Businesses help Red Cross seek donations

By Karen Blakeman
Advertiser Staff Writer

Those white and red cans parked near the cash register of some Hawai'i retailers mean business: The Hawai'i Chapter of the American Red Cross needs all the change customers can spare.

"We're running a $150,000 deficit," said Coralie Chun Matayoshi, CEO of the state chapter of the Red Cross. "We've been struggling financially for the past few years: donations are down; United Way contributions are down."

She said seven people, or 20 percent of the staff, had been laid off.

Local business leaders have volunteered to help: Through Nov. 30, Subway restaurants, Verizon Plus stores, Hawai'i Pacific Federal Credit Union and the University of Hawai'i Federal Credit Union will accept donations for the Red Cross.

In addition to collecting spare change — or spare bills — in Red Cross cans, the businesses will solicit $2 donations from customers and will post donors' names in the stores as Red Cross "local heroes."

The project is called "Hawai'i $2-Gether."

Matayoshi said donations to the humanitarian organization have suffered nationwide while terrorism threats necessitate new training programs and victims of disasters continue to need help.

Glenn Lockwood, Red Cross Hawai'i's director of disaster services, said that in disasters that strike families, including fires, floods and rockslides, people benefit from Red Cross services on a near-daily basis.

The Red Cross offers on-site and follow-up counseling, a few nights in a hotel room for those who are left homeless, emergency food and clothing, pots, pans, linens and essential furniture or rental deposits and first months' rent for those in need, and assistance in dealing with state agencies and insurance companies.

When Hurricane Jimena threatened the Big Island on Labor Day, the Red Cross was prepared for action with 1,500 volunteers standing by, supplies shipped to the Big Island in anticipation of stocking emergency shelters, and an operations center set up and ready to go with 20 phone lines installed.

When Hawai'i is struck by disaster, the Red Cross wants to continue to provide the same level of assistance Hawai'i has relied upon in the past, Lockwood and Matayoshi said.

For information on how to donate directly to the Red Cross in Hawai'i, call 739-8105 or go to www.hawaiiredcross.org.

Reach Karen Blakeman at 535-2430 or kblakeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.