The Alakaina Foundation gifted $2 million to three local nonprofits that support Native Hawaiian students through educational programs, the private charitable foundation announced Friday.
The programs – Hookuaaina Loi, Pauahi Foundation and Ka Papa Loi O Kanewai – were each selected for its direct impact on Hawaii’s youth by connecting them to their culture and teaching them to be leaders in the community.
“Our mission is to build leadership programs and opportunities for our na pua o Hawaii, the youth of Hawaii,” Kimo Bacon, Alakaina Foundation vice president and executive director said in a statement. ”To do this, we concentrate on programs supporting olelo Hawaii to preserve and perpetuate the Hawaiian language as an official language recognized by the Constitution of the State of Hawaii; [and] the preservation and expansion of Hawaiian technology.”
To help steward the next generation, The Pauahi Foundation, which was established by the trustees of Kamehameha Schools as the fundraising arm of the organization, is using the contribution toward at least 10 designated annual post-high school scholarship recipients of Native Hawaiian ancestry.
Hookuaaina aims to “rebuild lives from the ground up” by empowering youth to return to the lifestyle, mindset and practices of their kupuna through through the cultivation of kalo and Hawaiian cultural values-based coaching.
“We are so very thankful and honored to be supported by the Alakaaina Foundation and others who understand the importance of perpetuating our Hawaiian culture. With deep appreciation and gratitude, we thank you. Mahalo piha,” said Dean Wilhelm, executive co-director, about the donation.
The Ka Papa Loi O Kanewai program at University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Hawaiinuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge has set out to “make the waters flow and the land flourish,” program director Makahiapo Cashman said in a statement.
“We are very grateful to the Alakaina Foundation for helping us make the water flow by getting more Hawaiian kalo on our tables, and supporting our research, education and outreach efforts to perpetuate Native Hawaiian culture, values and knowledge,” she said.
To learn more about the foundation’s efforts, click here.
