiHealth.org

Windward Auto Group LLC

About: For-profit new and used car and truck sales, parts and service
Employees: 97
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $14,100
Employee Donations: $3,562
Top Nonprofits Supported: Susan G. Komen, Kapiolani Health Foundation, special needs children’s programs, Habilitat, Laulima Giving Program
JerryForThePeople.com

Y. Hata & Co. Ltd.

About: For-profit food service wholesale distribution, cash-and-carry wholesale store, public warehousing
Employees: 390
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $758,000
Top Nonprofits Supported: Always Dream Foundation, Aloha Harvest, The Salvation Army, Habilitat
YHATA.com

Young Brothers LLC

About: For-profit inter-island freight transportation company
Employees: 397
Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $23,500
Employee Donations: $16,479
Top Nonprofits Supported:Aloha United Way, American Cancer Society – Relay For Life
YoungBrothersHawaii.com

To view past versions of our Most Charitable Companies list, click here.

If you’d like to receive surveys for this list and others, please contact cynthiaw@hawaiibusiness.com

Hawai‘i is a generous place, even in challenging times.

Whether it’s funding scholarships for at-risk students or organizing a food drive, you can count on many local companies to step up.

The Most Charitable Companies list is a way to recognize the people and initiatives that make Hawai‘i a better place. To compile the list, we surveyed companies in July and August to quantify their 2020 financial donations, as well as volunteer hours at work or through company-sponsored events.

In the past, organizations were ranked by how much they gave. But that feels like the wrong approach, particularly in a pandemic year. So we’re removing the competitive element of ranking to focus on the celebration.

Here’s to 51 organizations that gave people a hand up in 2020, and those that made an impact across multiple sectors, including food security, health, education, housing, and arts and culture.

A-C

AHL

About: For-profit architecture, interior design, planning, sustainability and historic architecture firm

Employees: 104

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $93,558

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 696 / $7,000

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, HUGS, Ho‘ōla Nā Pua, Child & Family Service, YMCA

Groundbreaking at Pearl Haven on O‘ahu.

The Gift of Time and Expertise. In 2006, AHL joined the national Pledge 1% campaign and committed to donate a valuable resource: its architectural services. First up was the renovation of the Salvation Army Family Treatment Services Facility in Mānoa, a project that took more than 3,200 hours.

Since then, the firm has completed 18 projects, including a renovation of the Aloha United Way headquarters and the design and construction of a rain pavilion for the Hawai‘i Nature Center.

Most recently, AHL led the design team for Pearl Haven, the state’s first residential treatment program for exploited and trafficked girls. All told, the project took more than 4,096 hours and involved 36 staff members.

ahl.design

Alaka‘ina Foundation

About: Nonprofit Native Hawaiian organization

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1.5 million

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Pauahi Foundation, UH Foundation, Chaminade University, Alaka‘ina Digital Bus Program

Teacher Dav Yuan and the Maui “digital bus.”

Bringing Hands-On Science to Undeserved Students. The Alaka‘ina Foundation is a suite of companies specializing in procurement services for the federal defense sector. The foundation is a strong supporter of K-12 STEM education in Hawai‘i, including mobile science labs.

The foundation says its “digital buses” travel to public schools on Maui and Moloka‘i to help make science come alive for students. One popular excursion is collecting soil and water samples, examining them under microscopes and capturing the data in graphs. Other projects include studying Hawai‘i’s wetlands, sharks, marine debris and microbiology.

Each year, the program reaches thousands of students, giving them access to tools such as microscopes and drones. Alaka‘ina Foundation VP and Executive Director Kimo Bacon says that seeing “the look of joy and happiness on the faces of the students who get to use our equipment” is the most rewarding part of the program.

AlakainaFoundation.org

Alaska Airlines

About: For-profit commercial airline

Employees: 10

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $389,600

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Make-A-Wish Hawaii, American Heart Association, Aloha United Way, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation

AlaskaAir.com

Alexander & Baldwin Inc.

About: For-profit commercial real estate owner, operator and manager

Employees: 618

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $950,000

AlexanderBaldwin.com

Aloha Green Holdings Inc.

About: For-profit state-licensed medical cannabis dispensary

Employees: 72

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $950,000

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: AccesSurf, Honolulu Zoo, Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center, Hawai‘i Appleseed, Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation

Agapoth.com

American Floor & Home

About: For-profit retail flooring/remodeling company

Employees: 130

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $126,000

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 120 / $55,000

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, The Salvation Army, Women Speaking Out, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, New Hope

AmericanFloorAndHome.com 

American Savings Bank

About: For-profit banking and financial services company

Employees: 1,089

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,304,073

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 23,420 / $179,316

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Child & Family Service, Kapiolani Health Foundation, Kupu, Partners in Development Foundation

ASBHawaii.com

Bank of Hawaii Corp.

About: For-profit banking and financial services company

Employees: 2,022

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $5,563,082

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 5,832 / $124,944

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Community Foundation, UH, Hawaii Hospital Education and Research Foundation, PBS Hawai‘i, Mental Health America of Hawai‘i

BOH.com

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate / Advantage Realty

About: For-profit real estate company

Employees: 192

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $11,860

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 190 / $2,723

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Advantage Kokua Scholarship (UH Foundation), Hawaii Foodbank, American Heart Association, Boys & Girls Club of Maui, Helping Hands Hawai‘i

BetterHawaii.com

Blood Bank of Hawaii

About: Nonprofit sole provider of blood components to Hawai‘i hospitals

Employees: 120

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $12,500

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 190 / $2,723

Top Nonprofits Supported: American Heart Association, The Queen’s Health Systems

BBH.org

Bowers + Kubota Consulting Inc.

About: For-profit engineering and architecture firm

Employees: 280

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $80,200

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 1,520 / $83,471

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Adopt-a-Highway, Kahauiki Village, Hawaii Foodbank, Helping Hands Hawai‘i

BowersandKubota.com

Central Pacific Financial Corp.

About: For-profit bank holding company

Employees: 830

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,813,345

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 6,643 / $428,427

CPB.Bank

Child & Family Service

About: Nonprofit organization focused on human services counseling

Employees: 281

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $30,000

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 355 / $26,930

Top Nonprofits Supported: Consuelo Foundation, Child & Family Service, Kaua‘i United Way

ChildandFamilyService.org

The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation

About: Nonprofit private foundation

Employees: 2

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $5,283,835

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Saint Louis School, Punahou PUEO Program, PBS Hawai‘i, American Cancer Society in Hawaii, St Francis Healthcare Foundation

ClarenceTCChingFoundation.org

Corteva Agriscience

About: For-profit agriculture company

Employees: 156

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $43,200

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 270 / $17,000

Top Nonprofits Supported: Kaua‘i United Way, American Cancer Society, Kaua‘i Independent Foodbank, Hawaii Foodbank, Rotary Club of Kauai Foundation

hawaii.corteva.com

D-G

Design Partners Incorporated

About: For-profit architecture, interior architecture, master planning and construction management company

Employees: 80

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $56,000

DesignPartnersInc.com

Finance Factors Ltd.

