Ledcor Maui Raises $100K for Keiki

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Ledcor Maui’s Inaugural Gift Drive

Raises $100K for Keiki

Local beneficiaries join Dec. 18 celebration at Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center.

More than 100 youth and administrators from three local nonprofits gathered at Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center on Dec. 18 as the guests of honor of Ledcor Maui. The festive event was the culmination of a month-long gift drive by Ledcor Maui called Makana nō nā Keiki (Gifts for Children), which raised $100,000 for Maui youth.

Makana nō nā Keiki was developed as part of Ledcor Cares, the company’s national initiative to support children’s health and wellness. This local initiative in its inaugural year and a difficult year for Maui, gifted Maui’s keiki with makana that meet their needs and desires through three charitable organizations.

Eric Gerlach, senior vice president of Ledcor Maui, and his Ledcor Maui team welcomed the keiki, nonprofit administrators and its retail and activity partners to Queen Kaʻahumanu Center’s Center Stage to present gifts, meet partners, talk story, and take photos. After a delicious treat of local Grown on Maui extra-sweet Maui Gold pineapple chunks, all the keiki and families dashed off to shop at Tanoa and Shapers, the program’s clothing brand partners.

“We feel this gift drive is a special way to care for our Maui keiki—teens, young adults and families too—as well as the organizations that support them in providing resources, mentorship and assistance,” said Ledcor Maui’s Gerlach. “Through partnering with local businesses, we were able to extend our reach and support the greater community a s well. All of us at Ledcor Maui are humbled by this outpouring of support, and we wish to extend our sincere mahalo to everyone this holiday season.”

Administrators of the charitable organizations said they enjoyed the unique nature of the program, which provided a combination of personalized gifts for their members and cash donations to the organizations.

“The trauma that some of the children have had to endure especially from the recent wildfires on the island is naturally overwhelming for them as it is for all of us here,” said Paul Tonnessen, executive director of Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of Maui. “We hope Ledcor Maui knows how much the children benefiting from their kindness appreciate it. Mahalo, Ledcor Maui, for showing the children we serve that there is a caring and loving community out there willing to invest in the journey of their healing.”

“The Ledcor Maui team really went above and beyond to provide thoughtful donations, and the youth in our programs were excited to participate,” said Chelene Arnold, program director at Maui Youth & Family Services. “This support goes directly to improving the quality of life for our youth who have been victims of crime and those in our aged-out foster program. On their behalf, thank you for your generosity.”

According to Thomas “TJ” Daya, director of operations for Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui, “More than 40 youth from six of their clubhouses across the island attended the Ledcor Cares event at Queen Kaʻahumanu Center. For many, if not all of them, that experience will be one that lasts a lifetime. Their smiles were priceless!”

“Our keiki are navigating very complicated issues like being displaced from their homes, the loss of treasured possessions and recovering academically from tragedies derailing their education on the heels of the pandemic,” said Ashley Mason, director of impact and development for Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui. “Now more than ever, it’s the simple things that mean the world to them: a trusted adult to say, ‘I believe in you,’ a safe place to go after school, a nice new outfit or a positive experience that brings them joy and laughter; to just be kids. Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui is very fortunate to have the continued support of Ledcor Maui and its partners through the Ledcor Cares campaign.”

Ledcor Maui is proud to partner with local retail/activity businesses, including Tanoa, Hi-Tech/Shapers, Trilogy, Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center, Maui Gold Pineapple and Kula Country Farm.

About Ledcor Cares: Begun in October 2023, the Makana nō nā Keiki program promised to match donations with corporate funding up to $30,000. Ledcor Maui employees and industry partners responded with more than $35,000 worth of donations. The match from Ledcor Corporation brought the figure close to $70,000, and a generous donor rounded the total up to $100,000. Three local charitable organizations were designated as the beneficiaries: Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui, Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of Maui, and Maui Youth & Family Services. These groups worked with Ledcor Maui to select which items were most needed and wanted by their youth members to support their health and wellness. Ledcor Maui’s Makana no nā Keiki annual fundraiser is a Ledcor Cares initiative, through the dedication and effort of Ledcor employees and partners. Over the past 10 years, Ledcor Cares has contributed $24 million to more than 200 charities nationwide, with a focus on children’s mental health, access to education, and community support.