NEWS RELEASE

HONOLULU, May 9, 2020 – Child and Family Service (CFS) and First Hawaiian Bank (FHB) today announced that they have joined forces to provide direct resources, services, and chef prepared meals to families impacted by COVID-19. Made possible in part by the $175,000 donation from FHB, CFS launched “Festival of Hope for Families,” a one-day drive-thru festival supporting 750 families from Leeward communities of O‘ahu by offering items and support to help them weather the impacts of the state’s stay-at-home and work-from-home order. First Hawaiian Bank’s donation will also allow CFS to continue to offer programs and services statewide for those impacted by COVID-19.
The family-focused festival followed social distancing guidelines and required that all attendees remain in their car while driving through booths where groceries, chef prepared meals, Community Resource Kits, PPE items, and education resources were distributed. Attendees also received a CFS Family Lokahi Kit, which includes items purchased and donated from more than a dozen of local businesses, like board games, children’s books by local authors, card games, puzzles, activity books, parenting and family resources, stress relief ideas, and hotline information. Additionally, participants received a special Mother’s Day gift at the last stop of the festival, including self-care items, cookies, and flowers.

“We are proud to support Child and Family Service’s efforts to bring food, toys and services to kids and families in the Leeward Community through their Festival of Hope for Families drive-thru,” said Cameron Nekota, First Hawaiian Bank Foundation President. “When we launched the “Aloha for Hawaii” fund, the goal was to help non-profit organizations provide direct relief to people impacted by COVID-19. CFS was an obvious choice as they have been addressing the community needs of Hawaii’s families for 120 years. This award of $175,000 from the “Aloha for Hawaii” initiative also means that 175,000 takeout and delivery orders were placed using an FHB card, which supports Hawaii restaurants and their employees also impacted by COVID-19.”

“The Festival of Hope for Families offered our Leeward neighbors a fun way to safely leave their homes and receive the support they need during the pandemic,” said Child and Family Service President and CEO Karen Tan. “We are so thankful to First Hawaiian Bank for their generous donation, and we are grateful to all the community partners that helped make this all possible. Today was about providing hope to families needing a positive lift as they cope with the stay-at-home, work-from-home orders. This community effort is a fantastic example of just how strong we are when we support each other.”  

This community event gathered companies and organizations across sectors that worked collaboratively toward a shared goal - to connect and support those in need and to come out of this pandemic stronger and more connected. CFS also partnered with other local organizations, including: Aloha Diaper Bank; Aloha Harvest; Chef Hui; Domestic Violence Action Center; The Parent Line; Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center; and many more, to offer this fun event for the community to help those impacted by COVID-19. 

FHB’s “Aloha for Hawaii” initiative, which launched earlier in April, is a special program that offers support to Hawaii restaurants and provides up to $1 million in donations to the “Aloha for Hawaii” Fund, which has been established to support non-profits with food supply and health and human service programs for those impacted by COVID-19. To date, $325,000 has been donated to organizations through the “Aloha for Hawaii” Fund. FHB’s goal is to generate one million takeout or delivery purchases at restaurants across Hawaii, and it plans to donate up to $1 million to local nonprofits that are standing up food supply and health and human service programs that support those most at risk as a part of this initiative. FHB customers can participate by using any FHB debit or credit card to purchase a takeout or delivery meal in Hawaii, and the Bank will automatically make a donation to the “Aloha for Hawaii” Fund. For more information, visit fhb.com/aloha.

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