About: For-profit company specializing in residential mortgages, CRE loans, savings accounts and certificates of deposit

Employees: 118

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $78,689

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 894 / $9,080

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: East-West Center Foundation, Assets School, Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Japan-America Society of Hawaii, Hospice Hawaii (now Navian Hawaii)

FinanceFactors.com

First Hawaiian Bank

About: For-profit banking and financial services company

Employees: 2,139

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $6,516,695

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 7,758 / $876,342

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Blood Bank of Hawaii, The Queen’s Health Systems, Child & Family Service, Pali Momi Foundation, Kōkua Kalihi Valley

FHB Foundation President Cameron Nekota with Hawaii Foodbank VP Laura Kay Rand.

A Culture of Giving that Stands Out. Each year, 98% to 99% of employees participate in First Hawaiian’s Kokua Mai giving campaign, and 2020 was no different, the bank says. The campaign raised a goal-breaking $876,342 to support charities in Hawai‘i, Guam and Saipan.

“Our nonprofits saw their lowest levels of donations, while demand for their services was escalating,” says Cameron Nekota, president of the First Hawaiian Bank Foundation.

Over half of FHB’s employees participate in volunteer activities organized by the Community Care program. One example among many: When large events were curtailed, the bank rolled out a new Aloha for Hawai‘i campaign that generated $25 million in restaurant sales and $1 million for food banks and health and human services nonprofits across the Islands.

Among the bank’s educational initiatives, the MyMoney financial literacy program expanded its reach as it shifted from a classroom program in select public high schools to a free online curriculum. The bank also gave $1 million to the Stronger Together Hawai‘i Scholarship Fund, devoted to college and career counseling and scholarships for low- to moderate-income students.

FHB.com

First Insurance Co. of Hawaii Ltd.

About: For-profit company specializing in property and casualty insurance

Employees: 331

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $775,008

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 720 / $47,200

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: American Heart Association, Aloha United Way, American Red Cross, The Queen’s Medical Center, UH Foundation

FICOH.com

G70

About: For-profit architecture, planning and environmental services, interior design, civil engineering, sustainable development and technology services firm

Employees: 108

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $239,669

Employee Volunteer Hours: 2,029

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, The Salvation Army, Hawaii Foodbank, Feeding Hawaii Together, Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i

G70.DESIGN

Grove Farm Co. Inc.

About: For-profit land development and property management company based on Kaua‘i

Employees: 20

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $277,215

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Aloha Council – Boy Scouts of America, Child & Family Service, UH, Grove Farm Scholarship Program, other educational initiatives

GroveFarm.com

H-K

Hawaii Dental Service(HDS)

About: Nonprofit dental benefits provider

Employees: 126

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,722,400

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 147 / $17,785

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: HDS Foundation, Aloha United Way, American Heart Association, PBS Hawai‘i, American Red Cross

HawaiiDentalService.com

Hawaiʻi Gas

About: For-profit, full-service gas energy company

Employees: 344

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $100,650

Employee Cash Donations: $36,000

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, American Red Cross, Hawai‘i Agricultural Foundation, Hawai‘i Green Growth, UH Foundation

HawaiiGas.com

Hawaii Foodbank Inc.

About: Nonprofit providing food to 287,000 residents in need, including nearly 53,000 keiki and over 46,000 kūpuna

Employees: 62

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $43.58 million

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 250 / $9,800

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported:The Salvation Army – Adult Rehab Center, Kalihi Union Church, Gregory House Program, Lighthouse Outreach, Institute for Human Services

Feeding the Hungry in a Time of Crisis. Food insecurity in Hawai‘i jumped 50% in 2020, the nation’s fourth-largest increase. Hawaii Foodbank says it and its partners distributed 18.3 million pounds of food on O‘ahu and Kaua‘i, including more than 4 million pounds of fresh produce.

To help in this mammoth effort, 7,828 volunteers donated 35,480 hours of service. At the start of the pandemic, as stay-at-home orders slowed donations, the food bank stepped up its purchases. From March through June 2020, the organization bought $4.6 million worth of food for distribution, compared to a typical year’s purchase of $400,000.

Some other figures to consider: In 2019, Hawaii Foodbank reported $32.2 million in revenue and $21.23 million in charitable giving to Hawaii Business Magazine. Those numbers exploded in 2020 to $49.71 million in revenue and $43.58 million in giving.

HawaiiFoodbank.org

Hawaiʻi Foodservice Alliance LLC

About: For-profit wholesale food distribution and manufacturing

Employees: 395

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $2.39 million

Employee Volunteer Hours: 2,212

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Hawaii Foodbank – O‘ahu and Kaua‘i, The Food Basket, Maui Food Bank, March of Dimes, Ho‘ōla Nā Pua

HFAHawaii.com

The Hawaii Group

About: For-profit company focused on outsourcing services, accounting and tax services, health care staffing, home care, consulting and advisory services

Employees: 170

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $471,980

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 284 / $3,200

Top Nonprofits Supported: AccesSurf, Mālama Maunalua, Kapi‘olani Community College and UH, Charity Walk, Special Olympics Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Hawaii Foodbank, Hawai‘i Meals on Wheels

TheHawaiiGroup.com

Hawaii Medical Assurance Association (HMAA)

About: Nonprofit health insurance

Employees: 3

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $161,755

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: American Heart Association, Hawaii Foodbank, American Diabetes Association, Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i, March of Dimes

HMAA.com

Hawaii Medical Service Association

About: Nonprofit health organization, health insurance

Employees: 1,745

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $2,424,843

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 347 / $183,828

Top Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Community Foundation; University Clinical, Education and Research Associates (UCERA); Mālama Learning Center; Aloha United Way; Hope Services Hawai‘i

HMSA.com

Hawaii State Federal Credit Union

About: Nonprofit credit union

Employees: 367

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $51,000

Top Nonprofits Supported: American Heart Association, Friends of the Library of Hawai‘i, Hawaii Foodbank, Aloha United Way

HawaiiStateFCU.com

Hawaiian Airlines

About: For-profit airlines

Employees: 6,751

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $532,000

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 6,506 / $5,895

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Aloha Festivals, Friends of Iolani Palace, Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i, Miss Hawaii Organization, UH Foundation

HawaiianAirlines.com

Hawaiian Electric Industries

About: For-profit energy and financial services company

Employees: 3,702

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $4.7 million

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 27,000 / $800,000

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Neighbor Island United Ways, UH Foundation, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Trust for Public Land Hawai‘i

Kanani Imai of Hawaiian Electric removes invasive species at Waimea Valley. Photo by Ryan Kawamoto.

Generous Donors Committed to Making an Impact. Since 2010, the HEI Charitable Foundation says it has contributed more than $20 million to local nonprofits and charities, with a focus on the environment, education and the economy.

