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HPR and HCF Launch Radio Series "The Benevolent Mind" February 29

On February 29, Hawai?i Public Radio (HPR) launches “The Benevolent Mind,” a 100-part series, in partnership with Hawai?i Community Foundation (HCF).  One of the oldest and largest community foundations in the country, HCF celebrates its centennial anniversary in 2016. The radio series is one of among several initiatives HCF has introduced to highlight the impact of philanthropic acts on Hawai?i and its residents. Researched, written, and narrated by Bob Wehrman, the “The Benevolent Mind” seeks to find “the spark that ignites giving.”
 
Every weekday morning for 20 weeks, from February 29 through July 15, a 90-second "The Benevolent Mind" episode airs on HPR-1 during the popular NPR news magazine Morning Edition. An encore broadcast of the entire series is planned on HPR-2. An audio archive will also be available on hawaiipublicradio.org.
 
“Hawai‘i Community Foundation has had the privilege of playing a role in philanthropy over the past century, but we realize that giving started way before us, starting with the Ali‘i Trusts,” said Kelvin Taketa, CEO of Hawai‘i Community Foundation. “If you think about it, every person, throughout their lifetime, has been touched by someone’s generosity. Our hope is, through our partnership with Hawai‘i Public Radio, we will inspire people to think about how philanthropy has touched their lives and how they can pay it forward. We’re honored and thankful for HPR’s support to share these stories with their listeners.”

HPR President and General Manager Michael Titterton reflects, “Philanthropy in all its forms – and most especially in the form of planned, ‘legacy’ giving – is steadily becoming more important to the stability and richness of our quality of life.  Cultural, artistic, and social service organizations increasingly owe their existence to the kindness of individuals, and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation is the principal conduit in our state for these acts of generosity.  We’re pleased and proud to be working with HCF to tell these stories, and to both examine and chronicle their impact.”
 
The exploration of the altruistic impulse leads to a wide range of topics from prehistoric times, through the development of great civilizations and cultures, and current genetic research. “The Benevolent Mind” begins with stories related to the Hawai?i experience: individuals such as Queen Emma, who went door to door to raise funds for the establishment of the hospital now known as The Queen’s Medical Center; the Rev. Takie Okumura, a Japanese immigrant who founded schools, newspapers, and a baseball league; and the group of water management experts convening as The Fresh Water Council and funded by HCF to address the looming issue of water shortage in the islands.
 
“The Benevolent Mind” is written, researched, and narrated by Bob Wehrman. He hosted HPR’s music program Mirror of the New for more than a decade, and wrote and narrated its acclaimed architecture series "The Shape of Hawaii." He is the author of eight books, most recently The Unnatural Act, and the soon-to-be-released Walking Man. He is also a professional musician, composer, and educator.
 
“The Benevolent Mind” follows two other vignette series recently produced by HPR that examine concerns specific to our region. “Mahalo ??ina,” presented in partnership with Hawai?i Forest Institute and others, illustrated the importance of healthy Hawaiian forests. “Aloha ??ina,” a collaboration with The Kohala Center, is an exploration of the roots and endurance of the traditional Hawaiian value for kinship with the natural world. “Aloha ??ina” is currently airing on weekday afternoons on HPR-2. Both series may be found in audio archive on hawaiipublicradio.org.

About Hawai?i Community Foundation
With 100 years of community service, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) is the leading philanthropic institution in the state. HCF is a steward of more than 700 funds, including more than 200 scholarship funds, created by donors who desire to transform lives and improve communities. In 2015, HCF distributed more than $46 million in grants and contracts statewide, including $4.5 million in scholarships. HCF also serves as a resource on community issues and trends in the nonprofit sector.

About Hawai‘i Public Radio
HPR is a private, non-profit organization which broadcasts classical, jazz, and international music; and in-depth news and informational programming from National Public Radio, American Public Media, Public Radio International, and other local, national, and international program sources, as well as programs produced by Hawai‘i Public Radio. In November 2015, Charity Navigator, the premier charity evaluator, awarded HPR its fourth consecutive four-star rating for exceptional fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency. HPR was named one of the 2015 Best Places to Work in Hawaii by Hawaii Business magazine and Best Places Group. The station has recently won two national Edward R. Murrow Awards for its news coverage of the 2014 P?hoa lava flow. HPR was also recognized in November 2015 with the Cades Schutte-The Cades Foundation Nonprofit Business Leadership Award, as part of Pacific Business News' Business Leadership Hawaii Awards.

HPR’s mission is to serve the entire population of the state of Hawai‘i with two excellent program streams. HPR-1, the news magazine and fine arts stream, can currently be heard on O‘ahu and Kaua‘i (KHPR 88.1 FM and 88.5 FM); Maui, Moloka‘i, and Lana‘i (KKUA 90.7 FM); East Hawai‘i (KANO 91.1 FM (Hilo) and K234AN 94.7 FM (Waimea)); Kaua?i (K269GD 101.7 FM); and West Hawai?i (K239BV 95.7 FM). HPR-2, the news, local talk, and music stream, is found on Maui, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i (KIPM 89.7 FM and KIPH 88.3 FM (Hana)); West Hawai‘i (KIPM 89.7 FM and KHPH 88.7 FM); the newest station in south Hawai‘i (KAHU 91.7 FM); O‘ahu and Kaua‘i (KIPO 89.3 FM; KIPL 89.9 FM). HPR is online and streaming at hawaiipublicradio.org and hpr2.org; as well as on Facebook (FB/hawaiipublicradio), Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms (@WeAreHPR™). Free iOS and Android™ apps for “Hawaii Public Radio” are available for download from the App Store or Google Play™. HPR-1 and HPR-2 may also be heard via cable broadcasts from Oceanic Time Warner (channels 864 and 865) or Hawaiian Telcom TV (channels 661 and 662).
 

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