Hawai?i Public Radio’s regular end-of year fundraising campaign reactivates the Radio Flyers program between December 2 and 10. Through this unique arrangement, donors to HPR may elect to transfer their "thank you gift" of Hawaiian Airlines miles to Kapi?olani Medical Center for Women & Children’s Family Fund. The HawaiianMiles are administered by Kapi'olani and used to fly Neighbor Island patients and their families who would not otherwise be able to afford the airfare to and from its Honolulu facilities. HPR's goal for this nine-day campaign is to provide another 500,000 miles to the fund.
The Radio Flyers concept originated in October 2013 with a contribution from a longtime HPR listener and local philanthropist, who realized that his donation could be compounded by “re-gifting” his HawaiianMiles premium. With a single financial gift, he could thus benefit multiple community organizations.
Other individuals followed his example during the station's subsequent semi-annual pledge drives and, since 2013, 2.4 million Radio Flyer miles have been transferred to Kapi?olani’s Family Fund. As a result, nearly two hundred children and their families have been able to access the medical treatments they urgently needed.
“We are grateful to our partner, Hawai?i Public Radio, and their listeners for helping to ensure that Neighbor Island family members who otherwise would not be able to afford travel expenses can be with their children at Kapi‘olani,” said Kapi‘olani CEO Martha Smith. “All of these costs are not covered by insurance, and research shows that patients heal better and faster when loved ones participate in their care. The ‘Radio Flyer’ program helps make that happen.”
The Radio Flyer program provides air travel for Neighbor Island families in need. In the past, funds have helped family members of medically complex children to receive training prior to discharge, fly a father to O‘ahu when his wife and twins arrived by air ambulance, and provide round-trip travel for a parent needing to work while their child remained in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
HPR is accepting online donations December 2 to 10 to the Radio Flyers fund at hawaiipublicradio.org. Additionally, between December 8 and 10, donors may call in their gifts from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. to 941-3689, or toll-free (877) 941-3689. Volunteers from Kapi?olani will be staffing the phone banks on December 8, 6:00 - 9:00 a.m. A minimum contribution to HPR of $100 is required to participate in the Radio Flyers campaign; however, gifts of any amount are gratefully accepted and tax-deductible.
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).
About Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children
Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children is well recognized as Hawai‘i’s leader in the care of women, infants, and children. With 207 beds, the not-for-profit hospital is Hawai‘i’s only maternity, newborn, and pediatric specialty hospital. It delivers 6,000 babies a year, and is also a medical teaching and research facility. Specialty services for patients throughout Hawai‘i and the Pacific Region include intensive care for infants and children, 24-hour emergency pediatric and adult care, and high-risk perinatal care. Over 1,500 employees and more than 630 physicians provide specialty care at Kapi‘olani. The hospital is home to the Kapi‘olani Women’s Center and the Women’s Cancer Center, and offers numerous community programs and services, such as specialty pediatric clinics, the Kapi‘olani Child Protection Center and the Sex Abuse Treatment Center. Kapi‘olani is an affiliate of Hawai‘i Pacific Health, one of the state’s largest health care providers and a not-for-profit health care network of hospitals, clinics, physicians, and other caregivers serving Hawai‘i and the Pacific region with high quality, compassionate care. In addition to Kapi‘olani, Hawai‘i Pacific Health includes Pali Momi Medical Center, Straub Clinic & Hospital, and Wilcox Memorial Hospital. Learn more at kapiolani.org.
About the Kapi‘olani Family Fund
Kapi‘olani’s Family Fund assists patients and their families who have limited financial resources or whose medical insurance may not cover or only partially cover the care provided to them at the hospital. The Family Fund helps to fill the shortfall and makes a lasting impact on direct patient care by providing additional tools and resources that caregivers need. From air travel for medical reasons and lodging for Neighbor Island families on O‘ahu, to the purchase of special equipment not covered by insurance, the Family Fund helps to extend the care and support provided by Kapi‘olani beyond the bedside for those families in greatest need.