Our Community
Standing Strong to Help Others
In our unique island community, Bank of Hawaii has a long history of supporting philanthropic causes. In times of crisis, we quickly mobilize to provide necessary services and support for our many nonprofit partners.
Disaster Relief and Recovery
In 2023, our community faced grave challenges from natural disasters. On May 24, Typhoon Mawar made landfall on Guam. One of the strongest tropical cyclones on record in the Northern Hemisphere, Mawar flooded thousands of homes across the island, downed trees and disrupted basic services for weeks.
On August 8, wildfires on Maui resulted in the worst disaster Hawaii has ever experienced, with a tragic loss of lives, homes, and livelihoods.
In addition to providing essential financial services, such as ATM surcharge waivers, loan forbearances and extensions, Bank of Hawaii Foundation made donations to aid recovery efforts and will continue to provide long-term support to nonprofits.
Kokua for Maui
Bankoh Blue Crew volunteers provided hands-on support to Hawaii Community Foundation, Goodwill Hawaii, and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) for victims of the Maui wildfires. More than 190 volunteers gave 1,357 hours to sort through donated goods on Oahu and Maui, as well as assist with sorting mailed donations, providing data entry and responding to messages left by donors.
One Ohana Through Live Kokua
Bank of Hawaii employees have always been generous with their time in support of the community. Established in 2006, our Live Kokua Volunteer Program with our Bankoh Blue Crew volunteers are easily recognized by their blue T-shirts at a variety of community service projects.
2023 Live Kokua Giving Campaign
With a theme of #ComeTogetherForCommunity, the 2023 Live Kokua Giving Campaign raised $603,134 to support a host of Aloha United Way’s 300 partner nonprofits, including those that provide relief to communities affected by the natural disasters on Maui, Hawaii Island and Guam. The campaign ran from September 12 through October 20.
$603.134
Amount raised by the 2023 Live Kokua Giving Campaign
$8.2 Million
Total dollars raised by the Live Kokua Giving Campaign since 2010 for local nonprofits
Live Kokua Volunteer Program Highlights
Hawaii Foodbank
Our Bankoh Blue Crew helped pack over 800 healthy food boxes for low-income senior citizens. This included assembling 2,300 packages to place the food in and preparing pallets of boxes for delivery.
Goodwill Hawaii
In addition to sorting donations for Goodwill Goes GLAM!, the nonprofit’s signature fundraiser, 12 bank volunteers received IRS certification and provided free tax return preparation services to lowincome taxpayers as part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program at local Goodwill locations.
16th Annual Community Service Day
Roughly 200 volunteers spent a day working at Ka Papa Loi o Kanewai, a community kalo (taro) patch at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. They cleared the stream of debris, worked in the loi and learned about the history and cultural significance of the area.
Leahi Millennium Peace Garden
21 of our summer interns trimmed shrubs, removed invasive species and cleaned the entrance of Leahi (Diamond Head) State Monument on the outskirts of Waikiki.
Aloha United Way Campaign
Our Bankoh Blue Crew waved signs in downtown Honolulu to raise awareness of the nonprofit’s mission to advance the health, education and financial stability of our community. Bank of Hawaii is a longtime supporter of AUW, including funding the ALICE Initiative dedicated to helping a cohort of nonprofits that support working individuals and families, as well as funding the ALICE Report, which explores the challenges of Hawaii’s working individuals who cannot afford basic necessities to remain stable and self-sufficient.
The Bankoh Blue Crew volunteered at Ka Papa Loi o Kanewai
Employees Paula Lewis and Vergie Navarro-Phan, along with Vergie’s daughter Anisa Phan, helped sort items at Goodwill Goes GLAM!
A community service event organized by our Native Hawaiian ERG, Na Oiwi Aloha, helped hundreds of houseless individuals in Leeward Oahu.
Bank of Hawaii Foundation
Nonprofit Partnerships at a Glance
Bank of Hawaii Foundation supports the vision and services of hundreds of nonprofits in our community through grants and volunteer hours each year. These are some of the organizations that received funding in 2023.
$1.6 Million+
Total dollars in grants for 60 local nonprofits in 2023
$200,000
Puuhonua O Waianae
For the ongoing construction of the Puuhonua O Waianae Village, which will enable people currently unhoused to move into sheltered homes on 20 acres in Wai‘anae Valley.
$100,000
Straub Burn Center
For the only burn center in the Hawaii and Pacific Region.
Waianae Coast Comprehensive Center
For the modernization of its dental health center to provide expanded services to keiki and kupuna in West Oahu.
