H.T. Hayashi Foundation awarded $210,000 in new grant funding
At its May 2022 board meeting, the H.T. Hayashi Foundation awarded $210,000 in new grant funding to three local organizations supporting children and youth on Kauai during out-of-school hours; statewide community efforts focused on peace-building and resilience; and adults with severe mental illness who need assistance managing their social security and disability benefits. Of the $210,00, the foundation will disperse $100,000 this year, and $110,000 in 2023 and 2024. In addition, the board distributed $50,000 to Kupu as the second year of a four-year general operating support grant commitment.
These awards represent the beginning of a transition in grantmaking strategy for the foundation over the next two years. Aside from emergency or crisis grant applications, the foundation will not accept new applications and instead, will work on foundation-driven projects and with existing grantees.
“We are moving towards a model where we provide grants to fewer organizations, with higher total dollar amounts over multiple years,” explained Jan Harada, executive director of the H.T. Hayashi Foundation. “We believe this strategy will help us focus on increased support for each grantee partner’s capacity-building and community needs and give us more time to focus on projects we are driving ourselves.”
The Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii was awarded $130,000 over the next three years – $60,000 in 2022, $40,000 in 2023, and $30,000 in 2024. This multi-year award is in support of its Kauai clubhouses. The foundation first awarded a one-year grant to the organization to support out-of-school programming due to the pandemic. Takeaways from how the organization operated during the pandemic informed how it supports all out-of-school programming now and into the future. This multi-year award reflects the foundation’s trust in Kauai leadership, appreciation for their passionate commitment to children, and an understanding that without an organization like the Boys & Girls Club, many Kauai children and youth would not be able to successfully navigate hunger, educational challenges, trauma, emotional supports, health/wellness barriers, and future opportunities.
This multi-year award also reflects the foundation’s commitment to the communities of Kauai, an island that holds a special place in the hearts of the Hayashi family as the birthplace of Herbert Hayashi and where his children spent much of their childhood.
Ceeds of Peace was awarded $20,000 in each of the next three years for a total of $60,000. This multi-year award is a general operating support commitment and reflects the foundation’s belief that the values Ceeds of Peace is working to introduce will continue to flourish in all sectors and communities across the state, and are vital to the future of Hawaii.
The challenges the pandemic has brought to our shores have manifested as old wounds that need healing, peace-building, and trauma-informed care. The foundation believes the work of Ceeds of Peace is relevant to all professions and communities. The foundation developed a positive and trusting relationship with Ceeds of Peace leadership (staff and board) after an initial one-year grant in 2021 and is happy to continue supporting their work into the future.
Helping Hands Hawaii received a one-year grant of $20,000 in support of its Representative Payee Program (REPP). The REPP works with 600-plus adults with mental illness on Oahu and Kauai who, because of their illness, cannot manage their social security and disability benefits on their own. REPP coordinates with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to disburse over 45,000 checks per year for basic needs, including housing, food, transportation, phones, toiletries, insurance, and small personal allowances. The SSA will not disburse benefits to individuals they deem unable to manage benefits on their own due to the risk of becoming victims of fraud or the unintentional misuse of funds. So, in many instances, REPP acts as a representative payee to help individuals receive and utilize benefits. Many program participants are homeless, at high risk of homelessness, or struggling with other health issues due to their mental illness. The average age of program consumers is 55 years old, with approximately 23% being 65 and older, demonstrating a need for this vital service to serve our kupuna and mentally ill population.
