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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, December 17, 2006

Nonprofit gives $110K to Kokua, N. Shore groups

Advertiser Staff

The GIFT (Giving Inspiration For Tomorrow) Foundation of Hawai'i presented checks of $55,000 each to The Kokua Hawai'i Foundation and the North Shore Community Land Trust at the Kahala Hotel & Resort.

GIFT, a three-year-old nonprofit volunteer organization of young professionals dedicated to supporting and empowering charitable groups in Hawai'i, raised the $110,000 awarded Thursday from its fourth annual sold-out costume gala held in October.

Kokua Hawai'i Foundation founder Jack Johnson and Blake McElheny of the North Shore Community Land Trust accepted the contributions of behalf of their respective organizations.

Kokua Hawai'i plans to dedicate the funds toward its ongoing efforts to establish 'Aina In Schools, a farm-to-school program, in Hawai'i public schools.

The pilot 'Aina In Schools program is in five schools. The program features six integrated components: nutrition education in classrooms, promotion of healthy school lunches featuring local produce, garden-based learning, solid-waste management, farm field trips and community outreach.

The North Shore Community Land Trust's mission is to protect the 1,129-acre Pupukea-Paumalu coastal bluff, which overlooks the North Shore's famous surfing breaks. A coalition that includes the U.S. Army Garrison Hawai'i, federal government, local business, the surfing industry and private contributors have committed financial support for public acquisition of the bluff.