The novel coronavirus affects us all—our coworkers and families, our customers and business partners, and the larger community. Not only a public health challenge, the pandemic has also brought significant economic challenges affecting residents and families across our state.

Through philanthropy, support for Hawaii’s small businesses, commissioned research, innovative corporate sponsorships, and socially distanced volunteerism, Bank of Hawaii and Bank of Hawaii Foundation stepped up to kōkua our community in crisis. Bank of Hawaii, its employees, and Bank of Hawaii Foundation contributed more than $5.2 million to community and philanthropic causes in 2020.

Additional COVID-19 Support

Bank of Hawaii Foundation is honored to be able to support many of those making a difference on the frontlines. Bank of Hawaii Foundation made the following donations to ensure those working on the frontlines are equipped with the personal protective equipment and funding they need to serve the community.

• Hawai‘i Pacific Health, The Queen’s Health Systems, Kuakini Medical Center, and other healthcare facilities across Hawaii and the West Pacific received personal protective equipment, including more than 1,200 face shields and N95 face masks.
  
  
• Healthcare Association of Hawaii received a $100,000 donation to help the organization protect its healthcare workers and the patients they serve.
  
  
• Food banks and distribution services in Guam and Saipan received
  $100,000 to provide emergency food boxes for families, as well as meals-to-go for frontline nursing staff.
  
  
• The Institute for Human Services received $20,000 to support its shelter-in-place services. In addition, BOH co-hosted a one-day drive called “Bags of Hope,” which generated over $5,000 in monetary donations and collected hundreds of pounds of essential supplies.
  
  
• YMCA of Honolulu received $10,000 to help sustain day care programs for children of essential workers.
  
  
• Hawaii Foodbank received over $14,000 from Bank of Hawaii employees for its virtual 2020 Hawaii Bankers Association Food Drive.

COVID-19 IN HAWAII:
Facts and Insights, Volumes 1 & 2

To better understand the current effects of the pandemic on families and individuals, Bank of Hawaii Foundation commissioned Anthology Research to conduct a baseline and follow-up survey of residents. The sobering findings highlight the deepening economic hardships and anxiety Hawaii residents are facing:

• Hawaii households have been significantly impacted financially.
  As of December 2020,
  • 56% struggled to pay rent, mortgage or utility bills, compared with 48% in May.
  • 63% had lost a job or experienced reduced work hours or pay, compared to 55% in May.
  • 53% had experienced a decline in household income since the start of the pandemic, up from 45% in May.
    
    
• Fear of COVID-19 among residents is substantial.
  • 82% felt that COVID-19 poses a real danger to themselves and their families, compared to 71% in May.
  • More than twice as many residents 43%, up from 18% in May, personally knew of someone who had tested positive for COVID-19.

Volume 2 can be viewed at www.boh.com/facts-figures.

Innovative Partnerships with Nonprofits

Goodwill Goes GLAM! Bank of Hawaii Foundation continued its support of Goodwill Hawaii’s major annual fundraiser, which transformed into a successful virtual event. Viewers purchased Goodwill Hawaii merchandise online, local fashion designers were spotlighted and information about resources available to help residents with job skills training and employment opportunities were broadcast to a large audience.

The Hawaii Book and Music Festival was converted to a virtual event and was launched in partnership with the University of Hawai‘i. Postponed until October, the event featured an informative and timely speaker series, including 45 panel discussions that focused on many facets related to an innovative and sustainable future for Hawaii. Bank of Hawaii has been a sponsor since 2006.

Hawai‘i Resilience Fund at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation

The following are some of the special allocations made from our $3 million donation:

• Food: $1 million to local food banks across the state. The funding, which generated a $1 million match from the City and County of Honolulu, resulted in millions of pounds of food distributed; 300,000+ individuals and families being fed; and service providers, such as food distributors, farmers and support staff, being able to work and help provide for community needs.
  
  
• Health: $1 million to support health and safety initiatives, including $200,000 to Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services to provide health services to Kalihi area residents and $200,000 to Queen’s Medical Center for the expansion of its infectious disease program.
  
  
• Economic Recovery: $1 million to launch Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s social impact fund, which will help individuals, businesses and nonprofits access capital and technical support.