In 2008, the James & Abigail Campbell Family Foundation ­continued to support three special populations of interest to the ­family: youth facing challenges through no faults of their own; ­programs strengthening the abilities of public schools and early ­childhood education; and native Hawaiian health, welfare and culture. In the face of spiraling economic challenges and increasingly complex societal concerns, the Foundation was keenly aware of the need to give community groups a hand up in their efforts to provide important services in more creative ways. We extended that help with grants totaling $651,750.  

Great examples of these community groups include Kamaile Academy, formerly Wai‘anae’s Kamaile Elementary School, which the Foundation supported in its conversion to a charter school. The Academy is focused on creating a “whole child environment” ­emphasizing the inclusion of Hawaiian values, the family and community in developing ­successful young people. Another example is the Foundation’s support of the critically important reconnection of youth to their incarcerated mothers in a special photography program with ProjectFocus Hawai‘i for relatively modest seed money. The Foundation also provided support for MA‘O Organic Farm’s efforts to give Wai‘anae youth educational pathways that will help them to become self-sufficient, successful leaders in their community. Each addresses ­long-standing challenges but in new, inventive ways.

In a time that called for being proactive, the Foundation worked with its community partners to identify opportunities to make the greatest difference for our most vulnerable populations—the elderly, preschoolers and their families. To do this, we made unsolicited safety net awards to three organizations that Foundation staff and trustees identified as being able to have the most impact. As a result, kupuna no longer need to choose between paying for meals or medication, and low-income keiki and their families are getting nutritious meals and snacks when schools
are out of session. 

At the Foundation, we do more than write checks. We stay in touch with our community partners to ensure that we have up-to-the-minute information about where the greatest needs exist and who is having the most success in meeting those needs. We reach out to other funding ­partners to find opportunities where we can make a difference in areas of mutual interest and ­concern. And we continually seek the input and support of our family members and stakeholders as we work together to uphold the legacy of James and Abigail by building better tomorrows for our communities.

James C. Shingle
President