The Hawaiian Airlines Foundation has awarded $150,000 in grants to three Maui organizations leading the recovery efforts following the devastating August 2023 Maui wildfires. Now part of the Alaska Air Group, the Foundation was established to support Hawaiโi programs that promote environmental sustainability, educational advancement and the preservation of Hawaiian culture. Both Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines share a long history of supporting nonprofits and programs that are important to local communities in Hawaiโi.
The grants were awarded yesterday evening during a reception ceremony hosted by Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua. Each nonprofit organization received $50,000 to further their impactful work.
During his remarks to attendees, Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Air Group, highlighted each carriersโ continued support of Hawaiโiโs communities, โEven though Alaska has served Hawaiโi for more than 17 years, we know that our responsibility to these islands will be much greater in the years ahead as we join with Hawaiian Airlines, which has been Hawaiโiโs airline for the past 95 years and counting. We feel this deeply and appreciate input from the community, and from all of you, to help us serve the people of Hawaiโi well for generations to come.โ
The three recipients of the Hawaiian Airlines Foundation grants include:
Pลซnana Leo o Lahaina, a Hawaiian language immersion preschool established in 2016, is dedicated to revitalizing the Hawaiian language and serves as a model for language preservation in West Maui. The school was destroyed in the wildfires, and the grant will support its rebuilding efforts, ensuring the continuation of its mission to perpetuate Hawaiian culture and language among the islandโs youngest learners.
L-R: Joe Sprague, CEO of Hawaiian Airlines; Kumu Karyn Kanekoa and Kumu Charmane Yamada of Pลซnana Leo o Lahaina; and Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Air Group
โWe would like to express our sincere gratitude to Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines for their continued support and aloha as we rebuild the Pลซnana Leo o Lahaina, focusing on our foundation of สปลlelo Hawaiสปi and aloha สปohana,โ said Kumu Karyn Kanekoa of Pลซnana Leo o Lahaina. โAloha สปohana is a vital and cherished aspect of Hawaiian culture. The overall success of สปohana and community rests on the responsibility of its members. Therefore, we extend our heartfelt mahalo to Hawaiian and Alaska for embracing this responsibility. E Ola Ka สปลlelo Hawaiสปi!โ
Lahaina Public Library, a cornerstone of the community since its opening on March 4, 1956, was tragically lost in the wildfires. Built on Mokuโula, the former royal taro patch of King Kamehameha III, the 4,540-square-foot library housed approximately 21,000 volumes and served as a vital hub for reading, technology access, and community programs. The grant will assist in establishing a temporary location, slated to open by Summer 2025, providing necessary furniture, technology, and materials to restore a sense of normalcy and healing for the West Maui community.
โPublic libraries are community hubs that bring people together to read, learn and connect. They are comfortable living rooms of the community where people find new stories, use technology and find spaces to dream,โ said Stacey Aldrich, State Librarian of the Hawaiโi State Public Library System. โWe are very grateful to the Hawaiian Airlines Foundation for supporting our future Lahaina Public Library space where our friends and neighbors will be able to connect and heal.โ
Treecovery Hawaiโiย has been instrumental in addressing the environmental impact of the wildfires, which destroyed over 20,000 trees in Lahaina and Kula. The organization is committed to growing and planting trees free of charge for affected families and businesses. The grant will support their ongoing efforts to care for surviving trees, as well as the cultivation, maintenance, transportation, and replanting of new trees for future generations. Treecovery Hawaiโi is collaborating with Hua Momona Farms as a growing site and partnering with the Hua Momona Foundation to provide food to those facing food insecurity on Maui and to educate the islandโs youth on agricultural opportunities.
โWe at Treecovery are honored to be in the waโa with Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines,โ said Duane Sparkman, Founder and President of Treecovery Hawaiโi. โAs we navigate the long journey ahead in the replanting of Lahaina and Kula, we know that weโll have a tremendous partnership for years to come.โ
In conjunction with the grant presentations, members from Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlinesโ leadership teams participated in a volunteer activity with Treecovery Hawaiโi, where they planted and potted 100 trees at Hua Momona Farms, demonstrating both airlinesโ commitment to environmental stewardship and community support.
