HILTON, SHRINERS ASSIST MICRONESIA

The Hilton Waikiki Prince Kuhio and Shriners Hospital have joined forces to improve healthcare in Micronesia. The hotel has contributed 30 boxes of linen to hospitals in Chuuk and Kosrae, and Shriners has donated 15 bags of children's clothing to their pediatric wards.

Goodwill Industries, which has a workforce development program for Hawai'i's Micronesians, has offered to transport the donations to the airport.

Shriners Hospital provides free orthopedic services for thousands of children throughout the Pacific.

LEEWARD YMCA CAN REMAIN OPEN

The generosity of the Waipahu community has enabled Leeward YMCA to remain open to the public in 2007. Waipahu residents and businesses donated $16,000. Waipahu businessman Goro Arakawa donated $5,000 toward the capital campaign.

"I am very happy to see the YMCA take over the old O'ahu Sugar Mill and turn it into something that will benefit Waipahu while preserving a part of our identity," Arakawa said.

BIA-HAWAII GAINS $5,000 DONATION

The Honolulu Board of Realtors has granted $5,000 to the Building Industry Association-Hawaii to support its capital campaign to build the Construction Training Center of the Pacific.

The multipurpose facility will be built at Waipahu's Mill Town Center. It will provide construction pre-apprenticeship, continuing education, entrepreneurial, certifications and safety training to workers who seek employment in the construction industry. The program targets students who are unemployed and underemployed.

LEEWARD HABITAT TO GET COMPUTERS

Habitat for Humanity Leeward O'ahu will receive an Automation Grant from the Atherton Family Foundation. The money will be used to purchase new computers for the Habitat office in Wai'anae.

Community support is vital to making Leeward Habitat successful in providing affordable housing to low-income families, officials said.