HAWAI‘I COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, OMIDYAR ‘OHANA CREATE HAWAI‘I RESILIENCE FUND

PRESS RELEASE For Immediate release March 18, 2020

827 Fort Street Mall Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813 Phone: 808-537-6333 Fax: 808-521-6286 HawaiiCommunityFoundation.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: Sheila Sarhangi Hawai‘i Community Foundation (808) 772-0718 Mobile ssarhangi@hcf-hawaii.org

HAWAI‘I COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, OMIDYAR ‘OHANA CREATE HAWAI‘I RESILIENCE FUND TO ADDRESS THE (COVID-19) PANDEMIC The fund will rapidly deploy resources across the state to reduce the spread and encourages community giving HONOLULU, HI – Together, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) and Pierre and Pam Omidyar have established the Hawai‘i Resilience Fund at HCF to address the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Hawai‘i. The Omidyar ‘Ohana Fund and HCF have each contributed $1 million to launch the effort. An additional contribution from the Stupski Foundation in the amount of $500,000 brings the total to $2.5 million in initial funds. These first partners hope to inspire others to give in this unprecedented moment and into the near future as the pandemic progresses.

“HCF has been collaborating with state leaders, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and philanthropists to get a clear understanding of the priorities to address COVID-19 in Hawai‘i,” said Micah Kāne, chief executive officer & president of HCF. “With the generosity of the Omidyars and the Stupski Foundation we will rapidly deploy resources to delay the spread and lower the epidemic peak. Our goal is to ‘flatten the curve’ in Hawai‘i as much as possible.”

Initial funding will be used to support the work of the public health sector and communitybased nonprofits to implement actions targeted at reducing the spread of COVID-19. This includes protecting the health care workers on the front-lines who are playing a critical role in testing and screening. The Fund will also expand regional test sites and screenings, and support self-quarantine measures, such as home visits and distribution of food supplies to populations disproportionately impacted by the outbreak.

“The funding will complement our efforts and help to mitigate this rapidly evolving situation,” said Major General Kenneth S. Hara, Adjutant General for the State of Hawaiʻi. “This is exactly the kind of ‘whole-community’ approach that our Aloha state needs.”

Grants will be provided to specific health care organizations and nonprofits currently working in appropriate spaces. In an effort to move resources swiftly and to reduce the burden on organizations serving on the frontlines, HCF is forgoing a formal application

process at this time. As fundraising continues to address the outbreak and the future recovery phases of the crisis, additional funding will be awarded on a rolling basis, making it possible to quickly adapt to evolving needs. The initial round of grants is expected to be released as soon as possible.

Designated as a pandemic on March 11 by the World Health Organization, the COVID-19 outbreak is expected to have significant health and economic impacts in Hawai‘i and across the globe.

HCF has a unique role in disaster preparedness and response. The organization collaborates with partners, both inside and outside of philanthropy, including government, disaster relief organizations, community groups, and the private sector, for a coordinated effort and maximum community impact. From the flooding on the North Shore of Kaua‘i to volcano eruptions on Hawai‘i island, HCF has demonstrated its ability to grant funds quickly to community organizations that are filling the gaps in response efforts.

Donations to the Hawai‘i Resilience Fund at HCF can be made online at https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/coronavirus. For a check, please write “Hawai‘i Resilience Fund” in the memo and send to Hawai‘i Community Foundation, 827 Fort Street Mall, Honolulu, HI, 96813. ### About Hawai‘i Community Foundation With over 100 years of community service, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) is the leading philanthropic institution in the state. HCF is a steward of more than 900 funds, including more than 280 scholarship funds, created by donors who desire to transform lives and improve communities. In 2018, HCF distributed more than $62 million in grants and contracts statewide, including more than $6.3 million in scholarships. HCF also serves as a resource on community issues and trends in the nonprofit sector.