By Hawaiian Electric
Employees also donated 10,300 volunteer hours, 1000 units of blood, and 2907 pounds of food in 2017
Hawaiian Electric employees and retirees raised $435,244 for Aloha United Way during the company’s 125th anniversary year which officially began Oct.13, 2016 and ran throughout 2017. The donation will benefit more than 340 nonprofit partner agencies and programs supported by Aloha United Way, the nonprofit agency working to address our community’s most pressing issues by bringing resources, organizations and people together to advance the health, education and financial stability of every person in our community.
Giving back to our communities has been a long standing tradition of Hawaiian Electric and reflects a legacy of caring that started in 1891 when the company was founded,” said Tayne Sekimura, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president and chief financial officer. “In addition to employee and retiree donations, proceeds from the sale of anniversary logo wear items, a special edition cookbook, historic photo calendar, golf tournament, online auction, bake sales, a movie day, and other creative employee-led activities helped contribute to the successful fundraising campaign.”
“Aloha United Way is very appreciative for the continued years of support that Hawaiian Electric and its employees have provided to our organization and the local community,” said Cindy Adams, president and chief executive officer of Aloha United Way. “This donation will be invested in our community to address some of our community’s most persistent social issues and to have a positive impact for the future of Oʻahu.”
Beyond fundraising, last year more than 3400 Hawaiian Electric employees and their families and friends donated 10,300 volunteer hours in support of educational outreach, clean up and restoration of public lands and beaches, serving meals to the homeless, supporting robotics events and more. Employees also gave 1,000 units of blood during year-round blood drives at its Waiau Power Plant and Ward Avenue facilities, and contributed more than $10,000 and 2907 pounds of food to support hungry families in need.
For more than 125 years, Hawaiian Electric has provided the energy that has fueled Hawaiʻi’s development from a Hawaiian kingdom to a modern state. Hawaiian Electric and its subsidiaries, Maui Electric and Hawaiʻi Electric Light, serve 95 percent of Hawaiʻi’s 1.4 million residents on Oʻahu, Maui, Hawaiʻi Island, Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi. Hawaiian Electric is committed to empowering its customers and communities with affordable, reliable, clean energy and achieving a 100 percent renewable energy future for Hawaiʻi. For more information, visit www.hawaiianelectric.com.
A fundraising campaign by company employees and retirees during Hawaiian Electric’s 125th anniversary year raised more than $435,000 for Aloha United Way. Left to right: Tayne Sekimura, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president and chief financial officer; Alan Oshima, Hawaiian Electric president and CEO; Cindy Adams, Aloha United Way president and CEO; Russell Takemoto, IBEW 1260 business manager; and Susan Li, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president-general counsel. Photo credit: Travis Nishida, Hawaiian Electric.