In The Community
14th Annual Scholarship Program
Congratulations to our 14th Annual Scholarship Program recipients; Clancy Doorish from Waimea High School, Kaylyn Gray from Kaua’i High School, and Tai Sorenson from University Laboratory School. The three of them each received $1,000 of scholarship funds that they can use for their college expenses. Good luck and best wishes to the three of you as you continue with your educational endeavors!
46th Annual Charity Walk
We had the great honor of presenting a donation in the amount of $1,000 to the 46th Annual Charity Walk on behalf of Catholic Charities Hawai'i! Catholic Charities Hawai'i is dedicated to uplifting and supporting our community and we are proud to be a contributing sponsor again this year to help raise funds and uplift those in need!
Hawaii HomeOwnership Center
We had the great honor of presenting a donation in the amount of $12,500 alongside Gather FCU to the Hawaii HomeOwnership Center! HHOC is committed to educating and empowering local families to become first-time homeowners in Hawaii. We are honored to be able to support HHOC's mission in building a stronger community as we believe every family deserves the opportunity to achieve their dream of becoming homeowners in Hawaii. To learn more about HHOC, visit their website here.
The Bridge: Kauai to College
We had the great honor of presenting a donation in the amount of $6,250 to The Bridge: Kaua’i to College! This incredible organization is committed to providing our local students with the resources and support they need to pursue higher education. We are thrilled to support them as we believe in investing and nurturing the talents and dreams of our future workforce on our island community!
2nd Member Financial Health & Wellness Fair
On Friday, 04/11th, we hosted a successful 2nd Member Financial Health and Wellness Fair held at Kaua’i Veterans Center!
Our members had the opportunity to connect with our team in a meaningful way and benefited from valuable resources and insights. Thank you to our community partners who participated and made our event a huge success:
Agency on Elderly Affair
Edward Jones
Hale ‘Opio Kauai
Ho’ola Lahui Hawaii
Kauai Community College
YWCA of Kauai
Zonta Club of Kauai
We believe in empowering our members with available resources and providing access to financial education, services, and tools as it helps them make informed decisions, build financial resilience, and achieve their goals. Our commitment to their financial health is a cornerstone of our community support.
Child & Family Service Ohana Fun Festival
Mahalo to Child & Family Service for inviting us to participate again this year at the Ohana Fun Festival event! We had a wonderful time seeing our members and meeting new potential members, where we had the opportunity to talk about the products and services, we have to offer to help them achieve their financial goals!
Holiday Cheer with PCNC
We are incredibly grateful to partner with Parent Community Networking Centers (PCNC) this holiday season through our Holiday Cheer program. With this initiative, we were able to provide 26 holiday baskets to the families who need it most. We are thankful for the opportunity to make a positive impact and share the holiday spirit with our community. We look forward to working closely with PCNC in the years to come. Read the full article here.
Career Exploration Fair at Kapaa High School
We had such a great time meeting all the high school students at today’s Career Exploration Fair! Career exploration fair is a vital tool in preparing students for the future, ensuring they have the knowledge and resources to pursue fulfilling careers. It also offers practical context for students to understand the skills and education required to different careers, bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world applications. Mahalo Kapaa High School and the Kauai Economic Development Board for organizing this event and giving us the opportunity to support Kauai’s future workforce!
Career Exploration Fair at Waimea High School
We had an amazing time connecting with all the students. It’s a great opportunity to provide students with early exposure, real-world insights, and offer advice on the different career paths they want to explore in the future!
Career Day at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School
Mahalo to Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School for having us at the career day! It’s a great opportunity for students to have an early exposure with real-world insights into different career paths they are looking at in the future.
76th International Credit Union Day
On International Credit Union Day, we celebrated by giving our members the chance to win up to $55 in cash for signing up for our mobile banking and direct deposit services. We also encouraged members to share their testimonials, highlighting the positive impact of our credit union in their lives. A special thank you to Child & Family Service for educating our members about their valuable services and programs, enhancing our community's well-being.
