Our Community
Helping Our Communities Grow
Bank of Hawaii has a long history of engagement and giving in the communities we serve, partnering with nonprofits to help bring their visions to life through volunteerism and philanthropy.
Bank of Hawaii Foundation
Bank of Hawaii Foundation supports many nonprofits in our community each year. These are some of the organizations that received funding in 2024.
Hawaii Community Lending
Funds include a 3:1 match from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines for the Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program, which is assisting up to 500 homeowners with foreclosure prevention and help to qualify for financing to rebuild their homes.
Aloha United Way
2024 marked the final installment of a multi-year pledge to the ALICE Initiative to support programs focused on helping local households achieve greater stability, including increased access to affordable housing. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, and describes individuals and families who struggle to afford basic necessities. The 2022–2024 ALICE Initiative has distributed $1.5 million to ALICE beneficiaries through partner nonprofits.
Honolulu Museum of Art
The “Home of the Tigers” special exhibit, which runs through December 2025, features work by seven visual artists who graduated from McKinley High School from the 1920s to the 1960s. They, along with their art instructors, came to define modernism in Hawaii.
Hawaii Community Action Program
The Na Lima Hana Employment Core Services Program provides personalized employment counseling, job readiness training, tuition for vocational schools, and job placement services for unemployed and underemployed individuals on Oahu.
Kauai Planning & Action Alliance
The Laulima Schools Program develops personalized and innovative learning experiences for Kauai students, teachers and administrators.
2024 Live Kokua Giving Campaign
With the theme “Banking On Humanity,” employees and retirees raised funds to support Aloha United Way’s 300 partner nonprofits.
Each year’s campaign features new ways to gather and raise funds for good causes. This year, our employee resource groups each designated a beneficiary to receive an equal share of the money raised from corporate-sponsored fundraising events. These were:
Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation creates educational programs to empower Hawaii’s LGBTQIA+ community and supports programs to address social, health and economic inequalities.
U.S. Vets Hawaii helps prevent veteran homelessness through housing and comprehensive services.
Kakoo Oiwi helps restore cultural connections by providing sustainably farmed fresh produce, and by offering educational visits, cultural workshops and community workdays.
Mai Movement works to end period poverty in Hawaii, and ensures free feminine products are available to students across the state.
Vanessa Udarbe (fourth from right, wearing a yellow hat) stands with teammates and friends in front of her future house on Kauai. Her colleagues came together to help her complete the Habitat for Humanity volunteer hours required to qualify for her first home.
Live Kokua Progam Highlights
Our Bankoh Blue Crew—spotted at community service events in blue T-shirts—is made up of employees who donate time and talent to support nonprofits and special causes.
17th Annual Community Service Day
Hundreds of employees helped clean the Princess Ruth Keelikolani Middle School campus and painted an inspirational mural—“Think Big. Dream Big.”—created by local artist Kelsie Kalohi. Bank of Hawaii Foundation, along with its executive leadership, made a donation in recognition of the bank’s special relationship to the Title 1 school since 2009.
IHS (Institute for Human Services) Men’s Shelter
Volunteers prepared and served hot lunches to homeless clients each month.
Goodwill Goes GLAM!
Since 2011, our volunteers have assisted with the nonprofit’s signature fundraiser that raises awareness and support for Goodwill Hawaii’s mission to help people with employment barriers reach their full potential. Bank of Hawaii Foundation has been the fundraiser’s presenting sponsor for the past 13 years, during which more than $2 million has been raised.
Aloha Tree Alliance on Earth Day
Our Bankoh Blue Crew planted more than 300 native trees and shrubs on Oahu’s Kuliouou Ridge Trail to help protect Hawaii’s watershed.
Kauai Habitat for Humanity
Employees across Kauai fulfilled Habitat for Humanity volunteer hours on behalf of Senior Relationship Service Representative Vanessa Udarbe, who works at our ‘Ele‘ele Branch. A single parent with three kids, she is now a step closer to owning her first home.
Salvation Army Thanksgiving Dinner
Bank volunteers served Thanksgiving dinner prepared by the Salvation Army to nearly 2,000 individuals, families and kupuna at the Neil S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall on Oahu.
Santa’s Workshop Toy Drive
Our Blue Crew oversaw the toy drive that delivered toys, games and other gifts to hospitalized patients at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children.
Nearly 200 employees and their guests showed up for our 17th annual Community Service Day in September.
Our Blue Crew worked together to clean the campus of Princess Ruth Keelikolani Middle School, including priming and painting walls, power washing sidewalks, gardening and picking up trash.
Inspirational mural—“Think Big. Dream Big.”—created by local artist Kelsie Kalohi.
Community Reinvestment Act / 2024 Financial Education
We are proud of our involvement in programs and projects that focus on supporting low- and moderate-income individuals and families.
"Outstanding" CRA Rating
Bank of Hawaii is periodically evaluated for compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), a federal law that encourages all banks to meet the credit needs of the communities they serve. Some of our focus areas that qualify for CRA include teaching financial literacy, partnering with organizations to support small businesses, helping to create affordable housing and well-paying jobs, working to address homelessness, and preparing tax returns.
Support for Saipan's Small Businesses
Bank of Hawaii Foundation’s annual I Kinometi Para I Kumunidat I Isla-ta Small Business and Revitalization and Development grants have assisted 65 entrepreneurs and small businesses on Saipan since the program began in 2012, bringing greater economic stability to the community.
In 2024, these five small businesses each received $5,000:
- Divine’s Essentials, a catering business and mobile snack bar, used the funds to expand its business by converting a delivery van into a food truck with a fully functional kitchen.
- Eastside Cuts, Kagman Village’s only barbershop, used the funds to hire and train additional staff while expanding its marketing reach to nearby communities.
- Isla Consultancy Services purchased specialized software and other tools for providing mentorship and training to help students and small-business owners succeed.
- Mechille Corp., a trusted provider of construction materials, furniture and more, used the funds to continue testing and development of a new, eco-friendly wastewater purification device that cleans septic tanks without chemicals.
- Peska Tackle, a bait and fishing tackle shop, added signage and a work bench in addition to expanding its inventory of products for the local and commercial fishing community.
Enhancing Financial Literacy at Princess Ruth Keelikolani Middle School
In April and October, dozens of employees from across the bank showed up for SmartMoney Lesson Day to inspire 375 students at Princess Ruth Keelikolani Middle School with a lesson on the importance of saving.
Preparing Tax Returns for Low-Income Individuals and Families
During tax season, six employee volunteers became certified to provide free tax preparation services for eligible taxpayers as part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
VITA offers free tax help to those who would benefit most from tax refunds, including people with disabilities, seniors, those with limited understanding of English, and those who make approximately $66,000 or less. Our employees volunteered a combined 134 hours and prepared 62 tax returns.
A Safety Net for Young People Who Experinced Foster Care
For Hawaii youth who have experienced foster care, special programs like EPIC Ohana’s HI H.O.P.E.S. Initiative help provide necessary resources and opportunities as they transition to become successful young adults.
Most Common Purchases on Oahu
- 33% education
- 28% vehicles
- 25% housing
Most Common Purchases on Neighbor Islands
- 42% vehicles
- 25% housing
- 17% education
Our biannual SmartMoney Lesson Days unite employees from across the bank to share financial lessons with middle school students.
Recipients of the Bank of Hawaii Foundation’s I Kinometi Para I Kumunidat I Isla-ta Small Business and Revitalization and Development grants celebrated their recognition.
KerryLynn Vea taught young students about the basics of a check.
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