My first interaction with philanthropy started at the YMCA of Honolulu as a volunteer for its Annual Support Campaign to raise money for program scholarships. Later through the YMCA Teen Program, I was able to engage in the Youth Participatory Action Research Grant (YPAR). YPAR guided our team through the entire life cycle of a grant. We identified issues […]
The Hawaiʻi Youth Apprenticeship Network (HYAN)
The pageantry of Hawaii’s high school graduation season–better than anywhere else in the country–is upon us. For many, this is a culminating moment to celebrate the accomplishments of young people and their ‘ohana. But once all the lei are given out and the graduations parties end, what comes next for nearly 12,000 public school graduates? […]
Skilled Trades: Reflections and Projections
Over the last two years, our Foundation has proudly invested in a focused portfolio of seven grants—each designed to help more young people in Hawaiʻi enter the skilled trades, especially those from underrepresented and rural communities. We marked the close of this work at our Skilled Trades Final Convening in late 2025 at Honolulu Community […]
Launching our Foundation Newsletter
HKLCF Newsletter December 2025 by Eric Co
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 […]