HONOLULU, HAWAII – In 2001, the Alexander & Baldwin Foundation (ABF), funded by the business activities of Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. and its subsidiaries, donated more than $1.1 million to 266 separate non-profit organizations serving Hawaii, to help address significant community needs and ensure a better quality of life for Hawaii’s residents. A&B’s statewide subsidiaries include Matson Navigation Company and A&B Properties, Inc; subsidiaries on Maui are Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company (HC&S), East Maui Irrigation Company (EMI), Kahului Trucking & Storage (KT&S); and on Kauai, Kauai Coffee® Company and Kauai Commercial Company. ABF also donated nearly $250,000 to charities on the U.S. mainland.

A&B Vice President Meredith J. Ching, chair of the A&B Foundation’s Hawaii Committee, said, “A&B has, and will continue to have, a deep interest in the future of Hawaii and its residents because A&B has its roots and, more importantly, its future firmly planted in this state.” A&B employs more than 1,500 Hawaii residents and counts more than 2,500 retirees. Ching added, “We look for ways to help our state be a healthy place to live and work by giving cash and resources to community projects, organizations and issues that are important to A&B employees and to our community neighbors.”

Ching said, “We have clearly demonstrated this belief through good times and bad; our history shows that in tough times, our contributions to the community intensify. In fact, despite the forecast of a weakened Hawaii economy in 2002 and lower earnings next year, the company has increased its funding of the A&B Foundation, because we recognize that social needs in Hawaii are likely to increase and that this community will need to band together.”

Support Broad, Diverse

While other business-funded foundations have narrowed the scope of their giving, the A&B Foundation has retained its broad and diverse scope of support for agencies on six Hawaiian islands, crossing a range of causes. Health & human service agencies benefited from nearly $500,000; educational causes received roughly $285,000; culture and arts organizations gained about $150,000; community/civic causes roughly $110,000 and environmental and maritime organizations were granted nearly $60,000.

Health & Human Services

Health & human service were granted $491,520 in 2001, including ABF’s largest single grant made last year – $180,000 – made to the Aloha United Way. Together with grants made to Maui United Way ($124,000); Kauai United Way ($24,000) Hawaii Island United Way ($5,000) and the Friendly Isle United Way ($5,000), the A&B Foundation’s support for United Way comprised nearly $340,000. These grant were supplemented also by personal donations made by A&B employees and retirees, totaling more than $150,000.

Education

Including $23,000 in matching gifts (triggered by personal donations by A&B employees, retirees and directors), the A&B Foundation donated $288,954 to educational institutions ranging from preschools to graduate schools. The largest recipient of ABF educational support was the University of Hawaii Foundation, which gained $50,000 via grants to Maui Community College ($31,000), Kauai Community College $10,000) and the UH Hilo campus ($5,000). Hawaii Pacific University received $30,000, part of a five-year $150,000 pledge. On Maui, the second of three payments was made on a $100,000 pledge to the TechReady campaign, providing state-of-the-art computer equipment for Maui schools and libraries. Individual public and private schools on Maui, Kauai, Lanai, Molokai and Oahu also received operating and capital donations, as did the Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation ($5,000). These include $15,000 to Mid-Pacific Institute (Oahu) and $10,000 each to Doris Todd Memorial Christian School (Maui), Le Jardin/Windward Oahu Academy and La Pietra/Hawaii School for Girls (Oahu).

Cultural & Arts Support

Culture and arts organizations benefited from $151,860 in direct grants and an additional $9,600 in matching gifts. Significant grants included $20,000 for the Honolulu Academy of Arts; $15,000 each for Hawaii Opera Theatre and Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Manoa Valley Theatre, Hui Noeau (on Maui), and the Military Aviation Museum of the Pacific each received $5,000 grants.

In keeping with the historic nature of ABF’s funding corporation, historical societies on Oahu, Maui and Kauai were supported. Notably, two separate Polynesian voyaging canoe construction projects—on Maui and Kauai—were funded. Other Hawaiian cultural programs supported include the King Kamehameha Day Celebration, Mokihana Festival (Kauai), the World Invitational Hula Festival, the Kumu Kahua Theatre and the Paniolo Preservation Society.

Community Needs

Programs and events benefiting the broader community and the quality of life across the state received $105,000 in support from the A&B Foundation. Significant grants included $25,000 to The September 11th Fund, via the Hawaii Community Foundation, and $10,000 to the Pacific War Memorial Association for a WWII memorial. Hawaii Special Olympics; Coalition for a Drug-Free Hawaii, Parents and Children Together each received grants ranging from $2,000 to $5,000. Other causes supported include 4-H programs; the State and several County fairs; DARE; CrimeStoppers; Visitor Aloha Society; youth centers, conferences and parades.

Long History of Charitable Support

“We take a long-term perspective on community involvement. We believe that sustained support—in good times and bad—of a wide variety of activities and organizations will result in a well-rounded future for our home state,” said Ching. “We are proud to be an active member of many Hawaii communities for more than 130 years.” A detailed report on 2001giving by the A&B Foundation will be published next month and will be made available to the public.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Linda M. Howe, 808-525-6642 or lhowe@abinc.com.

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