Hawaii nurses’ union forms Rescue, new nonprofit

The 4,000-member Hawaii Nurses’ Association, the state’s largest union representing registered nurses, announced in May that it will establish a new nonprofit foundation called Rescue, which will offer financial help to nurses dealing with serious illness, injury or disability. The foundation will be managed by the volunteer organization Nurses for Nurses and seek funding through donations and fundraising events.

The Hawaii Nurses’ Association said it formed Rescue after the nurses union saw many of its members with serious illnesses overwhelmed with medical bills after the funds from insurance and other sources ran out.

“Nurses are on the front lines, caring for their patients daily and are some of the most vulnerable when it comes to illness and injury,” association Vice President Joan Craft, a registered nurse, said in a prepared statement. “A foundation like Rescue would create a huge safety net and in some cases, could provide a bridge to retirement.”