By Eric Co, CEO of the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation. Photos courtesy of Olivia Wallace and Joe Wat Though the Kona Low Floods in Windward Oʻahu occurred in March, for many recovery has continued to lag even now. Of the 800 discrete Koʻolauloa cases compiled by the Koʻolau Resilience Hub Network, led by KEY Project and administered by Vibrant […]
What Will It Take for Young People to Thrive in Koʻolau Oʻahu?
By Alex Harris, President, Harold K.L. Castle Foundation What will it take for young people to live, work and thrive in Koʻolau Oʻahu? As students head back to school, this question weighs heavily on me. Our foundation’s Windward Workforce Analysis puts hard numbers behind what many of us have long suspected: roughly 80% of Windward residents commute […]
Reflecting on a Legacy and Looking Ahead by James McIntosh
It is with deep gratitude and humility that I begin my new role as Chair of the Board of the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation. Across six decades, the Foundation has partnered with remarkable organizations and community leaders working to improve the lives of people across Hawaiʻi. To help steward an institution with such a rich history […]
Hawaiʻi in the Face of Federal Turmoil
A good friend and partner who runs a grassroots community non-profit in rural Oʻahu approached me a few weeks ago. The consistent recipient of significant Federal funding over many years to support Native Hawaiian services—particularly for underserved children, those monies were recently pulled, abruptly and completely. After already letting two-thirds of her staff go, she […]
The Case for Investing in What Works: Lessons from GoodJobsHI
Imagine after high school, that you chose immediate income over college, taking a service job that offered quick money but little long-term growth. Now, you are in a position with no room to advance and your wages soon won’t be enough to support the family that you hope to start. This short-term gain came at […]