Hawaiian Airlines Donates Over $187,000 to Nonprofits

Representatives for the designated nonprofits joined Hawaiian Airlines employees to celebrate the completion of the fundraising campaign. PC: Hawaiian Airlines

Hundreds of Hawaiian Airlines employees gathered on Jan. 4, 2019, at Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport to present more than $187,000 in combined funds to Aloha United Way, the Polynesian Voyaging Society, the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum and the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust.

The total includes some $97,000 donated by employees, along with $90,000 matched by Hawaiian.

On Nov. 11, 2018, Hawaiian blew the candles for its 89^th birthday and officially began its 90^th year of service as Hawai‘i’s airline. The next day, Hawaiian Airlines kept the celebration going by kicking off a yearlong, company-matched employee fundraising drive as a way to give back to its hometown communities—the strong and steady tailwind behind its growth since the airline introduced commercial air transportation to Hawai‘i in 1929.

Although the company didn’t expect to throw another party so soon, with an overwhelming response from every department across its 7,200-strong employee ‘ohana, Hawaiian surpassed its pledge goal before the new year.

(L–R) Nainoa Thompson of Polynesian Voyaging Society, Norm Baker of Aloha United Way, Peter Ingram of Hawaiian Airlines, Kawika Burgess of Hawaiian Islands Land Trust and Amy Marvin of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum. Courtesy photo from Hawaiian Airlines.

On Jan. 4, hundreds of employees gathered at Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport to present more than $187,000 in combined funds to Aloha United Way, the Polynesian Voyaging Society, the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, and the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust. That includes some $97,000 donated by Hawaiian’s employees, along with $90,000 added by Hawaiian.

“The thank you goes to the whole family of Hawaiian, whose care has helped us get to where we need to go and to do our job: voyage,” shared Nainoa Thompson, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, during his mahalo remarks. “I don’t take it lightly when we say this is Hawai‘i’s airline. We sail for Hawai‘i, but [Hawaiian Airlines] flies for Hawai‘i.”

The selected charities align with Hawaiian’s four giving pillars: education, health and human services, environment and culture, and are recognized stewards in their fields.

April Imai, manager of travel products at Hawaiian Airlines, proudly holds a company-designed T-shirt personalized with her home zip code for Hilo. All employees who donated to one or more of the four charities received their own shirt to represent their hometown.

“Our employees represent no less than 100 of Hawai‘i’s 106 zip codes, and exceeding our pledge goal within just a few weeks symbolizes how grateful we all feel for the support we have enjoyed from our friends, families, neighbors, and the entire Hawai‘i community whom we’ve been privileged to serve for so many memorable years,” said Ann Botticelli, senior vice president for corporate communication and public affairs.