The Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa received a $110,000 donation from the Hawaiʻi Pacific Foundation ( HPF ) to establish an endowment and create funds intended to collectively strengthen the Native Hawaiian community.

“We are deeply appreciative of the foundation’s support to partner with us in building a workforce that is community-based and culturally anchored, with overall responsiveness to the needs of the diverse populations of Hawaiʻi, and with unique responsibility (kuleana) to the needs of Native Hawaiians,” said School of Social Work Dean Noreen Mokuau. “We believe that our shared commitment is a reflection of university-community partnerships that are vital to the health and resiliency of Hawaiʻi.”

“The school’s vision, competence of its leaders and programs, and impact on the Native Hawaiian community inspire us,” said HPF Board Chairman Edwin A. Vincent. “Their unique focus on enduring solutions is courageous, timely and will have a positive impact on the Native Hawaiian community for years to come. We are privileged that we can be a part of this effort.”

The donation includes:

$35,000 to establish the Haumana Scholarship Endowment, which supports students pursuing a social work degree and who work in Native Hawaiian communities to strengthen social welfare and social justice.

$20,000 to create the Haumana Scholarship Expendable Fund, which provides scholarships for two students to work in Native Hawaiian communities in the pursuit of social welfare and social justice.

$25,000 to establish the Native Hawaiian Community Asset Fund, which will support the hiring of a graduate assistant to conduct community engaged work with Native Hawaiian organizations that focus on social justice. The graduate assistant will conduct research on topics that include poverty and its impact on Native Hawaiian families; innovative culturally anchored interventions for Native Hawaiian child and family welfare; and Native Hawaiian health disparities.

$25,000 to establish the Native Hawaiian Network Fund, which will support the hiring of a graduate assistant to identify and enhance the network of Native Hawaiian social workers in Hawaiʻi , create a medium for news sharing in this network, compile professional information on agency affiliation and work and identify innovative culturally anchored interventions with Native Hawaiians.