Project Hawaii, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to ending poverty for children in Hawaii, received a grant from The Starbucks Foundation Neighborhood Grant program.
Project Hawaii was one of 1,200 nonprofits from the U.S. and Canada selected to receive the grant, which will be used to support a monthly outreach program on Oahu. The foundation received more than 11,000 nomination submissions, according to Starbucks Stories & News.
Project Hawaii has supported the needs of homeless children on the island since 2003, according to its website. The program annually serves more than 1,600 children on the islands of Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. Its mission is to help children by offering stability through interactive programs, summer camps, holiday events, school support and educational training. With the help of 200 volunteers, Project Hawaii also provides meals, personal hygiene care and emergency services.
“All our programs are created to work together,” the Project Hawaii website says. “We are here for the long run to help these children succeed. We measure our success through their success. Sometimes that is a decade-long journey. Our overall impact is helping them create the mindset to rise above their current situation and gain the self-worth needed to succeed. We truly instill the heart of Aloha: love, hope, compassion, longevity, integrity and trust.”
Local Starbucks employees were responsible for nominating their favorite organizations. The grants are intended to support organizations that address a critical need in the community and that partners are passionate about.
Project Hawaii was nominated for the program by the Aikahi Park Starbucks in Kailua, whose employees wrote stories about the positive impact the organization has had on the community.
Since The Starbucks Foundation Neighborhood Grant program started in 2019, it has awarded more than $7.5 million to 3,500 nonprofits across the U.S. and Canada.