Community support is our company culture

by Donica Kaneshiro | Nov. 30, 2022

When I started working at Hawaiian Electric several years ago, the company was in the midst of a United Way fundraising campaign.

I had come from a company that held an annual Aloha United Way pledge drive, so I thought I understood what the campaign would entail: pledge forms, a speech of support from the CEO, perhaps a video from AUW about the current need.

Then, I saw company announcements about bake sales and candy bar fundraisers, company merchandise sales and annual events, like the Aloha United Way Golf Tournament on Oahu and the Keiki Tilapia Fishing Tournament on Maui, all to support United Way and their nonprofit partners.

It became clear that Hawaiian Electric takes United Way fundraising very seriously. Community support is a part of the culture here, and one way employees express that empathy for those struggling around us is through our United Way giving. Even those who have retired from the company often continue contributing to the annual campaign.

Our employees and retirees raised more than half a million dollars for Aloha United Way last year, $519,665.20, to be exact, in just one year of giving. And that doesn’t include the more than $83,000 that was raised for United Way organizations on Hawaii Island and in Maui County.

It’s only through the consistent support of individual employees and retirees that our company is able to make that generous annual donation.

“My wife and I, we’ve been really blessed with work,” said Spencer Ishikawa, diesel operations supervisor. “We’ve been fortunate to have good jobs — even before the pandemic. Donating to Maui United Way is a way to share that blessing.”

“It’s giving from the heart,” Spencer said. “The feeling that we don’t really have the hardship and we know there are others in the community who are struggling — it’s a way we can make a difference.”

Mychael Singson, a crew foreman in Kona, uses his donations to support those in his neighborhood.

“The money stays here, it stays local. If I want to donate to something, I’d rather donate and keep it here on the island rather than helping out somewhere else, because this is our community,” he said.

“I’ve known people that had to use The Food Basket, even before COVID, like when they lost their jobs, Mychael said, referring to one of Hawaii Island United Way’s nonprofit partners, the island’s food bank. “Seeing how much food that they provide to a family in need, it’s kind of crazy.”

Charles Oliveira, working foreman, shares that commitment to donate.

“It’s just the right thing to do,” Charles said. “Hawaiian Electric, they’re providing me and my family a comfortable life. And so that’s one way where I can give back to the community and help people that’s not as fortunate as I am. At least I can provide them some kind of relief.”

Each year, as our United Way pledge drives are underway, I look forward to being a part of the community support that our employees help make possible through their generous donations.

Donica Kaneshiro is a communications consultant at Hawaiian Electric Company.