Waiākea was founded by Ryan Emmons in 2012 as the first triple bottom-line super-premium beverage brand in the world. Waiakea’s unique triple bottom-line platform puts people and planet above profit, leading to the brand’s healthy, sustainable, and ethical pillars. There are many unique qualities about Waiākea including their use of 100% RPET packaging, their sustainable sourcing which bottles less than .003% of the sustainable yield, and their CarbonNeutral certification. Best of all, they have a wonderful community giveback program called the Kōkua Initiative.
This past year, the Waiākea Kōkua Initiative chose to pivot their volunteer efforts to use their resources to focus, bless, and support the immediate needs of the community, to assist those directly impacted by COVID-19. Simple acts of kindness can bring a smile to someoneʻs face, brighten someoneʻs day and pull people together. The Kōkua Initiative was determined to do just that and spent time in outreach to see what the needs of the community were. Plans were formulated to see how those needs could be met. Tasks were implemented by teams to make those plans come to fruition and lives were blessed by hitting the pavement to support our Lāhui.
Some of the organizations that the Waiākea Kōkua Initiative helped to support within the community include:
- Merrie Monarch Festival
- OK Farms – Hawaii Eco CSA Food Boxes
- Vibrant Hawaii Resilience Hub of Mountain View at Hilo Coffee Mill
- Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home
- Hale Anuenue Restorative Care
- Life Care Center of Hilo
- Hawaii Island Adult Care
- United Health Care
- Integrated Medicine Institute
- Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻOiwi
- Bay Clinic
- Teddyʻs of Hope
- Waiākea High
- Waiākea Intermediate
- Waiākea Elementary
- Waiākeawaena Elementary
- Pahoa High and Intermediate
- Kamehameha Schools Kealapono Program
- Imiloa Astronomy Center Hālau Lamakū Program
- YWCA Preschool and their Family Literacy Nights
- YMCA Youth Day Camp
- Keiki O Ka ʻĀina Laulima Giving Program – Laulima Day
- Keiki O Ka ʻĀina & KHON – Laulima Telethon
- Hawaiʻi County Economic Opportunity Council Meal Distribution
- Boys and Girls Club of the Big Island Meal Distribution
- Alu Like – Keolapono Na Kūpuna Meal Distribution
- Meals on Wheels
- Food Basket, Hawaiʻi Food Bank
- Hope Services Hawaii Homeless Shelters
- Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce
- Cheyleia Gomes
- Salvation Army Family Intervention Services
- Project Hawaii
Since COVID presents unique challenges for every group, we really worked with each organization to make the biggest impact. Thus, the supplies donated covered many areas:
- Water
- Cash
- Reusable triple-layered cloth masks
- Hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes
- Walkie talkies
- Kindle tablets
- Angel Giving Program: wooden puzzles, uno Cards
- Welcome Kits including a bath towel, wash cloth, bath soap, toothbrush, comb, drawstring backpacks and 50 refill kits
- Incentive Gift Certificates for donors
If it’s one thing that we can be certain of, we are a people of resilience, with the ability to persevere and overcome challenges especially when we pull together. Mary Kawena Pukui once stated, “ ʻAʻohe hana nui ke alu ʻia.” No task is too big when done together by all, a good reminder that when everyone contributes and works together to accomplish tasks, it lightens the load, it unified people, strengthens relationships and our community. This will be the Waiākea Kōkua Initiative theme for 2021 as we continue to support communities and collaborate with other businesses and organizations in hopes to spread a little cheer, honoring the value of Aloha, giving service to others in need because together we can accomplish great things.
Mahalo to all of our Waiākea ʻOhana customers. The Kōkua Initiative would not be possible without all of you. By your support we are able to give back, assist and make a positive impact for our communities. For more information about Waiākea go to www.waiakea.com
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