$50,000
American Heart Association Hawaii
For the Adopt-a-Clinic (Wahiawa Health Center) and to support the 2023 Hawaii Heart Walk.
$30,000
Goodwill Goes Glam
Continued support as the presenting sponsor of Goodwill Hawaii’s annual fundraiser to help people with employment barriers develop skills and find jobs.
$25,000
American Red Cross
For the Home Fire campaign, which helps to save lives with the installation of alarms that prevent fire-related deaths and injuries.
Teach for America Hawaii
To support programming that provides educational excellence for Hawaii’s children.
$15,000
Prince Lot Hula Festival
Toward sponsorship of the 46th annual celebration of Hawaiian dance and culture featuring premier hula halau from throughout the islands.
$3 Million
Total amount given by Bank of Hawaii, its Foundation, bank employees and retirees to the community in 2023.
Employees supported the launch of the 2023 Aloha United Way Campaign in downtown Honolulu.
Community Reinvestment Act / 2023 Financial Education
Some of our activities that qualify for CRA designation include teaching financial literacy in schools and partnering with various organizations to support small businesses, create affordable housing and well-paying jobs, address homelessness, and improve healthcare.
Our Blue Crew and Bank of Hawaii SimpliFi Athletes hosted SmartMoney Lesson Day at Princess Ruth Keelikolani Middle School during Financial Literacy Month.
Kaydi Dakujaku and Brandy Okuda shared an engaging lesson with students about budgeting and saving.
Financial Education
Junior Achievement U.S. President’s Volunteer Service Award
Bank of Hawaii was honored in June 2023 with a bronze level U.S. President’s Volunteer Service Award at the Junior Achievement Volunteer Summit in Washington, D.C. The award recognized organizations that contributed at least 1,000 JA volunteer service hours during the 2021–22 school year. With 1,081 volunteer hours, Bank of Hawaii was the only Hawaii-based company to earn the distinction.
Financial Literacy Lessons at Public Schools
Since 2009, Bank of Hawaii has provided financial education to public schools across Hawaii and the West Pacific region. In April, which is Financial Literacy Month, 17 University of Hawaii athletes joined 52 Bank of Hawaii employees on SmartMoney Lesson Day to teach the importance of saving to all students at Princess Ruth Keelikolani Middle School.
In April, May and October, Bank of Hawaii volunteers also taught financial education to students in other schools, focusing on age-appropriate lessons about budgeting, saving, investing and the difference between “needs” and “wants.”
Supporting a Renaissance at Princess Ruth Keelikolani Middle School
Bank of Hawaii has a special relationship with this Title 1 school in downtown Honolulu that extends beyond ongoing financial literacy lessons.
We collaborated with several community organizations to create the Princess Ruth Keelikolani School Renaissance Foundation, which rewards students for good academic performance, sportsmanship and community service. The goal of the foundation is to inspire students to excel in ways that will empower them in the future. The 2022–23 school year was the start of this renaissance program with 65 students recognized at an awards ceremony.
Empowering Young People
Impacted By Foster Care Bank of Hawaii is proud to be a supporter of EPIC Ohana’s HI H.O.P.E.S. Initiative since its inception in 2010. The program works to ensure that Hawaii’s young people who’ve experienced foster care have the resources and opportunities they need to succeed in life.
Since the start of HI H.O.P.E.S., 1,036 individual savings accounts were opened that provide matching funds for large purchases such as housing, education and vehicles. The accounts have been used to make qualified purchases totaling $1.52 million to date.
Supporting Saipan's Small Businesses
Bank of Hawaii Foundation supports greater economic stability in Saipan through its annual I Kinometi Para I Kumunidat I Isla-ta Small Business Revitalization and Development grants. Since the program began in 2012, $275,000 has been awarded to 55 small businesses.
In 2023, five small business were awarded $5,000 each:
El Bishu
A confectionery company owned by a Chamorro woman built a test kitchen to expand product offerings.
Kumoi Farms
A pig farm that provides quality pork products and hosts farm tours for school children used its funds for hands-on learning activities to attract more student participation.
STEMify CNMI Robotics & Automation
The region’s only robotics and automation training center for youth provided scholarships to the first 100 students enrolled in its after-school STEM Robotics-On-Wheels program.
Tasi to Table
A nonprofit that teaches youth about sustainable fishing practices, environmental protection and water safety purchased fishing rods and reels for program participants.
Tupu Cane Juice
A small business that makes natural, cold-pressed sugarcane juice upgraded equipment to keep up with growing demand.
This year's selected small business owners received their awards at a special presentation held at Northern Marianas College.
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