HONOLULU – The Hawaiian Airlines Foundation has awarded $150,000 in grants to three Maui organizations leading the recovery efforts following the devastating August 2023 Maui wildfires. Now part of the Alaska Air Group, the Foundation was established to support Hawai‘i programs that promote environmental sustainability, educational advancement and the preservation of Hawaiian culture. Both Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines share a long history of supporting nonprofits and programs that are important to local communities in Hawai‘i.
The grants were awarded yesterday evening during a reception ceremony hosted by Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua. Each nonprofit organization received $50,000 to further their impactful work.
Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Air Group, give remarks during a reception ceremony hosted by Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua
During his remarks to attendees, Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Air Group, highlighted each carriers’ continued support of Hawai‘i’s communities, “Even though Alaska has served Hawai‘i for more than 17 years, we know that our responsibility to these islands will be much greater in the years ahead as we join with Hawaiian Airlines, which has been Hawai‘i’s airline for the past 95 years and counting. We feel this deeply and appreciate input from the community, and from all of you, to help us serve the people of Hawai‘i well for generations to come.”
The three recipients of the Hawaiian Airlines Foundation grants include:
Pūnana Leo o Lahaina, a Hawaiian language immersion preschool established in 2016, is dedicated to revitalizing the Hawaiian language and serves as a model for language preservation in West Maui. The school was destroyed in the wildfires, and the grant will support its rebuilding efforts, ensuring the continuation of its mission to perpetuate Hawaiian culture and language among the island’s youngest learners.
“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines for their continued support and aloha as we rebuild the Pūnana Leo o Lahaina, focusing on our foundation of ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi and aloha ʻohana,” said Kumu Karyn Kanekoa of Pūnana Leo o Lahaina. “Aloha ʻohana is a vital and cherished aspect of Hawaiian culture. The overall success of ʻohana and community rests on the responsibility of its members. Therefore, we extend our heartfelt mahalo to Hawaiian and Alaska for embracing this responsibility. E Ola Ka ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi!”
L-R: Joe Sprague, CEO of Hawaiian Airlines; Kumu Karyn Kanekoa and Kumu Charmane Yamada of Pūnana Leo o Lahaina; and Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Air Group
Lahaina Public Library, a cornerstone of the community since its opening on March 4, 1956, was tragically lost in the wildfires. Built on Moku‘ula, the former royal taro patch of King Kamehameha III, the 4,540-square-foot library housed approximately 21,000 volumes and served as a vital hub for reading, technology access, and community programs. The grant will assist in establishing a temporary location, slated to open by Summer 2025, providing necessary furniture, technology, and materials to restore a sense of normalcy and healing for the West Maui community.
“Public libraries are community hubs that bring people together to read, learn and connect. They are comfortable living rooms of the community where people find new stories, use technology and find spaces to dream,” said Stacey Aldrich, State Librarian of the Hawai‘i State Public Library System. “We are very grateful to the Hawaiian Airlines Foundation for supporting our future Lahaina Public Library space where our friends and neighbors will be able to connect and heal.”
Treecovery Hawai‘i has been instrumental in addressing the environmental impact of the wildfires, which destroyed over 20,000 trees in Lahaina and Kula. The organization is committed to growing and planting trees free of charge for affected families and businesses. The grant will support their ongoing efforts to care for surviving trees, as well as the cultivation, maintenance, transportation, and replanting of new trees for future generations. Treecovery Hawai‘i is collaborating with Hua Momona Farms as a growing site and partnering with the Hua Momona Foundation to provide food to those facing food insecurity on Maui and to educate the island’s youth on agricultural opportunities.
“We at Treecovery are honored to be in the wa‘a with Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines,” said Duane Sparkman, Founder and President of Treecovery Hawai‘i. “As we navigate the long journey ahead in the replanting of Lahaina and Kula, we know that we’ll have a tremendous partnership for years to come.”
In conjunction with the grant presentations, members from Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines’ leadership teams participated in a volunteer activity with Treecovery Hawai‘i, where they planted and potted 100 trees at Hua Momona Farms, demonstrating both airlines’ commitment to environmental stewardship and community support.
Volunteers from Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines planted and potted 100 trees at Hua Momona Farms
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines provided critical relief efforts in the days, weeks and months following the Lahaina wildfires.
In the first 72 hours after the West Maui wildfires, Hawaiian prioritized the evacuation of displaced residents and visitors, transported first responders, operated hundreds of flights and carried more than 17,000 people out of Kahului Airport. During that first week, Hawaiian also flew more than 54,000 pounds of essential supplies into Kahului (OGG), including life-saving blood, medical supplies, communications equipment, animal kennels and more.
Likewise, Alaska Airlines transported over 220,000 pounds of relief supplies and contributed $150,000 to the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement’s Kāko‘o Maui Fund. Additionally, together with Alaska employees and guests, the airline donated over 32 million miles to provide travel support for over 650 impacted Maui residents as they began the rebuilding process. Last year, Alaska launched its Maui Care Flights program, which provides over 3,000 roundtrip tickets for individuals and families on Maui to take a trip and decompress from the mental toll of recovery.
All photo courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines
