Foundation Donates Over $2M to Hawai‘i Island Adult Care Project

The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc. recently donated $2.34M to the Hilo Adult Day Center.

Hawaii Island Adult Care under construction. Photo Courtesy

The Center’s new building, located on Mohouli Street and above Komohana Street, will feature large open spaces for art/craft activities and physical fitness geared to elders along with quiet indoor spaces for reading, socializing and relaxing.

Project features include a fully certified kitchen to provide hot meals, outdoor gardens and a meandering path. The project is currently under construction by Isemoto Construction Corporation and is nearly 50% complete. Construction is expected to be completed in February 2018.

“Words cannot express our gratitude to the trustees of The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation for their generous gift,” said Hawai‘i Island Adult Care executive director Paula Uusitalo. “The Weinberg Foundation’s largess will enable completion of the construction project and positively affect senior lives in Hilo for the next 50 plus years.”

The Weinberg Foundation has already funded $1,775,000, and the final $565,000 payment will be made at the completion of the project.

The project is a joint venture between Hawaii Island Adult Care, Inc. and Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation.

Uusitalo said the organization worked towards a new Hilo building in 2000, but the project didn’t launch until Keith Kato and the Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation became involved.

“We wouldn’t be here without the organization and support of the Hawai‘i Island Community Development Corporation and its executive director Keith Kato,” added Uusitalo. “Keith and HICDC’s Development Manager Jeremy McComber contributing their expertise in securing the site, developing the infrastructure, working with HIAC on the building design, and bidding, awarding and overseeing the construction have been invaluable,” she said.

Officials with the prokect say the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Adult Day Center will complement Hawai‘i Island Community Development Corp’s existing and planned senior housing in the Mohouli Senior complex with its 182 units at full build out.

The first phase of 60 senior housing units was completed in 2014, the second phase, with 30 units, is nearing completion this month and funding for the last increment of 92 units has been secured from the State Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

The total budget for the Adult Day Center project is $8,586,000. While the building will be completed early next year, the parent organization, Hawaii Island Adult Care will still require an
additional $580,000 to pay for furniture, fixtures and equipment including a commercial kitchen
that will provide meals for the seniors.

To date, in addition to The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, project donors include
community and board members, County of Hawai‘i, State of Hawai‘i, Cooke Foundation, HEI Charitable Foundation, LGA Family Foundation, Matson Foundation, KTA Super Stores, Bank of Hawai‘i and the Atherton Family Foundation.