Nareit Hawai‘i Donates $25,000 to Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island

Inspired by the daily efforts of the Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island to improve the lives and future for children and families in need, Nareit Hawai‘i donated $25,000 to support the continuation of the club’s programs.

“This $25,000 donation couldn’t have come at a better time for our Hawai‘i Island youth-based nonprofit, as this is a gift that will have lasting benefits for our children and participating families,” said Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island Executive Director Chat Cabral. “The services we provide are free for kids to participate in, which helps families who are unable to afford the often high cost of out-of-school child care. We keep their children safe after school and support them with the mentoring, supervision and nurturing that is needed.”

Cabral noted that the donation will help ensure key youth development enrichment programs and daily critical resources are provided to support children from struggling households.

“We applaud the dedication of the Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island and are proud to support the incredible work being done every day for kids and families needing assistance,” said Nareit Hawai‘i Executive Director Gladys Quinto Marrone. “We made this donation on behalf of REITs in Hawai‘i during the celebration of the holidays to help fund Boys & Girls Club programs this coming year.”

For more than 72 years the Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island has supported families with youth development activities throughout Hawai‘i Island, servicing mostly rural communities located in Hilo, Kea‘au, Pāhoa, Pāhala-Ka‘u, Ocean View and the greater Kona region. Each day, club youth receive the transportation needed to access program locations.

The children participate in various enrichment activities, including healthy lifestyle activities, cultural-based programs, organized sports, gardening activities, as well as daily tutoring and academic support. Before going home, each child is provided with a hot dinner meal to ensure their nutritional needs for the day are met.

Nareit Hawai‘i represents the interests of REITs in Hawai‘i and their participation in civic, community and policy initiatives to benefit residents statewide, while also supporting community and charitable organizations that address social issues of importance. REITs are long-term property holders that own, renovate and manage affordable housing projects, commercial buildings, medical facilities, shopping centers, cellphone towers, public storage facilities and hotels in the state.

Nareit Hawai‘i and the Nareit Foundation also have supported other agencies on the Big Island during the past couple of years.

In November 2021, the foundation and Nareit Hawai‘i presented a $145,000 grant to EAH Housing to support the development of Hale Nā Koa ‘O Hanakahi, which will provide 92 affordable rental apartments in Hilo for seniors with a preference to serve U.S. military veterans and spouses of deceased veterans. In December 2020, the Nareit Foundation and Nareit Hawai‘i donated $195,000 to Hale O Hawaii to help purchase a 1-acre lot in Puna and build a new, affordable home for a family displaced by the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.