Three Hawai'i agencies that help women and children in need are getting some help themselves from the Hawaii Women's Legal Foundation.

In celebration of the foundation's 25th year of operation, three grants of $50,000 each were made available in addition to the awards usually given each year.

According to a news release by the foundation, "The intent of these grants is to make a contribution to our community that will be long-lasting and that will have a broad impact."

The grants were intended not to support ongoing services or operational expenses, but instead to help fund large equipment purchases, capital acquisitions and other major improvement projects.

The Hawaii Women's Legal Foundation was established in 1982 as a nonprofit fundraising arm of Hawaii Women Lawyers. Funds raised and established by the foundation are aimed at preserving the legal rights of women and children. Over the years, the foundation's endowment has grown to close to $1 million.

One of the 2007 special grants will go to the Waikiki Health Center to help pay for a new electronic health records system.

The center's current system is 10 years old with more limitations than features. With the new technology, an individual's medical history can easily be tracked, making healthcare more efficient and effective. For example, if a child receives school-required immunizations at the Waikiki Health Center homeless drop-in clinic, that information would be noted and available if the child is seen at the main clinic.

Another grant of $50,000 is going to the Legal Aid Society of Hawai'i to purchase a new phone system. Because the current phone system is old, replacement parts aren't available for repairs. The new system will allow calls to be tracked and give callers the option of being called back so they don't have to wait on hold. The Legal Aid Society hot line gets an average of 200 calls a day.

The Domestic Violence Action Center (formerly called the Domestic Violence Clearinghouse and Legal Hotline) received the third grant, which will go toward purchasing the office space in which they are currently located. The purchase would dramatically reduce overhead costs, freeing more money to go directly to services for victims of domestic violence.

"We want to make grants that will help to strengthen and stabilize these organizations and to improve their ability to deliver the services they are specially equipped to provide," the Hawaii Women's Legal Foundation said in a statement.

Reach Lee Cataluna at lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.