AMERICAN VETERANS HAWAII [AMVETS Hawaii]

Organizational Information

AMVETS Hawaiʻi Service Foundation Corp
Employer Identification Number (EIN): 83-0550908
Address: P.O. Box 2865, Ewa Beach, HI 96706
Phone: (808) 888-0410

Mission Statement

AMVETS Hawaiʻi Service Foundation Corp is a Hawaiʻi-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for U.S. military veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. The Foundation advances its mission through direct assistance, adaptive sports and wellness programs, community reintegration initiatives, youth and family support services, and collaborative partnerships that promote long-term stability, dignity, and self-sufficiency for veterans.

The Foundation operates as the charitable and programmatic arm supporting veteran-focused services delivered in coordination with the AMVETS Department of Hawaiʻi, with primary activities centered at the AMVETS West Oʻahu Veterans Center and across communities statewide.

Tax-Exempt Status

AMVETS Hawaiʻi Service Foundation Corp is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt public charity under IRC §501(c)(3). Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. A copy of the IRS determination letter is available and may be provided for your records.

• Governance & Oversight: The Foundation is governed by an independent board and operates under established bylaws, policies, and internal controls consistent with nonprofit best practices.

• Programmatic Focus: A substantial majority of expenditures (95%), are directed toward mission-related veteran programs and services, including adaptive sports, wellness, community reintegration, and facility-based support.

• Accountability: The Foundation complies with all applicable federal and State of Hawaiʻi reporting requirements and aligns its operations with standards promoted by Charity Navigator and BBB Give.org, including board oversight, ethical fundraising, and responsible stewardship of charitable funds.

• Relationship to AMVETS National (Best In America Seal): While national ratings (e.g., Charity Navigator or Give.org) are issued at the national-organization level, the Foundation operates in alignment with AMVETS National principles and is subject to charter, compliance, and reporting expectations through AMVETS Department of Hawaiʻi. Best In America Seal certified by Independent Charities of America.

Commitment to Best Practices

AMVETS Hawaiʻi Service Foundation Corp prioritizes ethical governance, fiscal responsibility, and measurable community impact. The Foundation continually evaluates its programs to ensure effective use of resources and meaningful outcomes for veterans and their families.

Goal:
AMVETS Hawaii's goal is to serve the emerging and long-term needs of the nation’s veterans and their families.

Youth Development
The future drivers of change for the development and stability of the country are today’s youth. AMVETS Hawaii supports life-enhancing programs that engage youth within their communities, schools, social groups, and families, that are positive and constructive to the development of their character, and enable all young people to reach their full potential. AMVETS Hawaii's focus is centered on nonprofit programs and services that connect youth to the following services and/or programs:

Character and Leadership development services and programs that acknowledge all youth as having the capacity for positive growth and further develops and/or strengthens youth assets.

Risk Prevention initiatives to avert risky behaviors and attitudes in youth, and efforts that work to address negative behaviors.

Civic Engagement/Involvement organizations that provide opportunities for youth to contribute to their schools and broader communities through volunteer service.

Goal:
AMVETS Hawaii's goal is to empower youth to become compassionate and responsible members of society.

AMVETS ROTC/JROTC Awards Program
Background: At the national level, AMVETS maintains the ROTC/JROTC Awards Program for implementation at the local level by AMVETS Hawaii. AMVETS ROTC and JROTC medals and certificates authorized by Army and Air Force regulations can be ordered from the National Quartermaster. While the Navy and Marine Corps ROTC units do not have such regulations, they can and do participate in the awards programs of the many Veterans organizations, professional military associations, and Military Orders. The AMVETS award consists of a medal pendant and ribbon bar, with accompanying certificate.

Here in Hawaii, there are: 3 ROTC Detachments (Army, Navy and Air Force) at the University of Hawaii; 26 JROTC Detachments at the High School level across Hawaii, and; 6 Cadet Squadrons of the Civil Air Patrol across Hawaii. All of these units conduct their annual awards ceremonies in April and May to recognize and honor the outstanding cadets and midshipmen with medals, ribbons, and other awards. The cadets and midshipmen receiving medals and ribbons are authorized to wear those awards on their uniforms while in the ROTC, JROTC, or CAP programs.

• Outstanding Senior Cadet. The professor of military science selects the cadet and submits his/her name directly to AMVETS Hawaii via email: admin@amvets-hawaii.org.
• Outstanding Junior Cadet. The senior instructor at the high school makes the selection, with processing being the same as for the Senior Cadet awards.

Human Services
Human services attempt to meet basic human needs by focusing on prevention as well as remediation of problems. We are committed to improving the overall quality of life for individuals and families at their point of most urgent need. To achieve this, we’re engaged in numerous initiatives with nonprofits whose programs and services prevent or end homelessness in the following categories:

Emergency shelter, rapid-rehousing, and permanent supportive housing.
Local food banks, soup kitchens, and school-based child feeding and nutrition programs that provide hunger relief.

Goal:
AMVETS Hawaii's goal is to enhance access to basic needs for underserved individuals and families.

Awareness Campaigns
Engage in our community service program initiatives by building relationships with community leaders, organizations, companies, schools, charitable organizations and veterans other service organizations; to write letters to elected representatives and voicing your support on the issues that matter to our military families. Legislative Priorities: https://amvets.org/legislative-priorities/

Commemoration Ceremonies:
AMVETS Hawaii hosts Pearl Harbor, Ewa Battlefield Commemoration and the Battle of Midway ceremonies in Kapolei, Hawaii.

Memorials:
AMVETS Hawaii is requesting financial support to build and preserve the Naval Air Station (NAS) Barbers Point Memorial at the historic World War II Kalaeloa Airport in Kapolei, Hawaii. AMVETS pursuit of this purpose is exemplified by its support to the USS Arizona Memorial, for which AMVETS is credited persuading Vice President Lyndon Johnson to get the bill for the monument passed in Congress. AMVETS also installed and dedicated the first memorial wall in May 30, 1962 where the names of the then known dead of the USS Arizona were engraved in imperial Danby marble. AMVETS demonstrated its dedication to tending to the USS Arizona Memorial, by replacing the Wall of Remembrance again in 1983, and then a third time, AMVETS raised $350,000 to rebuild the marble wall of names listing the 1,177 Sailors and Marines who perished on the Arizona during the Dec. 7, 1941 attack. It is this dedication that AMVETS Hawaii will bring to the NAS BP Memorial once completed.

World War II Veterans began helping veterans of World War II to obtain the benefits promised them by the federal government.

It was these returning veterans who provided the impetus for forming AMVETS in the first place. At the time, many of them belonged to veterans clubs on college campuses. As the number of returnees swelled into the millions, it was evident that some sort of nationally organized assistance for them would be needed. The older established national groups wouldn’t do; the leaders of this new generation of veterans wanted their own organization.

With that in mind, eighteen of them, representing nine veterans clubs, met in Kansas City, Mo., and founded The American Veterans of World War II on Dec. 10, 1944. Less than three years later, on July 23, 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed Public Law 216, making AMVETS the first World War II organization to be chartered by Congress.

Since then, the original charter has been amended several times to admit all veterans...