Grand Hyatt Resort & Spa Employee Health, Wellness and Safety Fair
Mahalo to the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa for having us at today’s Employee Health, Wellness and Safety Fair! We had an amazing time connecting with our existing members and we are grateful for the opportunity in educating potential new members of how we can help them with their finances with the different competitive products and services we offer!
1st Cybersecurity Business Expo with Kauai Chamber of Commerce
Mahalo to the Kauai Chamber of Commerce for having us at the first ever Business Expo focusing on Cybersecurity. We had such a great time, and we are grateful for the opportunity! We are committed to keeping your financial and identity secure!
Koloa Landing Resort & Spa Associate Health Fair
A heartfelt thank you to Koloa Landing Resort & Spa for having us at their Associate Health Fair! It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with the community and share with them about what Garden Island Federal Credit Union has to offer. We appreciate the chance to be part of an event focused on health and wellness!
Miracle Jeans
Garden Island FCU hosted its Miracle Jeans Day fundraising event in September. This year, through the generous donations of our members and team we donated a total of $3,023.18 that will benefit Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children, our local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital! This achievement is a testament to the power of teamwork and community spirit. A huge thank you to our amazing staff who went above and beyond by contributing their time and effort—whether it was baking delicious treats, organizing book sales, Chex mix, musubis, or creating beautiful keychains and charms. When a team comes together, miracles happen!
13th Annual Scholarship Program
Congratulations to our 13th Annual Scholarship Program recipients; Brenned Fernandez and Jeanine Marie Grace Longboy! They both received $1,500 each of scholarship fund that they will use towards their college expenses. Jeanine will be taking up Human Biology at Stanford University while Brennen will be taking up Electrical Engineering at UH Manoa.
Grand Opening Of Our Kapa’a Branch
We are thrilled to be able to opening of our new Kapa’a branch in March 2023! The event was a wonderful celebration, bringing together community members and our dedicated team. Attendees enjoyed guided tours of the new facility, refreshments, and engaging activities while learning about the services we offer. We are grateful for the warm welcome from the Kapa’a community and look forward to serving you for years to come!
Kauai High School Career Fair
At the Kauai High School Career Fair, we had an amazing time engaging with students and discussing the diverse career opportunities with us. It was a privilege to share our experiences and insights with the next generation, answering their questions and encouraging them to explore a career path with a Credit Union. A heartfelt thank you to Kauai High School for having us at today’s Career Fair!
Kapa’a High School Career Fair
We had a wonderful opportunity to connect with students and share insights about the career possibilities at Garden Island FCU! It was inspiring to engage with young minds, answer their questions, and discuss how they can shape their future in the financial industry. We loved hearing their ambitions and dreams, and we're excited to be part of their journey toward finding fulfilling career paths. Thank you to Kapa’a High School for having us!
International Credit Union Day
This year marks the 75th International Credit Union Day! Special thanks to Frances Dullaga, Head Start Program Manager, for your energetic presentation and invaluable insights into the impact of financial literacy on our community. Your dedication to empowering families through education aligns perfectly with our mission at Garden Island FCU. We were thrilled to celebrate this milestone by fostering awareness about the vital role credit unions play in promoting financial well-being. It’s a day to reflect on our achievements and renew our commitment to serving our members with integrity and innovation. Thank you to everyone who joined us in this celebration, helping to strengthen the spirit of cooperation and community that defines the credit union movement!
Miracle Jeans
Garden Island FCU hosted its Miracle Jeans Day fundraising event in September. These donations will benefit Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children, our local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital!
Back to School Bash
Kauai’s Credit Unions alongside community volunteers packed 2,700 backpacks today to be distributed to our island keiki’s grades k-12. Mahalo to our community sponsors and awesome volunteers in making this possible!
12th Annual Scholarship Program
Congratulations to our 12th Annual Scholarship Program recipients; Leolani Fernandez from and Victoria Perreira from. They both received $1,500 each of scholarship funds that they can use towards their college education and expenses!
85th Annual Membership Meeting
Mahalo to our members who came out to Garden Island FCU’s 85th Annual membership Meeting! We had such a great time catching up with our members and seeing all your lovely smiley faces.
