Wellness Grants & Community Support:

We offer Wellness Grants to organizations focused on improving the lives of women and girls. With women in Hawaiʻi reporting an average of four poor mental health days each month, our grants provide vital support to women leaders across the state, enhancing their ability to foster positive change. This year, we distributed five wellness grants to women leaders at women-focused organizations across four islands.

Specialized Programming for Moms:

Through our funding, we support The Mama Master Plan Program, a Mama Nonprofit ED & Senior Leaders cohort led by Tiffany Hinton. This program aims to extend the tenure and support the wellness of mothers in nonprofit leadership roles. We also responded swiftly to the Maui wildfires by delivering essential supplies and securing housing for affected families through Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, a non-profit led by medical professionals who advocate for maternal health and birth equity. NWF facilitated the transportation of 83 boxes of essential supplies, including baby wipes, diapers, hygiene kits, baby formula, bibs, blankets, and pads. Additionally, we took proactive steps to assist in securing housing for those in need, recognizing the urgent need for stable shelter.

Educational Partnerships in S.T.E.M.:

We collaborate with La Pietra – Hawai‘i School for Girls to connect students with aeronautics experts, offering young girls valuable insights into aviation, flight technology, and other STEM fields. Our support also includes developing their TechZone to foster further learning and engagement.

Mental Health Workshops:

Baseline to Positive Community Impact is our mental health initiative that addresses trauma and bridging divides in communities significantly impacted by military presence. Through trauma-informed wellness workshops, this first-of-its-kind program brings together community members and military personnel to collaboratively heal from systemic harm and moral injury. These workshops will provide a safe space to explore complex emotions- ranging from anger over the environmental and cultural effects of military occupation to the challenges of economic dependence on military jobs. 

In Hawai'i the military occupies about 6% of the land, with 17% of the population connected to military service. This initiative acknowledges both the harms and the economic benefits associated with this reality, focusing on processing its effects on mental health. The goal is to foster healing and build a path forward in communities where military presence is a central, divisive, part of daily life. 

Mental Health Workshops:

Licensed psychologists have been leaving correctional facilities in Hawaiʻi at an alarming rate, which is creating gaps in care. Data for Maui Community Correctional Center shows at least six suicides at the jail inside of four years, and the shortage of psychologists left five inmates on suicide watch at the women’s prison on O’ahu this year. There is an urgent need for additional mental health services for prisoners and NWF is providing this through film screenings, workshops, and book clubs.