Our Story:  A Voyage of Growth, for An Ohana of Programs

Planting the Seeds of Change

It all began with Violet Kam, a young local woman with the compassion and persistence to create programs to help people recovering from debilitating illness.

In1939, decades before the term “social enterprise” was coined, Violet established a center right on Honolulu Harbor’s Pier 6 to not only help people recuperate from tuberculosis, but to help them learn, work and contribute to the community. 

Without this supportive environment, many of the people served would not have been able to make a living.  What Violet did was create a place for them to recover, and also a business that could employ them and provide opportunities for independence, self-worth and dignity.  This is the genius of what is today known as “social enterprise” -- to operate like a business in order to help fund and in turn ensure social services. 

The Plot Broadens

When the organization was founded, tuberculosis was an incurable disease which threatened the lives of countless people everywhere. As time passed, more effective vaccines were produced and tuberculosis could be prevented, so Violet was able to broaden the program scope to include people with disabilities. 

At the time, people with disabilities were not seen or heard. They were shunned by society and often kept in institutions or family dwellings.  Although finding solutions for this major social issue was an ambitious job to take on, Violet was up to the challenge.

For 70 years, this is what our organization has been about.  We have been organizing around this concept of helping people with physical, developmental, or age-related challenges to build and keep their independence.  We do this by providing a synergy of services that help people build independence, like preparing meals that provide food service employment opportunities for people with disabilities, and delivering the meals to homebound seniors who are no longer able to cook but who want to keep living in their homes. 

We have been many things to many people, from Lanakila Rehabilitation Center, to Lanakila Crafts, to Lanakila Group Dining.  However, none of these names conveyed the wide array of services provided.

In 2008 we chose a new name to better reflect our organization.  The name Lanakila Pacific expresses the tremendous growth Lanakila has experienced since our founding and our vision to extend services beyond Oahu’s borders to help communities across the Pacific. 

Along the years, Lanakila Pacific has grown from one solitary program, into a family of distinct programs and social enterprises that build life skills, which in turn support our greater community in immeasurable ways.  It has evolved by empowering those with challenged lives to not only gain personal independence, but to also be a part of a greater cause, a larger effort.  We all work to contribute to the community and towards self-sufficiency.

The Journey to New Horizons

This year marks Lanakila Pacific’s 70th year of service to our island community.  Today, Lanakila Pacific provides life skill building programs for more than 400 people with disabilities, and serves more than 250,000 meals annually to senior citizens island-wide. 

The current economic climate coupled with the rapidly aging population has sparked a renewal of purpose on our part to continue to grow sustainably to meet the needs of people with challenged lives all across Oahu and the Pacific.  

On the strong foundation built by Violet Kam, our ohana of programs and social enterprises continue to help one another and grow together, and we remain up for the challenges our future holds.  We are inspired to share with others the wisdom of our Hawaiian roots and a practice of aloha that values respect for diversity, tolerance and inclusion.

We welcome you to set sail with us and be a part of this amazing journey towards our renewed mission and vision.

Lanakila.  To persist and overcome challenge, is a victory.  By working together, may we bring victories for many, every day.