On November 6th, 2021, the Kōkua Initiative at Waiākea held a book drive in support of students at Hilo Union Elementary School and the Big Island community rallied to donate 735 books. Waiākea also matched the donation of books to bring the total to 1470! The impact of efforts like these go beyond our hometown of Hilo as students from the Hāmākua Coast commute to Hilo and call Hilo Union their home.
This event was a community effort made possible in partnership with volunteers from the Hawai'i Diaper Bank, the Hilo Crescent City Lions Club, and Old Navy. It was held in conjunction with the Kōkua Initiative's monthly Food Drive at KTA Puainako in Hilo.
Click here to learn more about the Kōkua Initiative and if you are interested in volunteering or supporting these drives, email Waiākea here to learn how you can get involved.
Fun Fact: Through the Kōkua Initiative, the company has donated over 2400 books to those in need since April of this year. And Waiākea is about to get a huge assist with its recently announced new partnership with NBA Superstar Klay Thompson. Klay and Waiākea will give back an additional 3,000 books in Hawai'i, The Bay Area, Klay's hometown in Washington State, and The Bahamas over the next year.