Over the past 25 years of Service, the Foundation Supported the following projects:
2007
YUKIO OKUTSU STATE VETERANS HOME
The first and only State veteran’s home, Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home, opened in Hilo.
2008-2009
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT RENOVATION
Renovated the Hilo Medical Center (HMC) Emergency Department through the Million/Million fundraiser to replace and upgrade aged equipment.
2011
TRANSPORT VAN
With the help of HMSA Foundation, Matson Navigation, McInerny Foundation, Atherton Family Foundation, and Alexander & Baldwin Foundation, a transport van was purchased for the HMC Extended Care Facility for recreational outings and to attend outside medical appointments.
2012
RIVER COTTAGE RENOVATION
Renovation of the hospital administrator’s home, River Cottage, to be used to house residents and medical students doing their clinical rotations in Hilo with help from many individual volunteers and organizations.
2012
LACTATION ROOM
Furnished a Lactation Room for Hilo Medical Center Employees so they have a private area free from intrusion to express breast milk.
2012
DIABETES IN CONTROL
Secured a grant from the County of Hawaii Shippers’ Wharf to fund the “Diabetes in Control” classes at HMC that was established by Becky Stubbs, a Certified Diabetes Educator and retired RN who also received funds by Dr. Robbins to continue her certification.
2012-2013
ADOPT-A-ROOM
Renovated and updated 32 rooms in the 3rd floor Medical Unit with the Adopt-A-Room project; 14 semi-private and 18 private rooms were improved with state-of-the-art beds which provide comfort and ease of administering care along with other aesthetic renovations.
2013
RESIDENCY PROGRAM
The Hawaii Island Family Residency Program received its accreditation. The three-year program has produced 14 board certified family physicians practicing on the Big Island and Oahu (one graduate is practicing in rural Arizona). Two physicians are currently in prestigious yearlong fellowship programs at Stanford University and the John A. Burns School of Medicine and plan to come back and practice on Hawaii Island.
2013
HEALTHCARE GRANT
Received a $250,000 grant from United Healthcare to support the Hawaii Island Family Medicine Residency Program.
2013
TOBACCO FREE
Helped fund the “tobacco free campus” that included the Acute Hospital, Extended Care Facility, Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home, Veterans Affairs Clinic, River Cottage and all parking lots.
2014
ACUTE CARE VAN
Purchased a transport van for the HMC Acute Care for outside medical appointments.
2014
OBSTETRICS & PEDIATRICS RENOVATION
Renovated and updated the Obstetrics and Pediatric departments with a focus on comfort and togetherness to promote the ‘ohana bonding and process.
2014
MURAL RESTORATION
Funded the restoration of the outside wall mural at Hale Ho’ola.
2015
BE A LIFESAVER HAWAI’I
Kicked off the Be a Lifesaver Hawai’i program to help raise awareness for sudden cardiac arrest, help place AED’s in non-profits across Hawaii island and train people on chest compression only CPR.
2016
EAGLE SCOUTS PERGOLA
Helped two Eagle Scouts with a community project to create a walkway and a pergola for the Extended Care Facility residents to enjoy.
2016
AED DONATION
Donated 33 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to the Hawai’i Police Department to be placed on police vehicles in Hilo, Puna and Kona for the Be a Lifesaver Hawai’i project with donations from the Max and Yetta Karasik Family Foundation and Kaimas Foundation.
2016
BIG ISLAND TOYOTA DONATION
Big Island Toyota donated to the Be a Lifesaver Hawai’i program allowing the Foundation to donate 20 AED’s to local non-profit organizations across Hawai’i island along with providing chest compression only CPR and chain of survival training critical to our rural environment. From 2016-2020, an additional 23 AED’s have been donated to non-profit organizations throughout Hawai’i island.
2017
RIVER COTTAGE COMPLETION
River Cottage on the Hilo Medical Center Campus was fully renovated and now houses learners on rural clinical rotations; including medical students, residents, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, behavioral health, and dietetic students while on rotation in Hilo. Growing our own healthcare workforce is essential to sustaining our healthcare system in Hawaii.
2017
HPSA DESIGNATION
Worked with the Office of Primary Care and Rural Health at the Department of Health to receive a county-wide Health Professions Shortage Area (HPSA) designation for the County of Hawaii.
2018
ALOHA CART
Relaunched the Aloha Cart at Hilo Medical Center that visits patients in the hospital and offers comfort items such as magazines, books, activity/puzzle books, reading glasses, and much more.
2020
PULSEPOINT APP
Purchased PulsePoint for the County of Hawaii; Capt. Mike Lam announced the launch of the PulsePoint application.
2020
PPE
Helped facilitate collection of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and cloth masks for hospital workers and community physician offices due to COVID-19.