Record $519,000 raised by Hawaiian Electric employees, retirees for Aloha United Way in 2021
Year-long campaign emphasized strength of working together
Release Date: 4/6/2022
Top row: Hawaiian Electric’s Shelee Kimura, president & CEO; Leroy Chincio, IBEW Local 1260 business manager; John Fink, AUW president & CEO. Bottom row: Jason Benn, Hawaiian Electric senior VP & CIO; Robert Krekel, Hawaiian Electric business process and continuous improvement manager; and Emmaly Calibraro, AUW VP resource development & donor relations.
HONOLULU, April 6, 2022 – Keeping alive a company tradition of giving back to its communities, Hawaiian Electric employees on Oahu ran a year-long fundraising campaign in 2021 that raised $519,665.20 for Aloha United Way, the nonprofit helping to identify and solve the community’s most pressing needs. The amount raised is one of the largest contributions to AUW by Hawaiian Electric employees over the past two decades.
The record fundraising effort was achieved through a combination of employee and retiree donations and mostly virtual fundraisers supported by IBEW Local 1260. Separate campaigns by employees from the company’s Hawaii Island and Maui County operations collectively raised over $83,000 for the United Way agencies serving those counties.
“Our employee giving campaign was themed Hilinai from the Hawaiian word to believe, to trust and rely upon,” said Jason Benn, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president & chief information officer and the campaign’s executive sponsor. “We have a shared responsibility to work together for a stronger Hawaii and I couldn't be prouder of our employees for overcoming challenge after challenge and still raising a record amount to provide for the critical needs of our community.”
“Hawaiian Electric has been an incredible partner throughout this entire COVID crisis,” said John Fink, president & CEO of Aloha United Way. “From its outreach efforts to help Hawaiian Electric customers in need through its record-setting fundraising campaign with Aloha United Way, Hawaiian Electric has shown its sincere sense of ohana repeatedly during these most difficult of times. We are fortunate to have such an empathetic partner working for the greater good in our community.”
Although the fundraising activities were hampered by teleworking requirements, coronavirus safety protocols and supply chain disruptions, among other issues, Hawaiian Electric employees still raised a record amount. Successful fundraisers included a twice sold-out cookbook, a (virtual) golf tournament, an online auction, logo merchandise sales, a virtual pledge bowl and a joint fundraiser with luxury fashion label MANAOLA Hawaii on its debut bath and body collection.