That focus shifted to emergency needs in 2020 as the foundation and employees of HEI companies – Hawaiian Electric, American Savings Bank and Pacific Current – generated $3.5 million to help people hit hard by the pandemic.

Among their efforts, the Hawaiian Electric team raised money for Aloha United Way’s Covid-19 fund, $300,000 for food banks and other relief nonprofits, and $2 million in seed money for the Hawai‘i Utility Bill Assistance Program.

American Savings Bank, meanwhile, partnered with the state and nonprofits to roll out the innovative Hawai‘i Restaurant Card, funded with federal stimulus money. And Pacific Current helped residents on the Hāmākua Coast buy from local growers through Farm Link Hawai‘i.

“The pandemic brought into sharp focus the importance of working collaboratively and supporting one another,” explains AJ Halagao Jr., the foundation’s president and VP of Corporate & Community Advancement.

HEI.com

Hawaiian Telcom

About: For-profit provider of integrated communications, broadband, data center and entertainment

Employees: 1,100

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1.4 million

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 1,160 / $36,000

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation, Hawaii Theatre Center, Hawaiʻi Island Adult Care, American Heart Association

HawaiianTel.com

HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union

About: Nonprofit credit union

Employees: 381

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $738,200

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 311 / $3,278

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Department of Education, Domestic Violence Action Center, Hawai‘i HomeOwnership Center, The Queen’s Medical Center, Trust for Public Land Hawai‘i

HawaiiUSAFCU.com

Hensel Phelps

About: For-profit general contractor

Employees: 216

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $27,305

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 1,125 / $10,482

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: American Diabetes Association, Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i, Wounded Warrior Ohana, Hawaii Foodbank, Child & Family Service

HenselPhelps.com

Hickam Federal Credit Union

About: Nonprofit financial products and services

Employees: 109

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $10,000

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 158 / $2,768

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Lanakila Meals on Wheels, Oahu SPCA, Hawaii Foodbank, Laulima Giving Program, Hawaii Children’s Cancer Foundation

HickamFCU.org

JL Capital

About: For-profit real estate and private equity firm

Employees: 14

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $62,421

Employee Volunteer Hours: 108

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Hawaii Foodbank, Child & Family Service, Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, Lanakila Pacific, Motiv8 Foundation

JLCapitalHI.com

Kahala Nui

About: Nonprofit life plan community

Employees: 206

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,098,995

Employee Volunteer Hours: 734

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Alzheimer’s Association – Aloha Chapter, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Meals on Wheels, Kōkua Kalihi Valley, Project Dana

KahalaNui.com

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii

About: Nonprofit integrated health care organization, health plan and medical care

Employees: 2,811

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $2,315,078

Employee Volunteer Hours: 1,687

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Partners in Care, Institute for Human Services, Papa Ola Lokahi, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Hawai‘i Primary Care Association

Kaiser Permanente hosts a food distribution event in Waipi‘o.

Targeted Funding Helps the Most Vulnerable. Kaiser Permanente sees part of its mission as alleviating the root problems that impact a community’s health.

“We are very aware that social inequities drive health inequity,” says David Tumilowicz, VP of public relations, communications and brand management. “For instance, life expectancy in Hawai‘i can vary by up to 10 years depending on the ZIP code that you live in.”

To bridge the gap, Kaiser pours money into helping disadvantaged people, particularly the homeless. In 2020, the nonprofit gave generous grants to many community-based groups, including:

• $875,000 to seven nonprofits focused on homelessness and affordable housing.
• $300,000 to the Partners in Care coalition, which works to eliminate homelessness.
• $150,000 to IHS for Covid-19 screening and to coordinate care for homeless clients.
• $95,000 each to Project Vision, HOPE Services on Hawai‘i Island, and Ka Hale A Ke Ola on Maui – all groups that directly assist the homeless.
• $300,000 to groups helping low-income pregnant women and new mothers get enough food.
• $95,000 to Hawaiian Community Assets for financial education, housing counseling and match savings grants to Native Hawaiians and local families.

KP.org

Kapili Construction LLC, dba Kapili Roofing & Painting

About: For-profit roofing and painting contractor

Employees: 85

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $85,058

Top Nonprofits Supported: Every Nation Church, HomeAid Hawaii, Habitat for Humanity, various charities

KapiliRoof.com

Kokusai Kogyo Kanri Kabushiki Kaisha – U.S. Operations

About: For-profit resorts, hotels, parking lots, retail stores, restaurants, insurance agencies and captive insurance company

Employees: 889

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $277,666

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 1,244 / $33,011

Top Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Children’s Miracle Network, Diamond Head Theatre

L-P

Locations

About: For-profit real estate sales and services

Employees: 124

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $94,772

Employee Volunteer Hours: 250

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: School Legacy Event, Institute for Human Services, Make-A-Wish Hawaii, HUGS, Big Brothers Big Sisters

LocationsHawaii.com

MacNaughton

About: For-profit real estate development and investment company

Employees: 19

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $1,104,409

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 762 / $43,000

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Community Foundation, U.S. Vets, Kalihi-Palama Health Center, Kupu, Hale Kipa

MacNaughton.com

Nordic PCL Construction Inc.

About: For-profit general contractor

Employees: 250

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $213,738

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 14,142 / $38,000

Nordic PCL’s Clara Sachs and Danyelle Kahanaoi “wear it pink” for cancer.

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, Kapiolani Health Foundation, The Queen’s Medical Center, Child & Family Service, Special Olympics Hawai‘i

Putting the Fun in Virtual Fundraisers. Nordic PCL says its volunteer hours grew by more than 17 times in 2020. That’s because the company got creative with Zoom, bringing in Neighbor Island employees, subcontractors and business partners to live fundraising events.

One big success was a virtual quiz show based on TV’s “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?” Contestants went head to head with President Glen Kaneshige and VP Mike Betz to answer multiple-choice questions, with project teams getting “game cheats” for every $250 raised. The ultimate winner? Aloha United Way, which received more Nordic PCL donations than the year before.

The company also hosted a virtual fundraising campaign for the American Heart Association. It organized clothing and food drives, partnered with nonprofits on their fundraising campaigns, and offered construction services pro bono to nonprofits in need.

NordicPCL.com

Pacific Guardian Life Insurance Co. Ltd.

About: For-profit life, group and TDI insurance; employee benefit plans

Employees: 127

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $24,000

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 200 / $7,000

PacificGuardian.com

Pacxa

About: For-profit technology consulting services, cloud services, managed services

Employees: 71

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $28,000

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: American Heart Association, Hawai‘i Executive Collaborative, Shidler College of Business Alumni Association, Kapi‘olani Medical Center, Blood Bank of Hawaii

Pacxa.com

Pasha Hawaii

About: For-profit ocean transportation between Hawai‘i and the U.S. West Coast for containerized and roll-on/off cargo

Employees: 443

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $514,319

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Hawaii Foodbank, Friends of Hawaii Charities, American Heart Association, Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii

PashaHawaii.com

Pflueger Inc.