Back To School Bash
Kauai’s Credit Unions along with community volunteers packed a total of 2,500 bags filled with free school supplies for the Back to School Bash at the Kukui Grove Center!
11th Annual Scholarship Program
Congratulations to our 11th Annual Scholarship Program recipients; Cody Manibog from Island School and Zoe Carvalho from Kaua’i High School. Cody and Zoe received $1,500 each of scholarship funds that they can use for their college expenses. Their drive and determination deepened our passion for wanting to serve Kauai’s youth.
Cody plans to attend Arizona State University to study Aviation and become a pilot. He is a bright individual who also plans to come back after achieving his goals to continue to support and give back to the Kaua’i Community. He was involved in Island Schools’ Air Riflery Team and was awarded most improved shooter and was also awarded the English Academy Award and the History Academic Award.
Zoe plans to attend Colorado State University to study Psychology. She finds value in leaving a positive impact on others and has a passion for learning about human behavior and giving back to those in need. Zoe was the president of Kaua’i High School’s Key Club as she fell in love with serving the community throughout her high school years. She was also active in various sports such as volleyball, track and field, and tennis.
Best wishes to the both of you as you continue to strive for the highest and accomplish your educational goals!
Investing in Your Future
We are honored to be able to continue to support the Parent-Community Networking Center's effort in assisting students in school, especially the kids whose families are still being affected financially by the ongoing pandemic . Education is important to our community, and whatever we can do to help support the kids, we want to be a part of it! We have donated an additional $1,600.00 (16 gift cards valued at $100 each) for the 15 schools on Kauai and one for the central office. The additional donation was presented to Judy Cano of PCNC Kaua’i, which was then distributed to schools on February 1st.
Kauai Credit Unions’ Sharing the Thanks of Giving
Kauai Credit Unions raised a total of $16,000.00 on our Sharing the Thanks of Giving Food Drive in November. This is an annual effort where Kauai Credit Unions join forces to help Kauai Independent Food Bank’s effort to feed families in need.
Miracle Jeans Day
Garden Island FCU hosted its Miracle Jeans Day fundraising event in September. Through the generous donations of our members and to our matching donor CO-OP Financial Services for its Miracle Match, a total of $4,204.55 will benefit Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children, our local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.
Giving Back
Garden Island FCU donated $1,600.00 (16 gift cards valued at $100.00 each) to Judy Cano, representing the PCNC from the 15 state Department of Education schools on Kauai.
Garden Island FCU’s President and CEO, Shane Corregedore wanted to ensure that the isle-public Parent Community Networking Center coordinators got what they needed. These gift cards are for the PCNC to use when they are approached with problems being faced by the schools' students.
Back to School Bash
The 7th Annual Back to School Bash and School Supplies Giveaway was a success! Kukui Grove Center in partnership with Kauai’s Credit Unions, the state Department of Education and community partners made this event possible in giving away 3,000 bags filled with school supplies for the students on Kauai. Garden Island FCU’s employees volunteered their time during the packing of school supplies on July 21st at the old Pier 1 building and on the Back to School Bash event day on July 24th.
10th Annual Scholarship Program
Congratulations to our 10th Annual Scholarship Program recipients; Leonila Fulgencio from Kauai High School, Braelyn Cayaban from Waimea High School and Jeslie Ann Pavao from Kamehameha Schools Kapālama High School.
Leonila plans to attend California State University at Long Beach with aspirations of studying nursing. She graduated top of her class and was involved with Health Occupations Students of America, Nature Club, Leo Club and the Kauai College Bridge Program. Leonila is also the younger sister of our 2019 scholar, Mayumi Fulgencio.
Braelyn will be attending Colorado College and plans to study Molecular Biology. She was the athlete representative for the Kauai District Athletic league which allowed her role to oversee outreach and wellness efforts to over 1,000 players from all secondary schools on Kauai.
Jeslie Ann will be attending University of the Pacific and plans to study Speech Pathology. As a native Hawaiian, she is immersed in her cherished culture as a fluent Hawaiian language speaker. She attended Hawaiian immersion school for most of her youth followed by the acceptance to the prestigious Kamehameha Schools at Kapālama where she boarded for six years, it has truly served as pillars of her growth to further fueling her passion and enthusiasm as an aspiring Speech Pathologist.
