B$Z: Introducing the Ama OluKai Foundation

OluKai officially announced the Ama OluKai Foundation today, a Hawaii-based 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, protecting and celebrating Hawaii’s cultural heritage and aloha spirit.  The Foundation will provide semi-annual donations to six partner beneficiaries including the Polynesian Voyaging Society, Hawaiian Lifeguard Association, Maui Cultural Lands, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center, Na Kalai Wa?a and Na Kama Kai.

The Ama OluKai Foundation supports programs that focus on educating and serving Hawaii’s communities by partnering with organizations that:

- Focus on developing quality communities and individuals in Hawaii.

- Preserve Hawaii’s rich traditions and historical lessons, with emphasis on the arts, sciences, language, customs, morals, physical activities and educational outreach.

- Perpetuate the aloha spirit.

“Being ‘pono’ is important to OluKai,” said Dan McInerny, Executive Director of Ama OluKai Foundation.  “Giving back to the community has always been a core value of OluKai. The Ama OluKai Foundation is a more formal way of spreading goodness, morality, excellence and prosperity.  We take great pride in this responsibility as we honor and preserve the cultural history of Hawaii while celebrating its aloha spirit.”

Representatives from each beneficiary organization were honored during OluKai Ho’olaule?a this past weekend on Maui’s North Shore, which saw more than 600 ocean paddlers take to the famous Maliko Downwind Run.

Around 100 OluKai ‘ohana, foundation beneficiaries and retail partners including REI and Zappos participated in the Ama OluKai Foundation Giveback Day on Monday, May 4 lending a hand to the Waihe’e Coastal Dunes and Wetlands Refuge project on Maui.

For more information visit AmaOluKaiFoundation.org