About: For-profit new and used Honda automobile sales, leasing, parts and service

Employees: 100

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $135,514

Top Nonprofits Supported: Ka Lahui Kai, Big Brothers Big Sisters, AccesSurf

PACHONDA.com

S-Z

Servco Pacific Inc.

About: For-profit company specializing in automotive, musical instruments and e-learning, car sharing, venture and growth capital

Employees: 2,058

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $807,407

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 2,950 / $134,596

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Aloha United Way, The Salvation Army, Hawaii Foodbank, Hawai‘i Meals on Wheels, The Queen’s Medical Center

Servco’s Taylor Igarashi works the Aloha Harvest Lettuce Rescue on O‘ahu’s North Shore. Photo by Ryan Kawamoto.

A Lifeline to Team Members Facing Hardships. Servco has a long history of giving, with a philanthropic arm established in 1986. Last year, Servco Foundation says it added another beneficiary: Servco’s own employees, many of whom were furloughed or had spouses who lost jobs.

Between mid-April and the end of July 2020, $400,000 in need-based grants were given to 121 team members. The cash infusions of up to $4,000 helped cover living expenses and didn’t have to be paid back.

The Qualified Disaster Relief Program complemented Servco’s usual list of charitable donations and was a powerful way to give back to the people closest to it.

“We had to make some tough decisions in 2020, including furloughs and temporary layoffs during the worst part of the pandemic,” notes Peter Hirano, executive director of Servco Foundation and executive VP of People & Strategic Initiatives. “A big mahalo to our team members for sticking with us through the ups and downs.”

Servco.com

Swinerton

About: For-profit general contractor

Employees: 70

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $134,884

Employee Volunteer Hours / Donations: 12,960 / $271,278

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: The Salvation Army, Hawaii Foodbank, Habitat for Humanity Leeward, Child & Family Service, GIFT Foundation of Hawaii

Swinerton.com

UHA Health Insurance (University Health Alliance)

About: Nonprofit health insurance, workplace wellness solutions

Employees: 166

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $580,106

Employee Cash Donations: $14,115

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: American Heart Association, March of Dimes, American Diabetes Association, St. Francis Healthcare Foundation, Hawaii Foodbank

UHAHealth.com

Y. Hata & Co. Ltd.

About: For-profit food service wholesale distribution, cash-and-carry wholesale store, public warehousing

Employees: 334

Company’s Total Cash and In-Kind Donations: $500,000

Employee Volunteer Hours: 125

Top 5 Nonprofits Supported: Climate Change Project (HI Share), Always Dream Foundation, Aloha Harvest, The Salvation Army, Habilitat

YHATA.com

To view past versions of our Most Charitable Companies list, click here.

If you’d like to receive surveys for this list and others, please contact cynthiaw@hawaiibusiness.com

Hawai‘i’s generosity shone again in 2019, with another year of benevolent support from companies and nonprofits on our Most Charitable Companies list.

A total of $119.8 million in cash and in-kind donations were given by 90 organizations across O‘ahu, Maui, Hawai‘i Island and Kaua‘i last year. Employees of these organizations gave an additional $4.4 million and 82,374 hours of their time to philanthropic causes.

The list is broken into three categories this time: charities, nonprofit companies and for-profit companies. We wanted to provide an apples to apples depiction of giving by companies with similar structures. Every business is unique, and categorizing is never a perfect science, but we believe this is the best way.

Thirteen nonprofit companies reported total giving of $8.4 million in 2019: $7.6 million in cash and the rest in-kind. Among these companies, the average giving as a percentage of gross annual sales was 0.31%, with a median of 0.23%.

Sixty-nine for-profit companies reported total giving of $28.8 million in 2019. The for-profit companies averaged giving 0.25% of their gross annual sales with a median of 0.1%. The largest percentage was 2.33% – reported by law firm McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon.

Charity Impacts

The eight charities on this list reported total giving of $82.7 million in 2019.  Hawaii Foodbank and Aloha United Way contributed $34.8 million of that total. More companies said they donated to Hawaii Foodbank and its partner organizations Maui Food Bank and Hawai‘i County’s The Food Basket than any other charity; Aloha United Way was second. The American Heart Association, Child & Family Service and Ho‘ōla Nā Pua round out the top five charities that companies donated to in 2019. The Hawai‘i Community Foundation did not report its donations to Hawaii Business Magazine this year.

Hawaii Foodbank worked with 51 partner agencies on its ‘Ohana Produce Plus program in 2019 to distribute over 2.6 million pounds of produce and 3.7 million pounds of other food across O‘ahu and Kaua‘i, Danny Schlag, director of marketing and communications for the Hawaii Foodbank, tells Hawaii Business Magazine via email. This program is a primary source of produce for many low-income families, kūpuna, and homeless or disabled people.

A program that saw tremendous growth in 2019 was the Food 4 Keiki School Pantry initiative, Schlag writes. Over a dozen pantries were established during the 2018-19 school year serving 11,702 students with after-school snacks and food bags to share with their families. Two other programs provided over 12,000 kūpuna with vital staple foods last year, he writes.

Food donations remained steady in 2019 and cash donations increased, which was a good thing as 2020 has brought an “unprecedented challenge of providing food to thousands of households newly at risk of experiencing food insecurity,” Schlag writes. Since March 2020, Hawaii Foodbank has purchased over $5.25 million in emergency food supplies, compared to a typical $400,000 annually.

Pandemic-related supply chain disruptions and a decrease in food collection drives due to stay at home orders have resulted in low inventories at food banks. “Items that normally take four to six weeks to get to Hawai‘i from distributors on the continental U.S. are now taking three to four months to arrive,” Schlag writes.

Nonetheless, he says, the food banks are doing their best to meet the massively increased demand.

In April, Hawaii Foodbank committed to purchase $200,000 of local agriculture products in a partnership with the Hawaii Farm Bureau, a strategic effort to help local farms that was already being planned pre-COVID. As of mid-September, the Hawaii Foodbank had actually purchased $900,000 worth of local produce from 24 Hawai‘i farms, Schlag writes.

Aloha United Way

Aloha United Way invested $18 million into the community in 2019 through its Community Care Fund. This money was channeled to 324 partner organizations to provide community services – a model that the AUW says allows a quick and nimble response to meet evolving needs of Hawai‘i’s most vulnerable.

One of the most used services was AUW’s 2-1-1 helpline, a call center for individuals who need help to tap into available resources quickly. AUW reports that 82,709 people used 2-1-1 last year.

“In 2019, Aloha United Way celebrated one hundred years of service to our communities. None of that would have been possible without the generosity of community members and partners,” President and CEO John Fink says in an email to Hawaii Business Magazine.

AUW’s other charitable focuses in 2019 included housing, childcare and early learning, and postsecondary education. These initiatives helped the state’s asset limited, income constrained and employed population – the ALICE families – the folks who work in Hawai‘i yet do not earn enough to save money.

