Donor Stories

Maya Rogers

I choose to give to Women’s Fund of Hawai‘i because it specifically supports local programs designed for women and girls. It’s important to me that the money stays in Hawai‘i, because we know communities prosper when women thrive. As a board member, I see firsthand the impact that we make in our community, and I am proud to be a supporter of Women’s Fund of Hawai‘i.

The Bequest of Kay Wery

Katherine “Kay” Hanley Wery loved Women’s Fund because she was a fervent supporter of women and girls. A child of the Great Depression, Kay experienced the ravages of a collapsing U.S. economy and saw how poverty robbed people of their livelihoods, homes, and dignity. At the same time, she learned about the good that government and civic action by caring citizens could do to help people move through adversity and create access and opportunities. Kay’s deep-seated belief that she should help improve her community and society motivated her $165K bequest to WFH.

Les Dames d’Escoffier Hawai‘i Chapter Fund of Women’s Fund of Hawai‘i

The Hawai‘i chapter of this worldwide organization is dedicated to promoting women’s excellence and achievement in the culinary professions and food agriculture. Les Dames established their Donor Advised Fund to leverage the knowledge and expertise of Women’s Fund of Hawai‘i in identifying worthy programs to support in their area of interest.

Susan Jones

Women’s Fund of Hawaii was humbled and honored to be one of the organizations to receive donations in Susan’s memory after her passing in 2016. Susan was a mother, wife, educator and early childhood education expert, and she cared passionately about families and child development. She was, as well, an advocate for women and girls and a dedicated supporter of Women’s Fund of Hawaii. She worked at Hawaii Community Foundation, volunteered on WFH’s grants committees, and advocated for smaller organizations doing important work for women and girls. In 1997, Susan co-founded The Good Beginnings Alliance (GBA), which we know today as the Hawaii Children’s Action Network.

Barbra An Pleadwell

Women’s Fund of Hawaii joins the community in mourning the loss of Barbra An Pleadwell, partner of Hastings & Pleadwell, community leader, family woman, and friend. BAP, as she was fondly known to many, had been a force in our community. She was a strong women’s advocate, having worked with Hawaii Business Magazine to create Wahine Forum, a women’s business conference, among many other female-empowering endeavors.

Wendy Shewalter has generously donated $500 to Women’s Fund of Hawaii in BAP’s memory, and Hastings & Pleadwell has matched Wendy’s gift. Women’s Fund of Hawaii is humbled to receive contributions in memory of our friend and champion of women, Barbra An Pleadwell, in support of Hawaii’s women and girls. Please use our donate button to make your gift in memory of BAP.

The Professor Jack Bilmes Endowment for Women and Girls

Jack Bilmes was born and raised in Queens, New York. He attended Brandeis (BA), Yale (MA), and Stanford (MA, PhD) Universities. He also served as a Peace Corps volunteer and with USAID in Thailand and Laos.

In 1973 Jack moved with his wife and daughter to Honolulu and began his career as a professor of anthropology at the University of Hawaii. He loved teaching, and continued doing so for nearly 10 years after his formal retirement in 2010, without pay. Jack also held visiting positions in a number of foreign universities and institutes in Europe and Asia. He published two books and 46 articles and book chapters.

Jack was very proud of his daughter, the eighth Executive Director of Women’s Fund of Hawaii, and her work to promote gender justice in Hawaii. Their family friend Elizabeth Wong seeded this endowment in his honor, to perpetuate Jack Bilmes’ memory and support the mission of Women’s Fund of Hawaii.