The Kaiser Permanente Hawaii at a first aid station
Kaiser Permanente Hawaii
By PBN Staff
Top executives: Edmund Chan, President, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii; Dr. John Yang, President and Medical Director, Hawaii Permanente Medical Group
What areas of volunteering, philanthropy, or community involvement does Kaiser focus on?
Kaiser Permanente’s areas of focus are identified through a Community Health Needs Assessment completed every three years. Through this process, Hawaii communities have identified access to care, including behavioral health; housing; income and employment; and food and nutrition security as the top community needs. We are also very focused on supporting Maui’s long-term recovery from the devastating wildfires of 2023.
What’s your biggest philanthropic goal for 2026?
We balance our focus across all four priority areas of giving, however one pressing issue is that there are currently over 4,600 open non-physician health care positions in Hawaii. In order to improve access to quality health care across the state, as well as to help Hawaii residents qualify for living wage jobs in health care, Kaiser Permanente is actively investing in health care workforce development. Our Mental Health Workforce Accelerator program in partnership with the Thompson School of Social Work at the University of Hawaii is a good example of how we partner to help Hawaii people earn the credentials to fill health care workforce needs.
How do you stay proactive with your giving strategy?
Kaiser Permanente’s giving strategy is guided by our Community Health Needs Assessment that is refreshed with community input every three years. We also assess our giving strategy annually with deep input from community partners.
What nonprofits or community organizations do you support or partner with?
Ahahui o na Kauka Association of Native Hawaiian Physicians; Ala Kukui; Aloha Harvest; Best Buddies Hawaii; Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii; Boys and Girls Club of Maui; Catholic Charities of Hawaii; Common Ground Collective; Community Solutions; Discovery Art for the Youth; GoFarm Hawaii; Goodwill Industries of Hawaii; Hawaii Community Lending; Hawaii Good Food Alliance; Hawaii Hospital Education and Research Foundation (HAH Learning Labs); Hawaii Investment Ready; Hawaii Islands Land Trust; Hawaii Primary Care Association- Hana Kihapai, LLC; Hawaii Public Health Institute; Hawaii School Nutrition Association; Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies; Hope Services Hawaii; Hua Momona Foundation; Hui Loke Kea (Hawaii Chapter), The Links Inc.; Hungry Heroes Hawaii/Kaiaulu Foundation; Imua Family Services; Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma; Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Centers, Inc. (KHAKO); Kids Hurt Too Hawaii; Kula No Na Poe Hawaii; Maui Family Support Services; Maui Huliau Foundation; Maui United Way; National Council for Mental Wellbeing; Native Hawaii Education Association; Pacific American Foundation- Hui Hoomalu; Partners In Development Fund; Piha Wellness and Healing; Project Vision Hawaii; Spirit Horse Ranch; The Food Basket; The Kanikapila Project; United States Veteran Initiative; University of Hawaii Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health; University of Hawaii Foundation / UH Maui College; University of Hawaii Foundation / UH John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM); University of Hawaii: UHERO Maui Wildfire Exposure Study; Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center; Waipio Community Baptist Church Seafarers Ministry; Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) of Honolulu