Fink says 2020 “has proven to be a great test of AUW’s mettle. We have created new relationships and strengthened old ones as we partnered with government, business and nonprofit leaders. Working together has enabled us to ramp up support for those in need through our funding services and the AUW 2-1-1 referral service.” AUW says weekly call volume to the 2-1-1 helpline increased over 600% since the onset of the pandemic.

The latest figure before this story was published was that $1.68 million has been raised for the Hawaii COVID-19 Response & Recovery Fund. Some of that money went to AUW’s COVID-19 rent and utility assistance program, which has saved 665 households statewide from eviction, the charity reports.

Methodology: Data for the Most Charitable Companies list was compiled through surveys conducted by Hawaii Business Magazine. All information is self-reported by the organizations on the list. We asked companies to indicate if they are for-profit or nonprofit organizations. We then created three lists: one of for-profit companies, another of charitable nonprofits and a third of nonprofits like credit unions and health insurers.

The charity category includes organizations whose sole purpose is philanthropy and serving the community.

Hawaiʻi’s businesses are generous.

he 76 organizations in the latest list of Hawai‘i’s Most Charitable Companies gave a total of $162 million in cash and in-kind donations in 2018.

Those donations are essential to the survival of Hawai‘i’s nonprofits and the vital work they do. But there are other forms of giving and public service by local businesses that are harder to quantify. Hawai‘i Island-based Kaimana Jerky, for example, provides jobs to ex-convicts and former substance abusers. Both Princeville Ranch on Kaua‘i and Surfing Goat Dairy on Maui teach students about agriculture to inspire the next generation of farmers. KTA Super Stores executives and employees serve meals to the homeless, assist at United Way events, work at the local food bank and mentor foster children in their Hawai‘i Island communities.

“It’s not just a matter of, ‘I gave at the office and I’m good to go.’ No, what we see is that people who get involved get attached to and become part of the movement, and part of the ideology of the organizations. It’s where the rubber meets the road. It’s walking the talk,” says KTA President and COO Toby Taniguchi.

Hawai‘i Island Employees of KTA Super Stores raise money for the American Heart Association. | Photos courtesy of KTA Super Stores

“We can write checks too. But because we were born and raised here, we have this affinity to being part of the community that we live, work and play in.”

Local businesses also give back through their everyday practices. These can include reducing their impact on the environment, creating products that serve a social good or providing meaningful jobs, says John Leong, CEO of Kupu, a nonprofit focused on youth empowerment through environmental stewardship.

Volunteers with the nonprofit KUPU work with Kūpuna. | Photo courtesy of Kupu

“It’s not just about the profit margin that businesses use to bless their community. It’s also about what they’re doing as a company. Giving 1% back at the end of the day is nominal compared to the other impacts the businesses have,” he says.

“I would say there’s this shared values approach that’s healthy for the world around us. And that’s just as meaningful or more so than the donation.”

Local companies practice philanthropy in expansive ways. The impact these activities have can outweigh what the businesses are able to donate. In this piece, Hawai‘i’s leaders shed light on what giving back looks like beyond the donation check.

They Invest in Being Rooted

In this year’s Most Charitable Companies survey, donations increased 12% but volunteer time increased by almost 45,000 hours, “Giving used to be confined to only a certain group of people who had the financial wherewithal to give,” says Debbie Nakanelua-Richards, Hawaiian Airlines director of government and community relations. “We still give in the traditional way of airline tickets and miles, but now we also empower our employees to choose how they want to give their time and energy. Maybe one day we’ll run out of money. But what we won’t run out of is this desire and the need to give of ourselves.”

The Hawaiian Airlines Team Kokua Program was launched six years ago to meet employees’ desires to be directly involved in shaping corporate philanthropy. Cross-functional employee teams meet regularly and decide on the volunteer programs to support, whether it’s beach cleanups or delivering food to the elderly.

“Our employees are in their communities and neighborhoods and they know better than anyone else what matters the most,” says Ann Botticelli, Hawaiian Airlines’ senior VP for corporate communications and public affairs.

“What we’re doing is fostering connection to community. To me, that’s very rich. These become relationships that are long lasting. These become points of contact where community members can say, ‘I have a need, and I know who I can call.’ It’s a way to create a more personal connection with an entity that might seem big and forbidding,” says Botticelli.

Nurturing deep roots within the community has also shaped how HPM Building Supply gives back. After Kīlauea’s lava flow destroyed hundreds of homes last year, the 98-year-old Hawai‘i Island-based company partnered with a local contractor and nonprofits to convert 20 of HPM’s outdoor sheds into microshelters. The whole process, including identifying land, lining up donations, getting the paperwork completed and organizing volunteers took just one month – a remarkably fast time, says HPM President and CEO Jason Fujimoto.

“When you are vested in your community, over time you build trusting relationships that are based on common values. Everyone knows everyone is doing things for the right reasons. So when there is an urgent need or cause, you can accelerate the process and make things work quickly. Nothing can be done solely in a silo,” says Fujimoto.

The fifth-generation company leader hopes to leverage those ties to address another of his community’s biggest challenges. HPM will soon release HalePlus, a locally made modular, expandable and transportable home. With a base model starting at less than $100,000 and a three-month timeframe from order to move-in, Fujimoto envisions this as a solution for people on Hawai‘i Island who have access to land yet can’t afford to build a home.

“The reality is, we are at a crossroads. The fact that our population has declined over two years is not a good economic indicator. We need workers, people who are vested here, to not have to move to Las Vegas or Arizona because they can’t afford to live here,” says Fujimoto.

“For us as a business here for the long term, we simply must be involved in taking action where it’s needed.”

They Invest in Job Creation

Small businesses are the backbone of Hawai‘i’s economy. But Meli James says that while there is increasing investment in Silicon Valley-style technology startups that often leave the state to grow, there isn’t the same support for companies that are committed to staying in Hawai‘i.

To fill that gap, she co-founded Mana Up, an accelerator program focused on nurturing Hawai‘i’s next 100 companies that will each eventually earn over $10 million in annual revenue. The businesses accepted into the Mana Up program typically offer products rooted in Hawai‘i, such as food, beverages or skin care made of local ingredients.

“It’s important to broaden how we feel about innovation. If you think about these amazing products here in Hawai‘i, they haven’t been able to get past the mom and pop level. They haven’t been able to get to that next zero in their revenue. Some of this is lack of resources, capital and mentorship. And a big piece has been mindset, people not believing they could grow a global brand,” says James.

By supporting local businesses, she hopes to help reverse Hawai‘i’s brain drain, luring people back from the Mainland and giving locals of diverse backgrounds the chance to not just work but to reach the upper echelons of business success. Among the Mana Up companies so far, 17 have female CEOs, 14 are run by Native Hawaiians and 13 are family businesses, says James.

“When you think about opportunities for kama‘āina or people who want to live here, how do we create a critical mass of jobs so that people can come home (to Hawai‘i), plug in and be able to jump around from job to job, like you can in most others cities?” says James.

