HAWAII ISLAND PORTUGUESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CULTURAL & EDUCATIONAL CTR

CONSTRUCTION OF CULTURAL AND EDUCATION CENTER. IN FISCAL YEAR 2018-2019, FUNDRAISING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CULTURAL AND EDUCATION CENTER CONTINUED WITH 3 MAJOR FUNDRAISERS THAT NETTED APPROXIMATELY 92,000 FOR THE CENTER. ADDITIONALLY, A 1 MILLION STATE GRANT IN AID WHICH WAS ACQUIRED IN 2016 CONTINUED IN THE CONTRACT STAGE. A NEW STATE GRANT IN AID PROPOSAL WAS SUBMITTED, PRESENTING THE CENTER DESIGN IN 3 PHASES. THE ORGANIZATION APPLIED FOR FUNDING PHASE 1, WHICH INCLUDES THE MAIN ASSEMBLY HALL AND HALL OF EXPLORATIONS, AS WELL AS RESTROOMS, STORAGE, AND OUTDOOR PARKING LOT AND LANDSCAPING, RESULTING IN A 200,000 AWARD WHICH WAS GRANTED TO BEGIN JULY 1, 2018, PENDING RELEASE OF FUNDS BY THE STATE. A NEW STATE OF HAWAII GIA WAS APPLIED FOR AND GRANTED IN MAY, 2019 FOR 150,000. COUNTY OF HAWAII CONTINGENCY FUNDS TOTALING 16,700 WERE ALSO AWARDED DURING THIS PERIOD TO HELP WITH 140TH ANNIVERSARY EVENTS. A 450,000 FUNDRAISING GOAL WAS ORIGINALLY GIVEN FOR 2018-2019 TO COMPLETE PHASE 1. INCREASES IN COSTS HAVE ALTERED THE ORGANIZATION'S PLANS TO COMPLETE THE CENTER BY LATE 2019 OR EARLY 2020. FUNDRAISING CONTINUES TO MEET ADDITIONAL COSTS. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC RESULTED IN DIFFICULTIES IN CONDUCTING SIGNIFICANT PLANNED FUNDRAISING, LOSING ITS 200,000 GIA BECAUSE THE PROJECT WAS NOT "SHOVEL READY." WITH THE POTENTIAL OF LOSING MORE FUNDING, THE CENTER HAS MOVED IN A NEW DIRECTION. SITE WORK AND BUILDING CONSTRUCTION ARE PLANNED TO BEGIN IN 2021 AND WILL BE COMPLETED IN 2022. IN SPITE OF THE SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL COVID CHALLENGES OF 2020-2021, THE ANNUAL FOUNDERS GALA AND MALASADA SHUFFLE WERE CONVERTED TO DRIVE THROUGH EVENTS WITH A PICK UP PORTUGUESE DINNER (175 PICKED UP). THE DOCUMENTARY "PORTUGUESE IN HAWAII" WAS ALSO PRESENTED VIA ZOOM FROM THE DIRECTOR IN THE AZORES TO PARTICIPANTS IN HAWAII, THE MAINLAND USA, MAINLAND PORTUGAL, MADEIRA AND THE AZORES. A CHRISTMAS FIESTA WAS ADDED TO THE MALASADA SHUFFLE WITH DRIVE THROUGH PICKUPS OF PORTUGUESE BOX LUNCHES AND OTHER FOOD AND PROMOTIONAL ITEMS. 40,000 PROFIT WAS RAISED THROUGH THESE EVENTS AND THE COMMUNITY WAS TO STILL ENJOY THE PORTUGUESE CULTURE IN A UNIQUE WAY. A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN WAS HELD FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 THROUGH AUGUST 31,2022. 135,000 WAS RAISED THROUGH THIS CAMPAIGN. ON NOVEMBER 19TH, 2022, GROUNDBREAKING OCCURRED AT THE CENTER SITE WITH THE INTENTIONS OF BEGINNING SITE WORK IN EARLY 2023. A FOUNDERS GALA WAS ALSO HELD THE SAME DAY RESULTING IN APPROXIMATELY 40,000 IN INCOME. MONIES CONTINUE TO BE RAISED TO MEET INCREASED PRICES. THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING HAS SHRUNK TO STAY WITHIN BUDGET. ANSWERS TO FINANCIAL CHALLENGES CAME THROUGH IN 2023 WITH THE GIFT FROM A BENEFACTOR OF HOME AND PROPERTY VALUED AT 285,000 AND A NEW STATE GRANT IN AID OF 200,000 PROVIDING FUNDING TO BEGIN SERIOUS CONTRACTING FOR BOTH SITE WORK AND BUILDING CONSTRUCTION. THE CENTER CONTINUES TO SHARE THE PORTUGUESE CULTURE THROUGH ITS MANY EVENTS WHICH INCLUDE PORTUGUESE MUSIC, EXHIBITS, FOOD, LANGUAGE AND GENEALOGY. FEBRUARY 19, 2023 BROUGHT BACK PORTUGUESE DAY IN THE PARK AFTER A LONG COVID HIATUS AND MAY 13, 2023 FEATURED A BOOK SIGNING OF "PORTUGUESE IN HAWAII - THE HISTORY OF GENERATIONS" WITH SIGNING EVENTS IN KONA, HONOKAA AND HILO, HELPING ONCE AGAIN TO BRING THE PORTUGUESE COMMUNITY ON HAWAII ISLAND IN GREATER COMMUNICATION WITH ONE ANOTHER. CENTER CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL AND FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES CONTINUED WITH THE CELEBRATION OF THE 145TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARRIVAL OF HAWAII'S FIRST PORTUGUESE IMMIGRANT FAMILIES ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2023 HIGHLIGHTING FOOD, MUSIC AND EXHIBITS FROM AROUND THE ISLAND. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY THE MALASADA SHUFFLE 5K AND SPRING FESTA HELD ON FEBRUARY 4, 2024 WHICH AWARDED EACH 5K PARTICIPANT WITH A FRESH MALASADA AND ONCE AGAIN SHARED PORTUGUESE FOOD, MUSIC AND EXHIBITS WITH PARTICIPANTS AND ALSO PROVIDED THE CHANCE FOR DELVING INTO THEIR GENEALOGY. THE MAY 17, 2024, ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING, NOT ONLY ELECTED THE 2024-2025 OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS OF THE CHAMBER AND THE CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL CENTER, BUT ALSO WAS HIGHLIGHTED BY A PRESENTATION BY 3 AZOREANS OF A FAMILY THAT EMIGRATED THAT WERE DESCENDANTS OF ONE CHILD LEFT BEHIND, SHARING A SAD CHAPTER OF FAMILY DECISIONS THAT WERE DIFFICULT TO MAKE AT THE TIME. ADDITIONALLY, WORK WITH THE STATE DAGS MOVED FORWARD TO GET THE NEWLY ACQUIRED 200,000 2023 GRANT IN AID MONIES RELEASED AND TO HAVE DEADLINES FOR ALL GRANTS END ON THE SAME DATE. WITH THE ACQUISITION OF SUFFICIENT PRIVATE FUNDS TO PAY FOR SITE WORK FROM THE 285,000 SALE OF PROPERTY, 2 SEPARATE CONTRACTS, ONE FOR SITE WORK WITH PRIVATE FUNDS AND THE SECOND FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION WITH STATE FUNDS, BEGAN BEING CONSIDERED.