Na Pono no na Ohana, a Waimanalo-based program of the Partners in Development Foundation, is offering a second opportunity for residents to upgrade their old appliances at a discounted cost.

The program, in collaboration with Hawaii Energy and the First Hawaiian Bank Foundation, will allow Waimanalo households that meet certain requirements to trade in their old appliances for new Energy Star-certified refrigerators, freezers, washers and dryers for $250 each.

After holding an initial round of appliance trade-ups in February, the organization reached its maximum number of participants within the first two weeks of accepting applications, said Brittney Pescaia, project director of Na Pono no na Ohana.

“We’ve heard (from the community) that it’s the best thing that’s happened to Waimanalo,” Pescaia said. “People are just so interested in it, and it was such a good deal.”

For the past few years, Hawaii Energy has been working with community groups across the state that serve so-called asset-limited, income-­constrained, employed, or ALICE, families to implement the trade-up program. Hawaii Energy reached out in September to Na Pono no na Ohana to see if they would be interested in partnering to offer the program to Waimanalo residents.

“Families like those that PIDF serve are often on fixed income,” said Hawaii Energy Deputy Director Mireya Norman. “They have larger households, which means they probably stand to benefit even more financially than the average resident from our programs, help them lower their electric bill and maybe direct more of that money toward other income needs in their household.”

Since Hawaii must import oil from out of state, electricity costs here are about three times the national average, Norman said. The trade-up program gives Waimanalo residents the opportunity to save roughly $750 on each new appliance as well as on delivery costs.

Participants also are required to attend an energy efficiency workshop, which is open to all Waimanalo residents.

Faith and Edward Ka‘iama participated in the February program, trading in their freezer and a 30-year-old refrigerator. The Waimanalo couple attended the energy efficiency class where Hawaii Energy employees answered their questions and introduced them to other resources to help save on their electrical bill.

“It really helps,” Faith Ka‘iama said. “Money was tight, and we live on a fixed income … so we are just happy that they have this type of program in our community.”

Since installing their new appliances and implementing the advice given to them by Hawaii Energy, she said, their electrical bill has dropped by almost 20%.

Hawaii Energy’s partnerships with community programs has enabled it to provide almost 400 appliances to households in Honolulu and on Maui, Hawaii island and Molokai in 2023, Norman said. Its efforts are funded by a 2% surcharge on all Hawaiian Electric bills.

A recent $25,000 grant from the First Hawaiian Bank Foundation enabled Hawaii Energy and Na Pono no na Ohana to offer washers and dryers in the upcoming round of trade-ups, which wasn’t an option in February, Pescaia said.

Na Pono no na Ohana will begin accepting applications for the second round of trade-ups Aug. 10, she said. Applications will be posted on the Hawaii Energy website, hawaiienergy.com.

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Linsey Dower covers ethnic and cultural affairs and is a corps member of Report for America, a national service organization that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues and communities.