A new University of Hawaii program is receiving a grant worth nearly half a million dollars to help Native Hawaiians participate in decision-making about environmental and social issues.
The University of Hawaii Foundation said last week that the Kresge Foundation based in Detroit awarded the school’s Lamaku Na‘auao program $460,000.
The program is run by the university’s Hawai‘inuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge and the William S. Richardson School of Law.
Program participants will learn about food security, renewable-energy research, cultural practices and the effects of climate change.
The grant will help the program hire staff and create a website. It will also allow the program to develop a curriculum that it will share with Native Hawaiian communities through workshops.
Other grants:
» Gov. Neil Abercrombie presented a $450,000 check to the Filipino Community Center on Monday that will be used by the Waipahu facility to install a photovoltaic system.
The grant will be used to install a roof-mounted, Internet-monitoring PV system that is expected to produce about 114,000 kilowatt-hours of power per year, or about 40 percent of the FilCom Center’s current electricity use. The installation is due to be completed within six months, the state said.
"The FilCom Center will use the savings to expand its services while perpetuating the Filipino heritage within the larger multi-cultural community in Hawaii," Abercrombie said in a news release.
The three-story, 50,000-square-foot FilCom Center is the largest Filipino community center outside of the Philippines. The center was dedicated in June 2002.
» University Health Alliance Health Insurance presented a check for $100,000 on April 5 to the Kapiolani Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant program to help fund a new stem cell collection machine and related staffing and training.
Kapiolani became the state’s only pediatric bone marrow transplant facility following last year’s closure of Hawaii Medical Center.
The new Spectra Optia apheresis machine will allow the hospital to become a stem cell collection center for the Hawaii Bone Marrow Donor Registry.
» Kauai County’s Solid Waste Division recently awarded $40,000 to local organizations for recycling and waste diversion programs.
The largest individual grant, $20,400, went to Kauai Community Recycling Services to help it expand its services at the Kilauea recycling center to include recyclables such as cardboard, mixed paper and non-HI-5¢ beverage containers (plastic, glass and metals). The program will help teach schools how to manage HI-5¢ redemption fundraising drives.
Zero Waste Kauai received a $10,000 grant to help it develop an event coordinator training package and a training video titled "How to Put On a Zero Waste Event."
Receiving grants of $2,000 to $2,600 were Kalaheo Elementary School, Kauai Kunana Dairy, Lihue Court Townhomes and Green Hawaii Conferences.
For information about the grant program, contact Allison Fraley, solid-waste program development coordinator, at 241-4841 or afraley@kauai.gov.
» McDonald’s Restaurants of Hawaii has donated $15,500 to the University of Hawaii athletic department. The company had pledged to donate $500 for each touchdown scored by the Warriors in 2012. The team scored 31 touchdowns.
» The Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Hawai‘i island gave $10,000 to Hawaii Community College at a luncheon March 12 in Hilo. The group raised the money at its 14th annual "A Taste of Hilo" event in October.
"Over the years, donations from the Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Hawai‘i have funded student scholarships and faculty enrichment, purchased valuable equipment, been used to beautify our campus, and more," said HCC Chancellor Noreen Yamane. "We are incredibly grateful for their generosity and support."
» The Hawaii Lions Foundation has donated $2,080 to Project Vision Hawaii for a new awning for its recreational vehicle "vision van."
The 36-foot RV is shipped interisland to perform health screenings for low-income and homeless people. Project Vision Hawaii has screened more than 9,000 people statewide since 2011.
