At Punahou, generosity begins at home, and the Heart of Punahou Employees (HOPE) Committee embodies that spirit. Made up of faculty and staff from across campus, HOPE encourages every employee to support the school philanthropically each year through meaningful peer-to-peer engagement.

In 2024 – 2025, the committee helped build a strong sense of community by hosting welcome events for new faculty and staff, creating space for connection and a deeper understanding of Punahou’s mission. Their enthusiasm and creativity helped spark impressive Giving Day participation, with 391 faculty and staff donors contributing. Overall participation reached an amazing 49%!

To bring extra excitement to Giving Day, HOPE organized a fun challenge that offered a variety of creative prizes to faculty and staff donors. These included a week of premium parking in President Latham’s reserved space, classroom coverage by Junior School Principal Dr. Todd Chow-Hoy and Academy Principal Gustavo Carrera, lunch with President Latham, and a Buff 'n Blue gift basket filled with campus favorites.

HOPE members also ensure that every donor feels appreciated. They write thank-you notes to each faculty and staff donor and host a mahalo reception to recognize the collective impact of their giving.

Angela Bond, a HOPE Committee member, remarked, “As someone who was dependent upon grants and scholarships for my education, I know personally how important it is for students to receive these crucial funds. I was honored to be part of HOPE. You don’t always associate ‘fun’ with ‘committee,’ but this one truly is. It is such a joy to work with colleagues from across campus and rally support for a cause we all believe in.”

Thanks to the HOPE Committee, Punahou faculty and staff continue to demonstrate what it means to give from the heart, helping create a true home to dream and discover.