Recent grants to Hawaii nonprofits:

Cancer Society receives $720,000 donation for research

Dr. Lawrence Tseu, a retired Honolulu dentist and philanthropist, has donated $720,000 to the American Cancer Society Hawaii Pacific for research to stop breast cancer from spreading to other parts of the body. The gift is the largest ever given to the ACS Hawaii Pacific for research, organization officials said. The donation is named the "Dr. Lawrence and Mrs. BoHing Chan Tseu American Cancer Society Grant for Breast Cancer Research." Tseu's wife survived breast cancer after undergoing a mastectomy many years ago and died in 2008 after a three-year battle with lung cancer.

"Every six months she would have an operation and they would take out a part of her lung," Tseu said. "It's devastating to see your loved one deteriorate." In addition, his sister, Miriam, died in the 1960s when cancer in her uterus metastasized to her surrounding organs. "I lost the two women I loved the most to cancer," Tseu said.

Jackie Young, ACS Hawaii Pacific chief staff officer for mission, said, "This very generous gift will fund an important research project that could improve how breast cancer is treated and dramatically increase the survival rate."

> The Hawaii State Federal Credit Union has donated $42,676 to the American Cancer Society Hawaii Pacific. The funds were raised by FCU employees, who hosted craft fairs, car washes and bake sales year-round. In the past four years, FCU has raised over $180,000 for the Relay for Life event at Magic Island.

> West Hawaii community center awarded $475,000 -- A Department of Housing and Urban Development grant totaling $475,000 has been awarded to a West Hawaii nonprofit organization to support planning, design and construction of its community center. Laiopua 2020 plans to build a comprehensive community complex to include a community center, medical center, recreational facility, inter-generational day care facility, social service center and a child abuse prevention facility on 26 acres of Department of Hawaiian Homelands property south of Kealakehe High School. Ground-breaking for the center is planned by the end of this year.

> Women's Fund of Hawaii stays on grant schedule despite economy – Despite economic pressures, Women's Fund of Hawaii maintained its grant award schedule and recently announced the recipients for its Fall/Winter 2009 grant round of $12,500: Kokua Kalihi Valley received $2,500 to provide sewing classes and sewing machines for recently immigrated Micronesian women to help them develop job skills and promote self-sufficiency in a culturally appropriate fashion; Waimanalo Health Center received $1,000 to help fund the Teen Clinic program, which provides family planning services for teenagers 14-18; Po'o No'ono'o Foundation received $3,000 for a project to help incarcerated girls at the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility; Hawaii Island HIV/AIDS Foundation received $3,000 for the expansion of the SISTA project "Sisters Informing Sisters on Topics about AIDS;" and Ka Hale Pomaika'i received $3,000 to provide gas and childcare vouchers for women in recovery on Molokai to access treatment services.

> Honolulu Theatre for Youth receives a total of $162,000 – Honolulu Theatre for Youth received more than $162,000 in grants from 14 funders in general support of the 2009-2010 season. Grants included the following contributions: $20,000 from the City & County of Honolulu; $15,000 from Thomas J. Long Foundation; $10,500 from the State Foundation on Culture & the Arts/National Endowment for the Arts; $10,000 from the Sidney Stern Memorial Trust to provide reduced-rate admissions; $5,000 from the First Hawaiian Bank Foundation; $5,000 from the Schuler Family Foundation; $2,500 from the Hawaii Hotel Industry Foundation/Hawaii Hotel and Lodging Association; $2,500 from the Bank of Hawaii Charitable Foundation; $50,000 from The Hearst Foundations; $10,250 from Hawaii Community Foundation for technology upgrades; $8,500 from the John R. Charitable Halligan Fund; and $600 from the Madelyn Ross Fund. Funders also provided $30,000 towards HTY’s CHOICE program to educate high school students on sexual assault with the State Department of Health contributing $20,000 and the Rev. Takie Okumura Family Fund awarding $10,000.

> Chaminade’s Hogan Entrepreneurs Program receives $25,000 grant – The American Savings Bank awarded Chaminade University a $25,000 grant to support the 2010 Hogan Entrepreneurs/American Savings Bank Nonprofit Business Plan Competition, the university announced. The competition is designed to encourage excellence in nonprofit planning and help start new and innovative social enterprises. The competition is organized and administered each fall by the Hogan Entrepreneurs Program of Chaminade with the assistance of 3Point Consulting.

> Hawaii Theatre Center has received a $20,000 grant from the McInerny Foundation and a $10,000 grant from the G.N. Wilcox Trust. The funds will support the Hawaii Young Actors' Ensemble, school residencies, and the Theatre for Young Audiences and Technical Theatre Apprenticeship programs.

> Abigail Kawananakoa donated $20,000 to Catholic Charities Hawaii to continue the operation of the Lanakila Multi-Purpose Senior Center. The center's mission is to keep older adults independent and living in the community by providing recreation, exercise, education, health, volunteer and social services.

> Teens raise $18,000 for homeless –  Two Punahou School students generated more than $18,000 from a race-walk fundraiser they recently organized to help the homeless. Sophomores Tama Fukuyama and Maya Grossmann, who are both involved in cross-country and track, organized the event to benefit homeless families at the Institute for Human Services. The 5K event was held Dec. 20 at Manoa Valley District Park. More than 360 people participated. The teens organized the event entirely on their own, meeting with the neighborhood board, obtaining permits and insurance, and recruiting sponsors and volunteers.

> Toys for Tots – Maui Marines purchased toys for keiki with funds raised during their annual Toys for Tots campaign. Partners were Pacific Radio Group's KPOA 93.5 FM radio station, The Salvation Army and the island's Minit Stop Stores, which raised a total of $13,600. The Wakea Minit Stop contributed the biggest amount with $3,600. The toys were distributed to the Angel Tree Project, the South and West Maui chapters of the Boys and Girls Club of Maui, Imua Family Services and the Kula Hospital in Upcountry Maui, among other agencies.