Maui Electric Donates $148 K to Community in 2016

Maui Electric’s Noe Lai (right) was recently recognized by Maui Electric President Sharon Suzuki as a 2016 Kōkua Community Champion for her long-standing community service contributions to our Maui County community.

Maui Electric Company donated more than $148,000 in monetary contributions and over 1,400 volunteer hours to non-profit and community organizations across Maui County in 2016.

The donations supported community services provided by various organizations, including Maui United Way, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Maui, UH Maui College and Maui Hui Mālama. Volunteer activities ranged from spearheading donation drives and donating blood to organizing and participating in community Adopt-a-Highway workdays, and more.

“We all live and work in these islands we call home and our Maui Electric ‘ohana is strongly committed to doing our part in taking care of the people and communities on Maui, Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i,” said Sharon Suzuki, president of Maui Electric.

Noe Lai and Sharon Suzuki presented the donation of $1,000 to the nonprofit organization, Cancer Kids of Hawaii. Jena Dando, Kalei Silva and Leinaala Bio received the donation on behalf of Cancer Kids of Hawaii.

In recognition of her exemplary volunteer service, the Hawaiian Electric Industries Charitable Foundation honored Maui Electric employee Denise Noe Lai as a 2016 Kōkua Community Champion. With this recognition, HEICF made a $1,000 donation to Cancer Kids of Hawai‘i, Noe’s nonprofit organization of choice, that supports keiki diagnosed with cancer in Hawai‘i.

“Whether she is helping to organize a school supply drive for Lāna‘i students or gathering her fellow co-workers together to prepare a hot meal for those in need, Noe’s spirit of giving is an inspiration to us all,” said Suzuki. “We are honored to have employees like Noe who are always looking for ways to lend a helping hand.”

In addition to volunteering for Cancer Kids of Hawai‘i, Noe dedicates her time to the Half Helen Foundation, a non-profit organization that works with families and schools to strengthen children’s social and emotional development and encourage academic success. Since 2013, Noe has organized several volunteer opportunities for Maui Electric employees, including quarterly visits to prepare and serve dinner at Ka Hale A Ke Ola, Maui’s homeless resource center, as well as an employee school supply collection. In 2016, more than 22 boxes of school supplies donated by Maui Electric employees were hand delivered to students at Lāna‘i Elementary School and E Mālama I Na Keiki preschool.

“I am honored to receive this award, especially for doing what I love to do,” said Noe, a customer assistance representative at Maui Electric. “I love being a part of my community and try to volunteer to make my community a little better. I chose Cancer Kids of Hawai‘i because it’s a small organization doing big things for Hawai‘i families going through cancer treatment.”

Cancer Kids of Hawai‘i, Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit organization devoted to the continuing support of children diagnosed with cancer, and the families that support them.