Hawaiian Electric grants total $30,000 for youth programs
Release Date: 5/12/2023
HONOLULU, May 12, 2023 – Hawaiian Electric has awarded grants totaling $30,000 to three nonprofit organizations – Hawaii Agricultural Foundation, Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders and Na Kama Kai – for programs that educate and inspire youth.
Hawaii Agricultural Foundation, whose mission is to support and sustain Hawaii’s agricultural industry, will launch its fifth cohort of the Young Entrepreneur’s Program during the 2023-24 academic year. Funds will help support 25 middle and high school teams from public and charter schools statewide to bring locally-sourced products – such as fruit jams, soap bars, wood products and mamaki tea blends – to market. All are created from crops grown on or near the schools.
Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders, the nonprofit that engages, equips and empowers Hawaii’s future leaders, held its Vision Lab event on April 13 featuring the top student-led projects across the state. This annual showcase is part of a leadership pipeline program intended to give students real-world experience in developing and executing projects that will have lasting impact on their communities.
Na Kama Kai, which operates a youth community center at Pokai Bay in Waianae, will expand resources to serve more underprivileged keiki of all ages through access to meals, tutoring and ocean knowledge mentorship. Funds will support staffing, lifeguard certification and safety equipment needed for free programs that deepen children’s knowledge of ocean safety, environmental stewardship and Hawaiian cultural practices.