Alice Kim and Vira Sananikone are co-founders of Hanalei, part of Mana Up’s 2018 cohort, and they are creating the kinds of jobs that locals otherwise have to go to the Mainland to find.

The Honolulu-based company creates skin-care solutions using Hawaiian botanicals such as kukui nut oil, aloe, papaya, lavender and raw cane sugar. With their products now available online as well as at the Four Seasons Ko Olina Hotel and the DFS section at the Honolulu airport, they employ 17 people in Hawai‘i, including two interns from UH.

Kristen Kunimura creates product displays for Hanalei’s retail partners and for upcoming events. | Photo courtesy of Hanalei Company

“Beauty is one of those very empowering markets. But people usually have to go to LA or New York to get into this field. The majority of our staff is female, and when I talk to these Millennial women, they say that they are so glad to have the chance to work in this kind of creative environment without having to leave Hawai‘i,” says Kim.

“We have a lot of these 20-somethings leading projects and campaigns that are seen by a couple million people,” adds Sananikone. “That’s a pretty impressive opportunity for local youth just two or three years out of college.”

Offering more diverse cultural experiences for visitors and locals alike is another way to create jobs, says Kō Hana brand manager Kyle Reutner. The company’s small batch rum made of heirloom canes brings visitors to its distillery not only for tastings but for the stories behind the kō plants, the progenitors of Hawaiian sugar cane, used in a variety of rituals.

“It’s old-school American dream stuff. Get your kids an education. Work an honest job. People in Hawai‘i deserve to have all of this.”

—Kyle Reutner Brand manager, Kō Hana Rum

“We don’t own these stories. We don’t even own the cane. We just have the obligation to share these things that are in danger of getting lost,” says Reutner.

“And almost everyone who visits gets to learn about the history of Hawai‘i, and that it’s deeper than just sunshine and rainbows. That’s not to take away from sunshine and rainbows, but there’s something great about being able to go into a deeper aspect of the culture.”

Reutner says Kō Hana supports 35 jobs from management down to farming in Kunia, a part of O‘ahu that offers few opportunities.

“It’s old-school American dream stuff. Get your kids an education. Work an honest job. People in Hawai‘i deserve to have all of this. We may be out here in the middle of nowhere, but offering these jobs in Kunia is something we can bring to the table,” he says.

Kyle Reutner of Kō Hana Rum Works in a Sugarcane field. | Photo: Aaron Yoshino

They Invest in the Environment

Body Glove Hawai‘i executive strategy coordinator Michael Bell grew up in Kona, snorkeling its coral reefs but also observing their deterioration due to climate change and pollution. Ten years ago, while taking customers on a snorkel tour, he realized his company had to change. As the passengers enjoyed a coffee break, the wind picked up, blowing Styrofoam cups and plastic creamer containers overboard. “That was a wake-up call. We’re making money off of the ocean and here we are letting things fall into it,” says Bell.

Today, everything the Hawai‘i Island-based business uses, from forks to trash bags to straws, is biodegradable, and all single-use plastics have been done away with, Bell says. Customers often notice, and Bell makes sure staff members are ready to talk about how their business practices affect the environment. In 2018, he says, Body Glove Hawai‘i became certified as a Kuleana Green Business by the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce, and its boat is the only one in the United States certified by the Green Restaurant Association.

Body Glove’s boat is certified by the Green Restaurant Association. | Photo courtesy of Body Glove

“It takes more effort and it’s more expensive to do it this way. But we just chalk it up to the cost of doing business. If we’re not doing it right, we don’t deserve to do it at all,” he says.

If asked to name a type of business that has not only adopted green practices but is actually improving the environment, a concrete supplier would rarely come to mind. But that’s exactly what Island Ready-Mix Concrete is setting out to do. 

With the state Department of Transportation, the Kapolei-based company is using a process developed by Canadian-based CarbonCure Technologies, which injects recycled carbon dioxide into fresh concrete. Once the concrete hardens, that carbon is sequestered forever. This actually makes the concrete stronger, meaning less cement is needed. This, in turn, reduces the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere during the making of cement.

The Kapolei Interchange is the first project, says VP and GM Shorty Kuhn, and Island Ready-Mix is exploring mixes for residential homes next, with the eventual goal to provide all of its customers with concrete that benefits the environment.

“Right now people still think it’s strange and they don’t want to change what they’re doing. But I believe this will be like the penguins in Antarctica. One jumps in and they all jump in after that,” says Kuhn.

CarbonCure senior director of sustainability Christie Gamble says the efforts of local businesses like Island Ready-Mix are essential to the fight against climate change. “Concrete producers don’t wake up every day thinking about how to make their concrete more environmentally friendly. It requires a lot of initiative to take on the risks of a new innovation. But concrete producers are going to be the instrumental businesses that promote this change, pushing innovation for the further reduction of our carbon footprint.”

Most people also wouldn’t describe cattle ranching as good for the environment. But Kunoa Cattle Co. and Hawaii Meats are not following the rest of the industry, says Bobby Farias, a Kunoa co-founder now with Hawaii Meats, which operates the former ranching and processing divisions of Kunoa.

Anthony “Koni” Silva is the Kauai Ranch manager for Hawaii Meats, which with Kunoa Cattle Co. has a more sustainable model for cattle ranching. | Photo: Mallory Roe

Instead of letting cattle overgraze, which leads to soil runoff, the Kunoa and Hawaii Meats ranchers on Kaua‘i and O‘ahu regularly move cattle from acreage to acreage, raising their grass-fed beef on a diverse diet of local forages. The trampled animal waste and plant matter that results from this movement supports the regeneration of soil cultures. This, in turn, creates healthier land and stabilized soil, preventing runoff during rain and keeping our waterways and oceans cleaner, Farias says.

“If we remain local and rooted in the community, the next time something challenging happens in Hawai‘i, which it will, we’ll be rooted deeply enough to reinvest and get through that difficult period.”

—Ben Rafter, CEO of OLS Hotels & Resorts

“Our focus is on a regenerative agriculture model that mimics Mother Nature. It’s a model of holistic management. When we make a decision on the ranch, it’s not focused just on one factor. What might be best for cattle might not be best for the ground. Or what’s best for the ground might be best for the employees. We focus on holistic outcomes without having to punish anything for it. We want thriving pastures and thriving markets. And at the end of all of that is our actual health – you are what you eat.” says Farias.

For the third-generation rancher, saving the livelihood that he grew up with is about honoring his heritage and creating a more resilient future.

“A lot of our passion and tenacity comes from the fact that the ranching community in Hawai‘i refuses to give up. … Ranchers are the frontline stewards of open space in Hawai‘i. Not only is there a passion to keep the history alive, but there’s an absolute necessity to it. If we can pay our own way and grow, we can help manage fire fields, stabilize topsoils and keep open spaces open. If we want to keep the country country, we’ve got to keep the country alive,” says Farias.

