Kawaharada Family: Honoring a Legacy and Investing in the Future

Committed to the mission of the Atherton YMCA (Y), Michael Kawaharada has been a supporter of the Y since the 1960s. As a University of Hawai'i student, he was pivotal in the creation of the student-led structure of its board and is still an active community board member today. This past month, Michael and his wife Gail chose to deepen their commitment to the legacy of the Y, Michael's mother Matsuko Kawaharada, and future students by establishing the Michael & Gail Kawaharada and Matsuko Kawaharada Family Endowment Fund.

The Kawaharada family strongly believes in education, the arts and helping others. These values were instilled into the children by the matriarch of the family, Matsuko Kawaharada, who was a remarkable woman ahead of her time. She passed along to her children her lifelong values and passions for healthy living, hard work, strength, resilience, gratitude, love of knowledge and travel.

This fund was established as a tribute to her and will support the Atherton Branch in the education and development of future servant leaders. The Fund will give youth the opportunity for international and mainland service trips, for programs that teach disadvantaged youth how to apply to college, while emphasizing a healthy, values-driven life and to help youth develop in the arts. The Kawaharada family's hope is that these youth grow and develop into well-rounded individuals able to contribute to their communities.