Wahiawa, Hawaii – A $5,000 award from Friends of Hawaii Charities will help Wahiawa-based ORI serve the elderly and developmentally disabled on Oahu. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, ORI’s mission is to promote quality of life for adults with special needs through its day and residential supportive services at the Helemano Plantation community complex.
“Friends of Hawaii Charities is proud to support ORI and its programs, which for 30 years have enabled hundreds of individuals with special needs to be productive and self-sufficient in the community,” said Corbett A.K. Kalama, president of Friends of Hawaii’s Charities. “We salute ORI’s founder Mrs. Susanna Cheung and her team for their hard work and dedication to improving the lives of those with intellectual disabilities.”
“We are so very thankful to Friends of Hawaii Charities for helping to realize our dream of a nurturing community for individuals with special needs,” said Susanna F. Cheung, president, chief executive officer and founder of ORI, ORI Anuenue Hale, and Helemano Plantation. “We fervently believe that our participants come to us with abilities, not disabilities. Through their own determination and hard work, along with supportive professional guidance, we enhance their positive growth and development to become productive and contributing members of society.”
Friends of Hawaii Charities, Inc. is a non-profit public charity organization that generates funding for programs administered by Hawaii’s not-for-profit organizations that benefit women, children, youth, and community groups with basic life needs.
Submitted by Keith DeMello