They Invest in the Local Ecosystem

Ben Rafter, CEO of OLS Hotels & Resorts, says: “To give back to the community, you have to be a part of the community. You need to be vested in it. We can give time and money, which is just as important. But if you’re vested in the community you are more likely to support the products and services coming out of it.”

Renew hotel in Waikīkī, operated by OLS, reflects that commitment to being vested. It features products from local purveyors including craft coffees and teas, cold pressed juices, chocolates, whiskey, honey and skin care. But Renew, says Rafter, is also about getting people outside the hotel, where they are encouraged to participate in activities such as rebuilding ancient fishponds, restoring watersheds or removing invasive species.

Michelle Jaime, principal and director of design consultancy The Vanguard Theory, says: “We wanted to create a hotel that was going to give back to Hawai‘i, to shine a light on Hawai‘i’s culture a little deeper than you would going to a hula show and lū‘au. Those things are important, but they are things you can pick up going through Waikīkī. We wanted to do something for the conscious consumer who wants to be part of the conversation to make this place better.”

In addition to working with Rafter on the design of Renew, Jaime also collaborated with him on the Surfjack Hotel, which immerses visitors in Hawai‘i’s art and design. Pieces such as graphic artist Matthew Tapia’s hand-painted “wish you were here” illustration at the bottom of the pool, Mark Kushimi’s photos of O‘ahu’s north and south shores in the lobby, Kamea Hadar’s portrait of hula dancer Beverly Noa, and Andrew Mau’s shaka wallpaper in the restaurant aim to inspire people to get out of Waikīkī and explore the Kaka‘ako art scene.

“It’s hard to quantify what artists mean to a community. But from a qualitative point of view, having so many artists contribute is making Hawai‘i a better tourist place,” says Rafter.

Hawaiian Airlines senior VP of marketing Avi Mannis agrees that supporting the local ecosystem is an important responsibility for any company that calls Hawai‘i home. The airline spends $10 million a year on local products for its snack carts, including items from Mana Up cohort members Kunoa Cattle Co. and Hawaiian Pie Co., with plans to double that amount.

“Tourism is an important avenue for the future, but it shouldn’t be the only pillar of the economy. People focus on environmental sustainability and food sustainability. But we as a community also need to make stuff that people want to buy. We need to figure out what we as a state can produce that is differentiated and sold as something other than just a commodity. So along with the other kinds of sustainability, we also need to build a sustainable community,” says Mannis.

To nurture a sustainable community, Mattson Davis is developing a program called “farmtender,” based on the idea of an informed bartender. The former CEO of Kona Brewing Co. now owns Magics Beach Grill and to foster greater knowledge of and advocacy for the farm to table movement, each of his restaurant servers will be placed for a month at the farms, ranches and fisheries where the restaurant sources its food.

“Getting people more excited about local food makes for a thriving community.”

—Mattson Davis Owner, Magics Beach Grill

“A lot of these places don’t have much of a way to get out their information. So as a restaurant, we get to help spread their messages. We all know that we want more local produce. The way we will get it is by having people be able to understand and explain where that stuff is coming from. So when a customer asks about jackfruit, we can tell them, ‘I’ve picked it. I’ve harvested it. I’ve worked at the ‘Ulu Cooperative and this is how it’s grown,’ ” says Davis.

“Getting people more excited about local food makes for a thriving community.”

Rafter says that committing to building the local ecosystem means committing to being truly local. With a new headquarters in Honolulu, hotel chain OLS is, as Rafter puts it, owned locally by local residents and doesn’t accept private equity or institutional capital.

“It’s important to have investment from all over the world, but ultimately that money is going to private equity in the Mainland and Asia. If times became difficult in Hawai‘i, that money could go elsewhere. But if we remain local and rooted in the community, the next time something challenging happens in Hawai‘i, which it will, we’ll be rooted deeply enough to reinvest and get through that difficult period,” says Rafter.

“People who donate money – that’s vital as well. But if you’re donating time and energy, you’re still creating great things, but you’re more likely to remain part of the community. And you’re more likely to help create the ecosystems that make a community thrive.”

Hawaii Business Magazine’s annual list of Hawai‘i’s Most Charitable Companies is not a comprehensive survey of corporate giving in the Islands. But we feel it is important to recognize and celebrate corporate giving, and the numbers we have collected suggest that overall corporate giving is increasing.

The 76 organizations on this year’s list reported to us that they gave a total of $161.9 million in cash and in-kind donations to charitable causes during 2018. That’s a 12% increase from last year’s record total and 38% higher than the previous record total in 2016.

What is especially extraordinary is that with each new record for corporate giving, fewer organizations actually reported their charitable contributions to Hawaii Business Magazine. This year, the 76 organizations reporting to us beat the record total of donations set last year by 94 organizations. And last year’s total of giving beat the then-record total of 2016, when 126 organizations reported their numbers to us.

Over 40 Servco employees worked on two family homes installing drywall, painting and doing foundation work in Waimānalo. | Photo courtesy of Servco Pacific Inc

You can see the data is far from a complete picture of all corporate giving, but the snapshot trend we provide is encouraging.

Data for the Most Charitable Companies list was compiled via surveys by Hawaii Business Magazine. All data was self-reported, and we asked each organization to characterize itself as for-profit or  nonprofit.

To provide more of an apples-to-apples comparison of charitable giving among organizations, we divided the list into two sections: One for nonprofits and the other covers for-profit companies.

An important statistic in this list is donations as a percentage of gross annual sales, which makes it easier to compare the giving of big and small companies. The median percentage of giving by for-profit and not-for-profit companies was 0.098% of gross sales. The percentage among charitable nonprofits was 16%.

Interesting Highlights

New program: Prince Resorts Hawaii kicked off 2019 by introducing an employee community service program called Make a Difference. It gives every full- and part-time employee one paid day per year to provide a service that supports the local community, says Rona Young, executive assistant to the company’s president. She says the program has garnered a lot of interest among employees.

80th Anniversary: HMSA celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2018 with a series of events and raised more than $1.8 million for charitable causes – 6.5 times as much as it raised in 2017. Each of the health care organization’s 1,867 employees was given $80 to donate to the organization of their choice. Alana Folen, a public relations specialist at HMSA, says 239 charities benefited from the initiative.

She also says 385 HMSA employees, supported by family members, participated in a company-sponsored day of service at community projects across the Hawaiian Islands, ranging from preparing baskets at a food bank to removing invasive algae from Maunalua Bay. HMSA itself donated $40,000 to the organizations.

From left, HMSA employees Julienne Cruz, Carolyn McDermott, and Lili Bryan-Conant are all smiles as they help build a home with Kaua‘i Habitat for Humanity. | Photo courtesy of HMSA

Centennial Celebration: Servco this year launched its #CentennialServiceCampaign to commemorate 100 years in business and to honor its “DNA of service.” Servco says the campaign donated over $1.5 million in grants and in-kind donations to community groups. That included a $200,000 donation to the state Department of Education to buy appliances for its laundry program, which provides clean clothes to students whose families don’t have access to laundry facilities.

