Sammy Hagar Donates $5,000 to Help Hāna Youth

Hāna Youth Center, courtesy photo.

By Wendy Osher

The Hāna Youth Center in East Maui is the recipient of a $5,000 donation that will allow the non-profit to purchase new equipment for a permanent computer lab, the organization announced.

The funds are from the Hagar Family Foundation, founded by rock ‘n’ roll hall-of-famer Sammy Hagar, who is also a part-time Maui resident.

The Hāna Youth Center announced the receipt of the gift today saying it will supplement the center’s $10,000 goal to provide students with a new computer lab.  The new lab, representatives say, will also be dedicated to the Hagar Family Foundation.

The donation comes just in time for the New Year, and enables the organization to establish permanent services since its current facility had been using computers on loan.

Keoki Kalani, executive director for the Hāna Youth Center commented in a press release saying, “We live in a rural community, so for many of our members, the only access to a computer is through the Hāna Youth Center.  The new equipment enables our students to have Internet access for research projects, do school work, and generally broaden their knowledge of the world outside of our small town.”

The Hāna Youth Center serves an estimated 210 youth, with an average attendance of 42 individuals per day, the announcement said.

In addition to the computer facility, the Hāna Youth Center also provides regular talk story sessions, homework labs, a Kids Café through the Food Bank’s Feeding America program, and student employment opportunities through Youth Aide and Alu Like Inc.