To kick off the school year, the Chan Zuckerberg Kauaʻi Community Fund announced $330,000 in grants to support all 16 of Kauaʻi’s public schools, the island’s seven public charter schools and Kumu’s Cupboard, a Līhuʻe nonprofit that provides free classroom supplies to teachers and other educational support staff throughout the year.
The fund is part of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation. The recent grants are unrestricted.
“Unrestricted or flexible grants empower our school leaders to direct resources exactly where they are needed most,” said Leila Maeda-Kobayashi, superintendent of the Hawaiʻi Department of Education’s Kauaʻi Complex Area.
“This generous donation from the Chan Zuckerberg Kauaʻi Community Fund ensures we can provide a more equitable and supportive learning environment for every student, while also helping Kauaʻi teachers access the supplies they need to help our keiki thrive.”
In addition to the grants, fund founders Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg joined other local donors in sponsoring Kukui Grove’s annual Back to School Bash, the island’s largest free school supply giveaway for kindergarten through 12th-grade students.
This year’s event distributed more than 3,000 backpacks filled with required classroom supplies to students preparing for the school year.
Marissa Sandblom, program director for the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, said supporting education extends beyond providing school supplies.
“Creating a safe, inclusive classroom environment isn’t only about providing school supplies,” Sandblom said.
“Every student learns differently and deserves the opportunity to succeed. By addressing resource disparities and financial pressures facing students, families and educators, we can help remove barriers and cultivate the necessary conditions for meaningful engagement in learning. Through the generosity of donors like Priscilla and Mark, we are helping build a stronger, more resilient education system for Hawaiʻi.”
