Hawaiian Electric Celebrates Century of Service in Maui County

In commemoration of 100 years of serving its customers and communities on Maui, Moloka‘i, and Lāna‘i, Hawaiian Electric is recognizing 21 non-profit organizations across the county with a total contribution of over $11,000.

The company’s employees nominated organizations to receive donations for their impactful and positive efforts in the areas of community resilience, environmental sustainability, and educational excellence including:

• Aloha Council, Boy Scouts of America
• E Mālama I Na Keiki O Lānaʻi
• East Maui Watershed Partnership
• Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Centers
• Lānaʻi Kinaole
• Lānaʻi Youth Center
• Loʻiloa
• Make A Wish Hawaii
• Maui Hui Mālama
• Maui Family YMCA
• Maui Historical Society
• Maui Invasive Species Committee
• Maui Strikers Soccer Club
• Molokaʻi Community Service Council
• Molokaʻi Land Trust
• Na Kai Ewalu Canoe Club
• Pacific Cancer Foundation
• SHARKastics
• Surfrider Foundation Maui Chapter
• The Maui Farm
• Waiwai Ola Waterkeepers Hawaiian Islands

“We’re celebrating our century of service with a reflection of our employee’s long-standing commitment to supporting our communities and customers,” said Mahina Martin, director of government and community affairs for Hawaiian Electric in Maui County. “Employees from all areas of our company enthusiastically highlighted these non-profits working to make Maui, Moloka‘i, and Lāna‘i better, especially as many organizations had to quickly adapt their services to the community during the pandemic.”

Because in-person volunteering at Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center had to be curtailed during the pandemic, Executive Director Monique Ibarra said contributions are critical with an increase of assistance in our community.

“All of you at Hawaiian Electric are working with us to break the homelessness cycle so thank you for the contribution to commemorate your 100th year of service to Maui County,” Ibarra said. “Any donation helps our guests and clients feel valued and know that our community is thinking about them, and it furthers our efforts to end homelessness on Maui.”

Anthony Baldeviso, a Hawaiian Electric employee on Lānaʻi, nominated the Lānaʻi Youth Center for providing a safe and healthy environment for programs like Homework Help Hour, Appreciation for Hawai‘i’s Diverse Cultures, and Drug Prevention and Safety Awareness. “They help our island youth to foster a healthy lifestyle and a positive attitude which leads to brighter leaders for the future.”

“It’s so awesome when you get a nomination from the community,” said Nancy Rajaei, executive director of the Lānaʻi Youth Center. “It’s heartwarming and a great confirmation to the work we want to continue doing.”

Karen Holt, executive director of Moloka‘i Community Service Council, said their organization has appreciated the community partnership with the company over the decades. “Our organization has been around since 1974, and the company has been very supportive of our organization and our community, and we’re very thankful to you all, and the employees who selected us for this recognition.”

Officially organized as Maui Electric Company in April 1921, the company went on to expand service to all parts of Maui – from Pā‘ia, Ha‘ikū, Kula, Makawao to Waihe‘e, Lahaina and Hāna, as well as Lāna‘i and Moloka‘i. In 2020, the company transitioned its name to Hawaiian Electric, which serves 95 percent of the state’s 1.4 million residents on Maui, Moloka‘i, Lānaʻi, O‘ahu and Hawai‘i Island.

“Our islands have changed, and our communities have grown,” said Martin. “But, what hasn’t changed over a century is the commitment we’ve had to support our communities.”