The members of the 2011 Class of Forty Under 40, a group of young business and community leaders honored each year by Pacific Business News, selected Hawaii Literacy as beneficiary of their first ever Class community service project. Members of the Forty Under 40 Class and Aloha Air Cargo (www.alohaaircargo.com) committed to raise funds for and custom build new bookcases and shelving for the Family Library at Kuhio Park. Hawaii Literacy’s Family Library had moved to a new space in one of Kuhio Park’s Towers last fall, and the old donated bookshelves did not work well in the new space.
“We wanted to do something to support the community that would make a concrete difference for local keiki in need,” explained Johnny Hobayan, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Aloha Air Cargo and one of the members of the Forty Under 40 class. “When we saw all that the Family Library was doing with limited space, we saw a chance to really help this program. With custom bookcases that fit the library space, the children can have a beautiful and exciting learning environment with a wider selection of books.”