Tanioka’s pledges $50,000 to support neonatal care

The Tanioka’s Seafood & Catering Charity Foundation recently pledged $50,000 in support of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children.

This gift brings the Tanioka’s Charity Foundation’s total donation amount to more than $132,000. Funds collected from the last pledge in 2013 supported the purchase of two Prismaflex blood purifiers and two blood warmers for the pediatric intensive care unit and a versatile platform for intensive care blood-purification therapies designed to meet the stringent demands placed on blood-purification therapies in intensive care units.

In other awards and contributions:

>> The annual Rice for the Holidays program by the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association distributed 25,000 pounds of rice in November and December.

The program began in 2008 when MHLA partnered with Jim Coon of Trilogy Excursions in an annual giveaway of turkeys to the residents of Lanai by adding a 5-pound bag of rice with the turkey, according to a news release. The program has expanded to provide rice for distribution on Maui and Molokai. Rice this year was distributed on Lanai on Nov. 21, and on Molokai and in Hana on Dec. 5.

MHLA partners with many of its members in the program, including Costco, Young Brothers and Island Movers.

“This annual food distribution would not be possible without the support of our members.” Lisa Paulson, executive director for MHLA, said in a release. “Maui’s visitor industry is a big believer in taking care of the community in which we all live.”

>> General Contractors Association of Hawaii recently donated $58,000 to Child & Family Service.

The association raised the funds in partnership with Ward Village Foundation in the annual “Give Back to the Community” project.

“Thanks to our generous partners at the Ward Village Foundation, we are able to support an organization that does an incredible job of helping families thrive,” said George Ehara, association president. “By joining hands and working together, we can make a difference and improve the quality of life for residents throughout our state.”

The Howard Hughes Co., as a part of its development of Ward Village, made an initial commitment of $1 million to the community through the Ward Village Foundation. Since its commencement in January 2014, the foundation has donated more than $700,000 to Hawaii’s nonprofits, according to a press release.

“The Ward Village Foundation is honored to be a part of the support for Child & Family Service and their initiatives to help strengthen our local families,” said Todd Apo, vice president of community development at the Howard Hughes Corp. “We want to thank all of the members of the General Contractors Association for allowing us to be a part of this effort to assist an organization that work tirelessly to improve the welfare of our island’s communities. Together, we all play a part in our goal of making Hawaii a better place.”

>> SchoolRise Hawaii recently donated more than $12,000 to INPEACE, Aloha United Way and Ka‘ala Farm in recognition of their work with children and families.

SchoolRise Hawaii is a locally based company that describes its mission as helping schools improve student achievement through a systematic, research-based approach that focuses on professional development. From its base in public elementary schools, SchoolRise Hawaii has expanded its services to public middle and high schools, as well as charter and independent schools. This school year SchoolRise said it is providing services to nine schools in Hawaii.