Nā Hale O Maui Among Beneficiaries of Hawai‘i Community Foundation Grant

Hawai‘i Life Charitable Fund Donated $25,000 in Grant Funding

The Hawai‘i Life Charitable Fund at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation distributed more than $25,000 in grants this year to various nonprofits across Hawai‘i, consistent with the HLCF giving focus for 2019: Shelter for Families in Need.

Grants of $5,000 were distributed in 2019 to five Hawai‘i charities. Grant funding will aid these local nonprofits in their mission to serve homeless populations across the state of Hawai‘i.

• HOPE Services Hawai‘i, Inc. on Hawai‘i Island: Hope Services delivers homeless outreach services on the Big Island.
• Housing and Land Enterprise of Maui for their Nā Hale O Maui program: Nā Hale O Maui is a community land trust helping to create affordable housing on Maui.
• Family Life Center on Kaua‘i: Family Life Center’s mission is to stabilize the lives of people in their time of need with shelter, food, clothing, and access to life-changing support services on Kaua‘i.
• Friends of Youth Outreach Hawai‘i Foundation for their RYSE program: Friends of Youth Outreach Hawai‘i Foundation is an organization that serves homeless youth ages 18 to 24 through the Residential Youth Services & Empowerment (RYSE) program in Kailua, O‘ahu.
• Family Promise of Hawai‘i on O‘ahu: Family Promise of Hawai’i offers emergency shelter for families experiencing homelessness on O‘ahu.

Mealoha Kraus Donor-Advised Fund Established

The Hawai‘i Life Charitable Fund is honoring the memory of Mealoha Kraus with the establishment of a donor-advised fund with the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF).

Mealoha Kraus, who was a Hawai‘i Life real estate broker for many years, recently passed away in Hilo with her family by her side following a brief but fierce battle with breast cancer.  She was described by the HCF as a “cherished colleague to many.”

Kraus was the first to serve as Board Chairperson of the Hawai‘i Life Charitable Fund, the company’s charitable arm and also a donor-advised fund at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation.

The new fund in her name will be directed by her family through the Hawai‘i Community Foundation. The Mealoha Kraus Donor-Advised Fund with the Hawai‘i Community Foundation was seeded with $10,000 from the Hawai‘i Life Charitable Fund, and Hawai‘i Life matched that donation with an additional $10,000. The fund will be set up to receive online donations beginning this month at hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/give.

“I was beyond blessed to work side by side with Mealoha on the Hawai’i Life Charitable Fund Board of Directors and to learn from the best,” said Linda Hussey, current Board Chair of the HLCF. “She was a fierce leader with a huge heart. The board wanted to honor Mealoha and carry on her dedication to giving back to her community. What better way to accomplish that than to set up a fund in her name that will carry on for generations to come?”

Donations to the Hawai‘i Life Charitable Fund and the Mealoha Kraus Fund can be made online or by check. Please mail checks to:

ATTN: Hawai‘i Life Charitable Fund* (memo line: Mealoha Kraus Fund)
C/O Hawai‘i Community Foundation
827 Fort Street Mall
Honolulu, HI 96813-4317

Hawai‘i Life and Hawai‘i Life Charitable Fund Renew Multi-Year Pledge to HILT

In keeping with the company’s commitment to charitable causes, Hawai‘i Life recently renewed its multi-year pledge to the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust. Both Hawai‘i Life and the Hawai‘i Life Charitable Fund have made a three-year commitment by renewing their Nā Koa ʻĀina Fellowships with HILT, by each pledging a gift of $30,000 to be disbursed over the next three years.

Hawai‘i Life and the Hawai‘i Life Charitable Fund are founding members of the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust. HILT takes a uniquely Hawaiian and holistic approach to land conservation, focusing on the preservation of lands that enable Hawai’i’s long-term well-being, including lands with scenic views, agricultural resources, wildlife habitats, water resource areas, cultural and historical values and outdoor recreation opportunities.