(Photo from left to right; Leonila Fulgencio, Braelyn Cayaban and Jeslie Ann Pavao.)
Kaua'i's Credit Unions Annual Food Drive
The 9th Annual Kaua'i’s Credit Unions’ Sharing the Thanks of Giving Food Drive is one of Garden Island FCU's biggest fundraising events. Together, we raised a total of $17,655.64 which surpassed our goal of $15,000. All proceeds go to the Kaua'i Independent Food Bank, helping out our families and those in need during the holidays. Funds also help restock the food bank after the school holiday break. Our Kaua’i community continues to be strong especially during these trying times where we all come together to help one another. Thank you to everyone who participated.
Miracle Jeans Day Fundraising
Garden Island Federal Credit Union raised a total of $4,000 through our Miracle Jeans Day fundraising event in September with the participation of CO-OP Financial Services’ Miracle Match Program. Proceeds benefited Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children, our local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Mahalo to our members who participated and donated.
KIFB’s Food Distribution at Kaua'i Marriot Resort
Kauai’s Credit Unions joined forces in supporting the Kauai Independent Food Bank in packing and distributing food packages and hot meals to Kauai Marriotts’ associates whom have been laid off or furloughed since March of 2020. A combined volunteer effort between Kaua'i's Credit Unions and other organizations made it possible to package and distribute more than 300 bags. The intent of the food packages is to feed not only the employee but their families as well.
Kukui Grove Center’s Back to School Bash
The 6th Annual Back to School Bash took place at the Kukui Grove Shopping Center on July 18th, 2020. This year featured a new drive-through format for supplies pickup to promote social distancing as well as two different bags – one for students grade K-5 and one for students grade 6-12. The volunteers from Kauai's Credit Unions and other organizations packed over 2,000 bags of school supplies to give away at the event. This community event is sponsored by over 20 businesses island wide and is aimed at providing much needed school supplies to students and their families at no cost. Along with school supplies, families attending the free event were treated to prize giveaways, live entertainment, keiki and youth resources, a health fair, and even free books!
9th Annual Scholarship Program
Congratulations to our 9th Annual Scholarship Program recipients; Gerald Salud of Kauai High School, Kyler Arruda-Sukehira of Kapaa High School, and Fred Ryl Adella of Waimea High School. Each scholarship recipients were awarded $1,000 to help pay for their college education. Their resilience during this unique and challenging times demonstrated how adaptable they are.
Koloa Landing Resort’s Employee Health Fair
We were honored to be a part of Koloa Landing Resorts’ Employee Health Fair held at Koloa Landing Resorts’ Ballroom on October 25th, 2019. The benefits of the health fair are many. Health fairs provide a simple, coordinated way to implement health risk assessments, educate employees about healthy living practices including financial well-being. Financial well-being is so important on employees’ health and it’s amazing for a company to recognize the importance of this as it demonstrate an employer's commitment to health and well-being of their employees.
Kaua'i Girls Summit
Kauai Girls’ Summit was produced by The Patsy T. Mink Center for Business and Leadership (MCBL) and hosted by Wilcox Medical Center on October 17, 2019. There were eight mentors during the Mentoring Program and we were fortunate to have one of our own Brand Equity & Identity Manager, Myrvie Buster to be one of the mentors. The one-day summit, Women in Leadership is an inspiring and informative gathering for girls of all backgrounds from Kaua’i High School, Kapa’a High School and Waimea High School to network with successful female leaders in our community. Girls’ Summit contributes the betterment of the community by empowering the next generation of women leaders with confidence and leadership skills to serve Kaua’i and beyond.
Academies of Kauai Career Exploration Fair
Kaua’i Economic Development Board and Hartung Brothers Inc. organized and hosted the first ever Academies of Kaua’i Career Exploration Fair on October 28, 2019 at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa. The fair gave a place for high school freshmen to get information about the education and personal attributes that they will need in order to be successful in a specific careers. About 700 high school freshmen from Kapaa HS and Waimea HS attended, benefited and had the opportunity to explore a breadth of career areas.
