News Release

First Hawaiian Bank Employees and Retirees Give Big with $873,987 Raised for Charity with Annual Kōkua Mai Campaign

Honolulu, December 5, 2024 -First Hawaiian Bank (FHB) announced that bank employees and retirees have ushered in this year’s holiday giving season by contributing an impressive donation of $873,987.53 to 36 charities in Hawai‘i, Guam, and Saipan as part of the bank’s annual Kōkua Mai employee giving campaign.

Through Kōkua Mai, employees support and contribute to causes and charities that are significant to them. Since its inception in 2007, FHB employees and retirees have donated over $12 million through the program, benefitting thousands of people who receive assistance from non-profit organizations.

This year, Kōkua Mai ran from October 1 through October 31. FHB employees remained committed to helping local non-profit agencies, which struggled to keep up with community demands, particularly the needs of vulnerable kūpuna and keiki as well as the growing number of hungry families. Over the course of the month, 98% of the bank’s employees made financial donations to Kōkua Mai, which exceeded this year’s total contribution goal of $700,000. In addition, 242 Leadership Givers stepped forward with contributions of $1,000 or more.

“I’m humbled by the generosity and community support from our employees and retirees this year. As a bank that cares deeply for our community, it’s wonderful to see our contributions create impact, year after year, for such a broad range of nonprofit organizations and community groups who are dedicated to helping others in need,” said Bob Harrison, First Hawaiian Bank Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer.

The program is run completely by employees with the bank covering all program costs so that 100 percent of every employee contribution goes to their local charity of choice in the communities FHB serves. The program includes a variety of fun activities to encourage employees to support their favorite charities through shave ice sales, book sales, and online auctions. This year, Aloha United Way was the top recipient, receiving $228,030, followed by Hawai‘i Foodbank, which received $71,528 and Hawaii Children’s Cancer Foundation, which received $53,687.

In 2024, Kōkua Mai benefited the following organizations that focus on health, education, self-sufficiency and life-sustaining services: 

  1. American Red Cross, Hawaii, Guam & Northern Mariana Islands Chapters 
  2. Aloha Harvest 
  3. Aloha United Way 
  4. Ayuda Foundation 
  5. Big Brothers, Big Sisters Hawaii 
  6. Blood Bank of Hawaii 
  7. Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii 
  8. Catholic Charities Hawaii 
  9. Child and Family Service 
  10. Domestic Violence Action Center 
  11. Easter Seals Hawaii 
  12. Family Programs Hawaii 
  13. Goodwill Industries of Hawaii, Inc. 
  14. Hale Makua Health Services 
  15. Hawaii Children’s Cancer Foundation 
  16. Hawaii Foodbank 
  17. Hawaii Island United Way 
  18. Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation
  1. HUGS (Help, Understanding and Group Support)  
  2. Imua Family Services 
  3. Kama`aina Kids 
  4. Kauai Hospice 
  5. Kauai United Way 
  6. Keiki Circles of Love Hawaii 
  7. Make-A-Wish Hawaii, Guam, and Saipan 
  8. Maui Foodbank 
  9. Maui United Way 
  10. Palama Settlement 
  11. Partners in Development 
  12. Pali Momi Women’s Center (Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment) 
  13. Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation 
  14. Salvation Army Hawaii, Guam, and Saipan Corps 
  15. Special Olympics Hawaii, Inc. 
  16. Teach for America 
  17. Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center 
  18. YWCA - Oahu

Other ways First Hawaiian Bank and its employees gave back to the community in 2024: 

  • First Hawaiian Bank partnered with Hawaii Theatre to host free community events supporting Chinatown businesses affected by power outages in the summer of 2024. 
  • First Hawaiian Bank received a 3:1 matching grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines for its $250,000 donation to Hawaii Community Lending, generating a total of $1 million in relief funding for homeowners impacted by the Maui Wildfires. The donation to Hawai‘i Community Lending, in partnership with Holomua Collective and Hawai‘i Community Foundation, will be used to provide Lahaina homeowners impacted by the fires with much-needed support to stabilize their mortgage payments and navigate insurance reimbursements while they work towards rebuilding. The donation is in addition to the nearly $1 million the bank has already provided through its philanthropic efforts supporting the Maui community. 
  • Caring is a core value at FHB and hundreds of employees demonstrate they care by serving on non-profit boards throughout the community and by volunteering their personal time on the weekends through the bank’s Community Care program, in which employees support non-profits through community activities like assisting families through the Maui Foodbank, HUGS and Special Olympics.