Hawaii Medical Service Association is giving $10,000 each to 10 nonprofit organizations to challenge them to create programs that will help their communities.
Recipients of the HMSA Pays It Forward grants were nominated and voted on by HMSA employees as part of the company’s 75th-anniversary observance.
Each organization is being asked to take its $10,000 award and use it to inspire its staff, volunteers and the people it serves to make a difference for those around them. HMSA will announce their accomplishments in December.
The recipients are Hawaii Meals on Wheels, Epilepsy Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii County Economic Opportunity, Puna Community Medical Center, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii’s Kauai office, Na Maka o Papahanaumokuakea, Pacific Cancer Foundation, Lanai Community Health Center, Ka Honua Momona on Molokai and the Kukui Ahi Patient Program at Molokai General Hospital.
For more information on the recipients and their intended projects, go to hmsa.com/75.
OTHER GRANTS
>> The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement received more than $40,000 in corporate donations for its Next Generation Leadership Program. Contributions were received from Island Insurance, SSFM International, R.M. Towill Corp., First Hawaiian Bank Foundation, First Wind, Sandwich Isles Communications and Aloha Healthcare Solutions.
The money will be used to provide stipends to interns, fellows and mentors who are participating in the program this year.
Since its inception in 2002, the program has “supported the growth of over 20 young leaders in the public policy, nonprofit and community development sector,” said Robin Puanani Danner, president and CEO of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement.
>> The National Football League Foundation has given a total of $6,500 to two programs for youth in Hawaii.
The foundation gave $4,000 to Waikiki Health Center’s Youth Outreach Program. The center works with school dropouts age 14 to 21 to help them prepare for GED, or General Educational Development, equivalency exams.
Participants in the GED classes also will receive encouragement to pursue further learning and/or job training.
The NFL Foundation also gave $2,500 to the African American Diversity Cultural Center Hawaii in support of its Youth Enrichment Program in schools.
This program is aimed at increasing students’ cultural pride and ethnic identity. For more information, contact Deloris Molentia Guttman at 597-1341 or aadcch.org.
>> The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded $11 million for 35 local homeless housing and service programs in Hawaii.
A list of the Hawaii projects awarded funding is at is.gd/paTx8k.