In addition, $20,000 each was donated to 19 Hawai‘i charities, community service was performed in the He‘eia wetlands for the Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi nonprofit and, most recently, instruments and musical instruction courses were donated that the company says will benefit over 8,500 students.

Focused Giving: Honolulu-based Ulupono Initiative is an investment firm that focuses on four areas: locally produced food; clean, renewable energy; and better management of water and waste. Amy Hennessey, senior VP of communications and community, says Ulupono connects with “organizations who are working on projects in our mission area. We work with them to better understand their project, their needs, how they operate and what their plans are.” Ulupono’s fund gave over $1.5 million in grants last year.

Does your company belong on this list? If you want to be on next year’s list of Hawai‘i’s Most Charitable Companies, visit hawaiibusiness.com/lists-awards to register for our survey.

Hawaiʻi’s Most Charitable Companies

We think it is valuable to celebrate corporate giving in the Islands and encourage others to give. Those charitable donations are essential to our local communities.

The 94 organizations and their employees on this Most Charitable Companies list gave a total of $144 million in cash and in-kind donations last year. That’s a record, easily topping the previous high of $118 million set on the 2016 list by 126 organizations.

To present a clear picture of corporate philanthropy, we created one section of nonprofit organizations and a second section combining for-profit companies and not-for-profit companies such as credit unions. Nonprofits differ significantly in structure and goals from for-profit and not-for-profit companies, and we did not want to make an apples-to-oranges comparison.

The top 10 companies gave a total of $20.9 million in 2017. Eight increased giving over 2016 and Matson, Hawaii Foodservice Alliance and Servco each posted increases of over $500,000.

Big companies gave the most on the list but to level the playing field, we included, where possible, donations as a percentage of gross sales. The average was 0.23 percent for the 63 companies that also reported gross sales. Twenty companies exceeded the average, with Na Alii Consulting & Sales and Grove Farm Co. returning more than 1 percent of their gross sales to the community.

Among nonprofits, Hawaii Community Foundation, Kamehameha Schools and Aloha United Way combined gave $99.8 million in 2017 – $18.7 million more than in 2016.

Kamehameha Schools communications manager Aron Dote shed light on KS’ $12 million increase in giving. “We are up 38 percent year to year on charitable donations overall and 3 percent on scholarships,” he says. Among its new initiatives in 2017, KS began scholarships supporting Native Hawaiian students attending St. Louis and St. Andrew’s Priory private schools.

Methodology:

Data for the Most Charitable Companies list is compiled via surveys by Hawaii Business researchers. All data are self-reported by companies and organizations to Hawaii Business.

We asked each organization to characterize itself as for-profit, not-for-profit or nonprofit. In economic terms, not-for-profits return excess money to members or employees or invest in the organization; a nonprofit uses what’s left of revenue after expenses to achieve
its mission.

New Initiatives

The MacNaughton Group, a Honolulu-based developer, launched a foundation in 2017. “Our approach for the foundation is to determine areas in which we would like to make a significant contribution, then be proactive in learning about talented and committed leaders and organizations which we think will make great use of support in those areas,” says Emily Reber Porter, MacNaughton Group COO and foundation board member.

The MacNaughton Group Foundation intends to support education, health, arts and culture, and environmental causes and to reduce homelessness. It awarded an inaugural grant of $1 million to U.S. Vets. Most of the money will facilitate housing for homeless veterans and maintain support services over five years. A portion was initially used to refurbish the U.S. Vets recreation center at Barbers Point.

Supporting Education

Admor HVAC Products Inc. established the Mason Kekoa Scholarship in 2017. It supports graduates from Mililani and Lahainaluna high schools who are attending the UH system. In its inaugural year, two students received $3,350 apiece.

Mason Kekoa Nava Macloves passed away in 2016 at 7 months of age from an infection, says Admor President Andrew Santos. “I did this to help Mason’s parents, who both work for Admor HVAC, overcome their pain from Mason’s death. Both parents were unable to work, function or interact due to depression. Giving them something positive and a mission to keep Mason’s name and memory alive was my goal,” he says.

Admor HVAC Products Inc. created the Mason Kekoa Scholarship in 2017.
Pictured here are awardees Samantha Alvarado and Kalani Stephens with Almarie and Brad Macloves, parents of Mason Kekoa Nava Macloves.

The Advantage Kokua Scholarship was also launched in 2017 by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Advantage Realty through the UH Foundation. It’s designed as a bridge for at-risk students with high potential who have completed two years at a community college to transition to UH’s four-year campuses. The scholarship funded four students with $5,000 apiece in its inaugural class and will continue by funding a total of eight annually.

The MacNaughton Group employees participate in a build day with partners from other firms and Home Depot to help U.S. Vets rebuild its recreation center at Barbers Point.

“Education is a way to really impact the future of a kid. We are trying to uplift people and allow them to compete on equal footing with an education. If they’re not at a disadvantage then they can help others,” BHGRE Advantage Realty CEO and owner Myron Kiriu says.

“Our team has put a lot of energy and effort into this scholarship,” he says, citing agent donations and fundraisers by the team as main sources for the scholarships.

Designing Thriving Futures

Architects Hawaii Ltd. put 3,615 hours of paid employee time into pro bono design for Pearl Haven, a residential special treatment campus on Oahu for underage females rescued from sexual exploitation. The campus is under the direction of the nonprofit Hoola Na Pua. Architecture, engineering and interior design services were performed by 25 employees, averaging out to 3.5 workweeks with an estimated total value of $700,000, says AHL President and CEO Bettina Mehnert.

AHL renderings of interior spaces at Pearl Haven. Top image is of the dining room. Bottom image is the lounge.

“Our One Percent pro bono program creates a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and community awareness among our employees, but working on Pearl Haven is extra special. For all of us at AHL and our generous design team members, developing Pearl Haven has become a passion, knowing we can have a small part in helping these young girls to heal and recover,” she says.

Employees Drive Giving

Fifty-one companies submitted data on employee cash donations, which totaled $4.8 million. Fifty companies reported 78,642 hours in paid employee volunteer time. And 56 companies reported a total 100,216 hours of employee volunteer time outside work hours.

Norm Baker, COO of Aloha United Way, says when companies hold workplace fundraising campaigns, an average of 75 percent of donations come from employees and 25 percent from the company itself.

Angie Britton, president-elect of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Aloha Chapter, says when corporations give, their philanthropic choices are often driven by their employees. This has been a relatively new strategy, becoming more popular after the economic downturn in 2008.

“Corporations can make more of an impact when they align their giving with their values and get involved with the organizations they support on a deeper level through partnerships, initiatives, and board participation,” she says.

Does Your Company Belong on the List?

If you want to be on next year’s list, email our projects team:
Jeff Hawe, jeffh@hawaiibusiness.com, or
Lei-Anne Jones, leiannej@hawaiibusiness.com.

Hawaii’s Most Charitable Companies List