FHB employees, retirees give $756K to 34 charities

From left, Bob Harrison, First Hawaiian Bank chairman and CEO, First Hawaiian Bank employees Lylia Ishihara and Sharleen Anderson, and Iris Matsumoto, First Hawaiian Bank executive vice president, Human Resources Division. (Contributed Photo)

HONOLULU, Hawaii—First Hawaiian Bank employees and retirees contributed $756,679 to 34 charities as part of the bank’s annual Kokua Mai employee giving campaign, according to an announcement yesterday by Bob Harrison, First Hawaiian Bank chairman and chief executive officer.

Since Kokua Mai’s inception in 2007, bank employees and retirees have donated more than $6.9 million to support charities in Hawaii, Guam, and the CNMI.

“All of us at First Hawaiian are thrilled to be kicking off the holiday giving season with this gift to support 34 Kokua Mai agencies,” said Harrison. “Giving back to the communities we serve is a longstanding tradition that our employees proudly continue today. Many of our employees also choose to volunteer their time and talents to help various non-profits throughout the year.”

For the second year in a row, 99 percent of First Hawaiian Bank employees made monetary contributions to assist Kokua Mai charities. 

The bank, its employees, and the First Hawaiian Bank Foundation annually donate more than $4.0 million to over 400 charities, making it one of the largest corporate contributors to charity in Hawaii.

Each year the bank’s branches serve as collection points for various charitable causes, including the Star-Advertiser Good Neighbor Fund during the holiday season, and Special Olympics. The bank also made the first donation of $25,000 to establish the Aloha Relief for Harvey Fund to support recovery and relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. 

First Hawaiian Bank’s Kokua Mai giving program was started in 2007 to ensure 100 percent of their employee donations go directly to local charities. The internal online giving program is completely run by employees with all administrative costs covered by the bank. This year’s Kokua Mai campaign ran from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31, with employees conducting department fundraisers throughout the four-week period. 

The charities that will benefit this year from the Kokua Mai campaign include the American Red Cross, Hawaii, Guam, NMI chapters; Aloha Harvest, Aloha United Way, Ayuda Foundation, Big Brothers, Big Sisters Hawaii, Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii, Catholic Charities, Child and Family Service, Domestic Violence Action Center, Easter Seals Hawaii, Family Programs Hawaii, Goodwill Industries of Hawaii, Inc., Hale Makua. Hawaii Children’s Cancer Foundation, Hawaii Foodbank, Hawaii Island United Way, HUGS, Imua Family Services, Kama`aina Kids, Kauai Hospice, Kauai United Way, Lanai Community Association, Make-A-Wish Hawaii and Guam, Maui United Way, Prevent Child Abuse Hawaii, Palama Settlement, Pali Momi Women’s Center Fund, Salvation Army, Hawaiian & Pacific Island Division; Special Olympics Hawaii, Inc.; Teach for America, and Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center.

FHB (www.FHB.com) was founded in 1858. (PR)