Hawaiʻi Island Community Health Center launching a charitable foundation

The Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center is launching a charitable organization that was created to strengthen healthcare access, support patients and families, and invest in the long-term health of Big Island communities, a news release said. 

The Hawai‘i Island Community Health Foundation will serve as the philanthropic arm of the health center, providing community members, businesses and partners with a dedicated avenue to help address urgent local healthcare needs that traditional funding of insurance and grants alone often cannot cover.  

Richard Taafee, CEO of the health center, said the foundation “represents an investment in the health and resilience of our Island.

“We know that health is shaped by more than what happens in an exam room. Transportation, childcare, welcoming spaces and community support all influence whether people can access and receive the care they need.”

He said the foundation will provide “new tools toward meeting those needs and supporting our local community.”  

The  foundation is being led by Director Lauren Whittemore, a licensed social worker who has dedicated her career to community health. She previously led the Street Medicine program at the Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center, a non-profit, federally qualified health center providing comprehensive, patient-centered primary care services to communities across the Big Island.

The health center employs approximately 500 health care professionals and support staff,
serving nearly 40,000 residents island-wide with an operating budget of nearly $50 million, the news release said.

The foundation will focus at first on initiatives designed to support specific causes and allow donor directed giving, including:  

• Patient Transportation Fund: Helping patients travel to and from medical appointments 
• Keiki Support Fund: Assisting healthcare staff with childcare costs to support workforce stability  
• Art is Healing: Enhancing clinic spaces through healing artwork and cultural connection

Longer term initiatives of the foundation include expanding locations into rural communities, funding new technology, and improving current facilities. 

The foundation’s board of directors include: President Brett Carey, Vice President Mitch Roth (former Hawaiʻi County Mayor), Treasurer Vernon Bieraugel, Secretary Taaffe and directors Victoria Hanes, Wally Lau, Audrey Takamine and Elisa Yadao. 

“Simply put, our foundation will fund programs and initiatives that make Hawaiʻi Island healthier,” Whittemore said. “Good healthcare is everyone’s kuleana (responsibility). It should not make a difference whether you live in Pāhoa, Volcano, Miloliʻi, Ocean View or in Waikōloa that you and you family have good healthcare.”

She said sometimes the difference between getting care and going without care is a ride to an appointment, or access to affordable childcare. 

“The foundation connects donors and philanthropists with initiatives that amplify their impact and helps local families in these difficult moments,” Whittemore said. 

To donate, go to hichc.org. Donations are tax deductible.