It’s hard to believe that a year has gone by since the horrific disaster that occurred in the Tohoku region of Japan. I vividly remember watching the heartbreaking footage of the tsunami sweeping homes, cars and people away, followed by Fukushima’s nuclear disaster, and feeling so helpless being thousands of miles away.

Yearning to help beyond making a monetary donation, my husband, Keith Regan, along with Keith and Michiko Lynn Powers and I co-founded the Aloha Initiative, the mission of which was to provide citizens of Japan who were deeply affected by the March 11 disasters with a warm and welcome home.

Within two weeks following the disaster, we created a website and sent out press releases about the concept. While there was interest by many in the community, the thought of creating such a big project thousands of miles away from the disaster region was daunting, but a challenge on which we refused to give up.

The concept to help the citizens of Japan became much more than a concept after receiving an unsolicited call from Don Horner, CEO of First Hawaiian Bank. He had thought of a similar concept, heard about our program, visited our website and was impressed with how much had been done in a matter of a few weeks since the March 11 disaster. His faith in us and our program resulted in a $25,000 donation from the First Hawaiian Bank Foundation and the bank’s unwavering support to help us gain tremendous publicity throughout Hawaii and beyond. Through its efforts, we eventually raised over $160,000.

Without knowing how the Japanese would react to the Aloha Initiative program, the Rev. Jeffrey Soga and Roy Tominaga and my husband took a leap of faith and, using their own monies, traveled to the Tohoku region of Japan last April, visited shelters and met with various government leaders and nonprofit organizations to share with them our interest in bringing those affected by the disasters to Hawaii for a period of respite.

Within a few days, we received countless calls and inquiries. Applications were received and thoroughly reviewed by a committee led by Marian Moriguchi, selections were made, while we, in Hawaii, continued to seek and vet host families, raise monies, and bring key people to be a part of our core committee.

One of our main goals with the Aloha Initiative project was to provide respite and an opportunity to heal. We witnessed countless guests go from having worried and concerned looks on their faces when they first arrived to having wide beaming smiles and a renewed energy. Having provided even an extra ounce of hope and energy to our guests, I believe we achieved the goal of our project. It is obvious from the messages that were shared with us by our departed guests that many healed and were ready to take on the challenges they faced upon returning to Japan.

I am eternally grateful for the people of Hawaii for opening their hearts and opening their homes to help the people of Japan through this project.

Our host families on Oahu and Maui, our partners, our sponsors such as First Hawaiian Bank, Relativity Media, Hawaiian Airlines, Japan Airlines, Mana Foods and Island Honda and our many volunteers have shared the aloha spirit and created lifelong friendships that transcend culture, language and distance.

Being born and raised in Hawaii, I always thought that I understood the meaning of aloha. Nevertheless, it wasn’t until the Aloha Initiative project was implemented and our community came together, despite tough economic times, to help the people of Japan, that my husband and I, along with our nearly 100 visitors, gained a much deeper understanding and appreciation for the five-letter word.